Tealing, souterrain

Tealing souterrain is an underground chamber with curved stone walls, narrow passages, and a deliberately designed entrance. The structure features carefully fitted stones built without mortar, creating a stable enclosed space that descends below ground level.

The underground chamber was built during the Iron Age, roughly 2000 to 2500 years ago, as a storage facility for a local settlement. The site was eventually abandoned as the community's needs and living patterns shifted over time.

The underground chamber reflects how Iron Age people engineered practical solutions for storage and survival in their settlement. The careful construction and layout show the knowledge and skill required to build safely beneath the ground.

Access to the site requires advance arrangement through Historic Environment Scotland due to safety considerations for underground spaces. Visitors should wear suitable footwear and be prepared for low passages when exploring the chamber.

The stone walls feature cup and ring marks carved into the surface, symbols that likely predate the Iron Age structure itself. These carved patterns suggest the site held significance for multiple periods and communities over several centuries.