Monzie Cairn Circle

All pictures copyright © 1999 Martin McCarthy

Looking east across the circle. The three larger stones nearest the camera have been likened to the recumbent and flankers of recumbent stone circles. Large Image (137kb 793x545) Looking south. The large prostrate outlier can be seen slightly behind and to the right of the circle. Large Image (192kb 828x526) Looking northwest. The large stone nearest the camera is heavily decorated in its top surface. The outlier lies behind and to the left of the circle. The yardstick in the background is six feet tall. Large Image (178kb 811x552) The top of the decorated stone. Large Image (168kb 835x577) Detail of some of the decoration on the outlier. Large Image (158kb 825x491) Detail of some of the decoration on the outlier. Large Image (144kb 544x802) Detail of some of the decoration on the outlier. Large Image (191kb 832x574)

A couple of miles northeast of Crieff in Perthshire, this circle has been described as a cairn circle, kerb circle and a stone circle. J.G.Callander described it as a type of burial monument where the cairn is dispensed with, leaving only the circle. A cist inside the circle contained the burnt remains of an adult and a child. Nine stones form the circle, seventeen feet in diameter, although there may have been as many as fifteen stones originally. The top of the southeast stone has been heavily decorated with cup marks and dumbell shapes. An outlier, very close to the circle, has also been heavily decorated with cups and cup-and-ring marks.