Unstan Chambered Cairn

The Unstan Chambered Cairn is a Neolithic burial monument on Mainland that contains five separate chambers arranged along a passage. The walls, constructed from local flagstone, rise to approximately 2 meters in height.

The monument was built between 3400 and 2800 BCE as a burial site for multiple individuals across generations. It shows how communities reused the same sacred location over centuries.

The site is named after a distinctive pottery style discovered here, now displayed in museum collections and referenced as Unstan ware. These shallow bowls reflect how Neolithic people shaped everyday objects for their daily needs.

The site is located roughly three kilometers northeast of Stromness on a promontory into Stenness Loch and is open year-round for visits. The best time to explore is during dry weather when the surrounding landscape is easier to walk around.

The monument's circular shape measures about 13 meters across and displays concentric stone rows, setting it apart from the typically rectangular burial cairns found elsewhere in Orkney. This unusual form hints at local building traditions that differed from other regions.

Location: Orkney Islands

Location: Stenness

GPS coordinates: 58.98667,-3.24944

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:40