Calanais: land of stone
Explore the ancient stone monuments of Calanais, first built in the Neolithic around 5000 years ago.
The ancient stone monument at Calanais, the first elements of which were built around 5000 years ago, is one of the most spectacular and complex stone settings in Britain. With 49 standing stones, some over 4 metres tall, Calanais was clearly a very significant monument to the Neolithic communities who built it. However, in addition to the main stone monument at Calanais, at least 11 additional stone circles and 9 standing stones were erected across the local area. This tour goes beyond Calanais I to explore many of the lesser known monuments in the wider Calanais landscape.
Calanais I along with its surrounding stone monuments on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis.
Explore each of these stone settings in more detail below.
This tour continues with an exploration of some of these lesser known monuments in this magnificent and intriguing landscape.
When the stone monuments in the surrounding landscape were erected has yet to be determined. Some researchers have suggested that they were probably built during the Late Neolithic, around the same time as the Calanais circle. There has been much speculation about whether these other stone circles may also have been aligned on significant celestial events, especially those associated with the sun or moon. More work is still needed to unravel these mysteries...
To find out about more prehistoric sites on the Isle of Lewis...
