Barpa Langass, Neolithic burial chamber on Ben Langass, North Uist, Scotland
Barpa Langass is a Neolithic burial chamber located on Ben Langass on the island of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides. The roughly circular stone structure has a diameter of about 25 meters, rises about 4 meters high, and features a narrow passage leading inward to a central chamber where remains were placed.
This chambered cairn was built around 5000 BC and ranks among the earliest permanent structures erected by farming communities in the Outer Hebrides. The monument marks the period when settled farming life first took root in this remote region.
The site served as a shared burial place for multiple families, showing that tomb rituals were communal affairs in prehistoric times. This practice reflected how Neolithic communities valued collective identity over individual status.
Visitors can reach the site via a marked footpath from a nearby parking area, and the entrance passage is accessible for those who wish to step inside. Wear sturdy shoes as the terrain and access paths can become muddy depending on recent weather.
Excavations in 2006 uncovered evidence of Mesolithic camps lying beneath the burial chamber, marking this location as one of the earliest human settlements in the Western Isles. This reveals that people had occupied this spot thousands of years before the grave chamber itself was built.
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