Giants' Graves, Neolithic burial site in North Ayrshire, Scotland
Giants' Graves consists of two stone burial chambers from the Neolithic period that sit on a ridge overlooking the landscape near Whiting Bay. These monuments were built as communal tombs where multiple people were laid to rest over many generations.
These tombs were built roughly 6000 to 7000 years ago when Neolithic communities in Scotland became permanently settled. An excavation in the early 1900s uncovered pottery fragments and stone tools that revealed details about burial practices of that era.
The northern cairn measures 6 meters in length with a concave facade, while the southern cairn lies perpendicular with an east-west orientation.
Access to the site works best from the Ashdale Bridge parking area, where a steep path leads directly uphill to the location. Sturdy footwear is essential as the ground is uneven and weather can change rapidly throughout the day.
The two chambers sit about 40 meters apart and face different directions, suggesting they may have been built at different times. This arrangement is uncommon among Scottish tombs of this type and raises questions about how people used these burial grounds across many centuries.
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