Knowe of Lairo Chambered Cairn
Knowe of Lairo · Lairo Long Cairn
Early Neolithic·Orkney-Cromarty Neolithic·🇬🇧 Rousay, Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom
About
About Knowe of Lairo Chambered Cairn
Horned long stalled cairn near Hullion on Rousay, built c.3600–3000 BCE. The trapezoidal mound 50 m long, horned at the broad SE end, houses an 11 m stalled chamber with three compartments. Unroofed and ruinous, it shows the monumental long-cairn variant of Orkney-Cromarty, contrasting with the compact round cairns of Mainland. It overlooks Eynhallow Sound and is intervisible with Knowe of Yarso and Midhowe.
Why it mattersHorned long stalled cairn near Hullion on Rousay, built c.3600–3000 BCE. The trapezoidal mound 50 m long, horned at the broad SE end, houses an 11 m stalled chamber with three compartments. Unroofed and ruinous, it shows
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function of horns and forecourt
Theories
- 01Long cairn as territorial and ceremonial focus
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3600–3000 BCE
- Period
- Early Neolithic
- Culture
- Orkney-Cromarty Neolithic
- Purpose
- Horned long chambered cairn
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 3600–3000 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1437 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
59.1339° N · 3.0336° W · 40 m · 2 mapped features
Stalled main chamber
chamber11 m tripartite stalled chamber with upright partitions
59.1339° N · 3.0336° WHorned forecourt
forecourtHorned façade at SE end, now truncated, 15 m wide
59.1339° N · 3.0334° W