United Kingdom

Steinacleit

Prehistoric chambered cairn on Lewis, Outer Hebrides

Location

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Historical Context

About

Steinacleit is a prehistoric archeological site on the west coast of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The site consists of an array of boulders which marks what is left of a chambered cairn, and possibly shows a huge hall overlay the site. There are ten large stone slabs surrounding the central mound. Folk legend of the Outer Hebrides states there was probably a battlefield nearby. The site is 15 metres (50 feet) in diameter and oval in shape. The age of the site is debatable and according to different sources ranges from 1800–1500 BC or 3000–1500 BC. The standing stone Clach an Trushal is visible to the south west from the stone circle.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Estimated construction (narrow range)

c. 1800–1500 BC

Estimated construction (broad range)

c. 3000–1500 BC

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Military Installations

Battlefields (folk legend)
category

Burial and Funerary Structures

Chambered cairnTombs
category

Environmental and Natural Features

Artificial Mound
category

Astronomical and Timekeeping Structures

Stone circleStone Alignments
Knowledge Base

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Reference

Details

Country

United Kingdom

Coordinates

58.40° N, -6.46° E