Concentric stone circle

A concentric stone circle is a type of prehistoric ritual monument consisting of a circular or oval arrangement of two or more stone circles set within one another. They were in use from the late Neolithic to the end of the early Bronze Age and are found in England and Scotland.

They were first proposed as a separate monument type to single ring stone circles by Aubrey Burl in 1976 although not all archaeologists consider the distinction valid as they both likely served similar purposes. Notable examples include those at Avebury and The Sanctuary in Wiltshire and at the Birkrigg stone circle in Cumbria. The Shapbeck stone circle in Cumbria has three rings whilst Yellowmead Down in Devon has four.

Connected features as some sites include central mounds, outlying standing stones, avenues or circular banks on which the stones are set. Burials have been found at all excavated concentric stone circles both inhumations and urned or unurned cremations. A funerary purpose is thought likely, especially by Burl who sees the Cumbrian sites as being analogous to the kerbs that surround some chamber tombs and cobble pavements have been found in the centre of many examples. Alternatively, they may be skeuomorphs of earlier timber circle sites rebuilt in stone, especially the examples in Wessex.

Some display examples of megalithic art one of the stones of carboniferous limestone at Birkrigg had been sculpted into a shape resembling a sperm whale's head.

External links

* [http://www.eng-h.gov.uk/mpp/mcd/concirc.htm English Heritage Mounument Class Description]