Dwarfie Stane

This unique site on the Isle of Hoy, Orkney has attracted attention for centuries. It has been described as the dwelling place of giants, of dwarves, and as the home of an early Christian hermit. It was actually a tomb, related to the many chambered cairns found throughout Orkney. It dates to between 3500 and 2500 BC. Its construction, carved from a single enormous block of stone, is without parallel in Britain and Ireland. The labour involved, given the lack of metal tools, suggests that although small, it may have been of special significance.