Andy Burnham's Blog, page 54

Linddalen

In the autumn of 2023, archaeologists investigated traces of the past outside Fredrikstad, Norway. They were surprised to discover more than 40 circular stone graves.This 2500-year-old burial site has aroused great wonder among researchers. Why were almost exclusively children buried there?

Pico Yeje Petroglifos

Guanche rock art close to the village of Masca and the Pico Yeje, Tenerife, Canary Isles. A sun wheel, some line engravings and a fish engraving can be found. They are quite hard to see but I managed to get some photos for our page. There are also several rock shelters at the site, one pictured top.

Tanahati

Monastery in Armenia with many early Christian cross stones. Superb atmosphere.

Abergeldie Castle Standing Stone

A standing stone, thought to be late Bronze Age. Once it stood on the lawn in front of Abergeldie Castle and easily seen from the road but is now hidden in trees which were planted to block views of the Castle.

Elnanslottet

The Elnanslottet hillfort is regarded as Trøndelag's best-preserved hillfort and is situated at the bottom of the Elnandalen valley near the Beistadfjorden. The hillfort has two walls and the mountain plunges vertically down three sides, to the south, south west and south east, so it is only possible to reach the top from one side, the northeast.

Boswarthen Holed Stone

A holed stone, now in use as a gatepost on the minor road between Little Boswarthen and Driftways, close to Sancreed Churchtown. The stone is about 1.2m high with a 8.25cms wide hole. Similar in form to that at Choone near the Merry Maidens.

Balmuick

Stone Circle in Perthshire with a pair of outlying stones. This group of 6 stones comprises a 4-poster circle with 2 outlying stones. The 4-poster's stones form a rectangle about 3.7m square and are at the edge of of a slightly stony 3.8m diameter round cairn whose centre is dished. Of all 6 stones, only the SW of the 4-poster still stands. It is 1.4m high. The other 4-poster stones are 1.8m long (NW), 1.1m long (ESE) and 2m long (SE). The last appears to have fallen outwards. Between the eastern stones lies a broken 2.4m long stone and just beyond it a squarish block partially dressed as a millstone.

St Piran's Well

This well is behind the Norway Inn on the main Truro to Falmouth road. The well and surrounding area are kept in good condition by the nearby church which uses water from the well for christenings.

Ring of Brodgar

Stonehenge Altar Stone Latest: Portable XRF analysis of Stenness and Brodgar stones indicates Altar Stone NOT sourced from Mainland Orkney. Previous results about 'Scottish' (Laurentian) source still apply so the search must continue... New paper by Bevins, Ixer et al. More in the comments on our page. Easily the most awe-inspiring prehistoric site in Scotland, the Ring of Brodgar lies on a promontory between two lochs. The stone circle is quite complete, and one of the biggest in Britain. The stones are set within a circular ditch up to 3m deep and 9m across that was hewn out of the solid bedrock by the prehistoric constructors.

Auchterarder

Situated on the Tullibardine road leading NW from Auchterarder, this is an interesting group - probably the remains of a Bronze Age Four Poster Stone Circle. The most obvious is a single out on a grassy traffic island but there are another two (or three?) in dense undergrowth at the side of the road. Here Ronnie has found a third stone lying down between the other two after someone cleared the undergrowth.