Monument record MAB12242 - OLD KEIG STONE CIRCLE
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Summary
Recumbent Stone Circle with recumbent, two flankers and third standing stone to the east surviving.
Protected Status/Designation
- Scheduled Monument 40
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 5966 1939 (52m by 53m) Centred at - Polygon: Unknown Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ51NE |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire |
| Civil Parish | Keig |
Type and Period (3)
Full Description
Recumbent Stone Circle with recumbent, two flankers and third standing stone to the east surviving. Five other earth-fast stones look disturbed. The recumbent and pillars stand in a circular earth and stone bank. The circle is 20 m in diameter. The recumbent, of sillimanite gneiss, is the largest known, measuring 4.9 m by 2.1 m by 2.0 m and weighing probably 53 tons. Excavations in 1932 revealed a bank of large stones just under the turf in front of the recumbent extending for 2.13 m towards the centre of the circle. The remains of an eccentrically placed ring cairn were uncovered, comprising a kerb of large stones forming a rough semi-circle. There was no trace of inner cairn or stones in front of recumbent. Prior to the building of the ring cairn a small timber structure may have stood for a short time in the central area.
AB/3800 (1932), AB/3800 (1932) (Ground Photograph). SAB13579.
AB/3819-22 (1932), AB/3819-22 (1932) (Ground Photograph). SAB13578.
AB/4132-3 (1932), AB/4132-3 (1932) (Ground Photograph). SAB13577.
LOGAN, J, 1829, ARCHAEOLOGIA 22,55-58,198-202, 201 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1060.
COLES, FR, 1901, PSAS 35(1900-01) 187-248, 211-214 (Bibliographic reference). SAB231.
KEILLER, A, 1927, INTERIM REPORT UPON SUCH OF THE STONE CIRCLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE AND KINCARDINESHIRE AS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS ANCIENT MONUMENTS, 9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1033.
CHILDE, VG, 1933, PSAS 67(1932-3) 37-53, 37-53 (Bibliographic reference). SAB221.
CHILDE, VG, 1934, PSAS 68(1932-33) 372-93, 372-93 (Bibliographic reference). SAB257.
KILBRIDE-JONES, HE, 1935, AN ACCOUNT OF THE EXCAVATION OF THE STONE CIRCLE AT LOANHEAD OF DAVIOT IN PSAS 69 (1934-35) 168-223, 168-214 (Bibliographic reference). SAB960.
ATKINSON, RJC, 1962, PREHIST PEOPLES OF SCOT, 17,181 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11.
HENSHALL, AS, 1963, CHAMBERED TOMBS OF SCOT 1, 37-39 (Bibliographic reference). SAB724.
CLARKE, DL, 1970, BEAKER POTTERY OF GB & NI, No 1479F (Bibliographic reference). SAB228.
KENWORTHY, JB, 1972, RING-CAIRNS IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND. IN SCOT ARCH FORUM 4, 24 (Bibliographic reference). SAB998.
SHEPHERD, IAG, 1988, THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY SUMMER CONFERENCE 1988: ABERDEEN AND NORTH EAST SCOTLAND, 19 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1744.
SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p. 162 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.
MacGREGOR, G, 2002, Making monuments out of mountains:the role of colo (Bibliographic reference). SAB4618.
Aug 22 1984 , CO 33-35, CO 33-35 (Ground Photograph). SAB13580.
Aug 22 1984 , CQ 7-8, CQ 7-8 (Ground Photograph). SAB13581.
Aug 25 1986 , AAS/86/05/S7/4, AAS/86/05/S7/4 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13576.
Jan 1 1978 , AAS/GR/78/CT77,88,94, AAS/GR/78/CT77,88,94 (Ground Photograph). SAB32532.
Jan 24 2022 , AAS-GR-22-01-035 - 041, AAS-GR-22-01-035 - 041 (Ground Photograph). SAB35268.
Jul 25 1991 , NK 2-4, NK 2-4 (Ground Photograph). SAB33445.
May 1 1995 , AAS/GR/95/CT303,375, AAS/GR/95/CT303,375 (Ground Photograph). SAB32944.
Sep 18 1984 , DF 32-35, DF 32-35 (Ground Photograph). SAB13582.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ASH;
- HES Scheduled Monument Number: 40;
- NMR Card Number: NJ51NE2;
- NRHE Numlink: 17530;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ51NE0002;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM40 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/17530 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (24)
- --- SAB1033 Bibliographic reference: KEILLER, A. 1927. INTERIM REPORT UPON SUCH OF THE STONE CIRCLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE AND KINCARDINESHIRE AS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS ANCIENT MONUMENTS. 9.
- --- SAB1060 Bibliographic reference: LOGAN, J. 1829. ARCHAEOLOGIA 22,55-58,198-202. 201.
- --- SAB11 Bibliographic reference: ATKINSON, RJC. 1962. PREHIST PEOPLES OF SCOT. 17,181.
- --- SAB13576 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 25 1986 . AAS/86/05/S7/4. Black & White. AAS/86/05/S7/4.
- --- SAB13577 Ground Photograph: AB/4132-3 (1932). Black & White. AB/4132-3 (1932).
- --- SAB13578 Ground Photograph: AB/3819-22 (1932). Black & White. AB/3819-22 (1932).
- --- SAB13579 Ground Photograph: AB/3800 (1932). Black & White. AB/3800 (1932).
- --- SAB13580 Ground Photograph: Aug 22 1984 . CO 33-35. Black & White. CO 33-35.
- --- SAB13581 Ground Photograph: Aug 22 1984 . CQ 7-8. Black & White. CQ 7-8.
- --- SAB13582 Ground Photograph: Sep 18 1984 . DF 32-35. Black & White. DF 32-35.
- --- SAB1744 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, IAG. 1988. THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY SUMMER CONFERENCE 1988: ABERDEEN AND NORTH EAST SCOTLAND. Y. 19.
- --- SAB221 Bibliographic reference: CHILDE, VG. 1933. PSAS 67(1932-3) 37-53. 37-53.
- --- SAB228 Bibliographic reference: CLARKE, DL. 1970. BEAKER POTTERY OF GB & NI. No 1479F.
- --- SAB231 Bibliographic reference: COLES, FR. 1901. PSAS 35(1900-01) 187-248. 211-214.
- --- SAB257 Bibliographic reference: CHILDE, VG. 1934. PSAS 68(1932-33) 372-93. 372-93.
- --- SAB32532 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1978 . AAS/GR/78/CT77,88,94. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/78/CT77,88,94.
- --- SAB32944 Ground Photograph: May 1 1995 . AAS/GR/95/CT303,375. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/95/CT303,375.
- --- SAB33445 Ground Photograph: Jul 25 1991 . NK 2-4. Black & White. NK 2-4.
- --- SAB35268 Ground Photograph: Jan 24 2022 . AAS-GR-22-01-035 - 041. Digital. AAS-GR-22-01-035 - 041.
- --- SAB4618 Bibliographic reference: MacGREGOR, G. 2002. Making monuments out of mountains:the role of colo. N.
- --- SAB4829 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, I. 1996. ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED). p. 162.
- --- SAB724 Bibliographic reference: HENSHALL, AS. 1963. CHAMBERED TOMBS OF SCOT 1. 37-39.
- --- SAB960 Bibliographic reference: KILBRIDE-JONES, HE. 1935. AN ACCOUNT OF THE EXCAVATION OF THE STONE CIRCLE AT LOANHEAD OF DAVIOT IN PSAS 69 (1934-35) 168-223. 168-214.
- --- SAB998 Bibliographic reference: KENWORTHY, JB. 1972. RING-CAIRNS IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND. IN SCOT ARCH FORUM 4, 24.
Finds (7)
- SCRAPER (TOOL) (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3300 BC to 1801 BC)
- BLADE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3300 BC to 1801 BC)
- UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3300 BC to 1801 BC)
- URN (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3300 BC to 1801 BC)
- BEAKER (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3300 BC to 1801 BC)
- SHERD (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3300 BC to 1801 BC)
- HUMAN REMAINS (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3300 BC to 1801 BC)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (4)
Record last edited
Mar 17 2026 2:55PM
