Monument record MAB19076 - EASTER AQUHORTHIES STONE CIRCLE

Recumbent stone circle, Early Bronze Age in date.

Recumbent stone circle, Early Bronze Age in date. It’s almost perfectly circular plan places this circle early in the series of recumbent stone circles. It is 19.5 m in diameter and consists of nine erect stones, the recumbent, two flankers plus two massive blocks which form a reserved area in front of the recumbent, almost perpendicular to it. The characteristic differentiation between the recumbent with its flankers and the other stones in the circle can be seen clearly, both in terms of height of stones and their geological origin. The stones are graded in height from the 2.25 m high flankers to the 1.7 m high stones on the circumference opposite. The stones are unusually broad and are of pinkish porphyry, with the stone next to the east flanker being of glowing red jasper. The flankers are grey granite. The recumbent is reddish granite, whose outer face has been smoothed carefully. Some evidence indicates that a ring cairn was situated inside it although no traces can be seen. The interior has a slightly hollowed area towards the centre. Keillar (1934) referred to a cist which 'had been covered with a capstone'. The low stone bank surrounding the circle has been added to in recent times. The stone of red jasper was said to have magical qualities if touched. As a result parts of the surface have been rubbed smooth over the centuries. Three possible cupmarks have been noted on the rear face (facing into the centre of the circle) of the left flanking stone. The name 'Easter Aquorthies' derives from Gaelic, but opinions differ as to the exact meaning. Some believe that it means 'field of prayer' (from 'auch' or 'achd' meaning 'field', and 'ortha' meaning 'prayer'). Others contend that it means 'field of pillar stone' ('achadh choirthe').

AB 2497, AB 2497 (Ground Photograph). SAB20162.

AB 2909, AB 2909 (Ground Photograph). SAB20167.

AB 4829 PO, AB 4829 PO (Ground Photograph). SAB20168.

E 8437 CN, E 8437 CN (Ground Photograph). SAB20170.

SC 679318, SC 679318 (Ground Photograph). SAB20165.

LOGAN, J, 1829, ARCHAEOLOGIA 22,55-58,198-202, 203 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1060.

MACLAGAN, C., 1875, THE HILL FORTS & STONE CIRCLES OF ANCIENT SCOTLAND, Drawing (Bibliographic reference). SAB1147.

COLES, FR, 1901, PSAS 35(1900-01) 187-248, 225-8, ILL (Bibliographic reference). SAB231.

COLES, FR, 1901, REPORT ON THE STONE CIRCLES OF THE NE OF SCOTLAND, INVERURIE DISTRICT PSAS 34(1899-1900) 139-98, p. 225 - 229 (Bibliographic reference). SAB230.

KEILLER, A, 1927, INTERIM REPORT UPON SUCH OF THE STONE CIRCLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE AND KINCARDINESHIRE AS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS ANCIENT MONUMENTS, 8-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1033.

KEILLAR, A, 1934, MEGALITHIC MONS OF NE SCOTLAND, 8,9,12,16,17 (Bibliographic reference). SAB954.

DOE, 1967, A M's SCOT, 7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB363.

BURL, H. A. W., 1970, RECUMBENT STONE CIRCLES OF N-E SCOTLAND. PSAS 102, 64 (Bibliographic reference). SAB107.

THOM, A, 1980, BAR 81, 162-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1922.

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1985, BASG (Bibliographic reference). SAB1639.

SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p. 164-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.

WATSON, A, 1997, HEARING AGAIN THE SOUND OF THE NEOLITHIC. BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY 23 (APRIL 1997), 6 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2118.

WATSON, A, 1999, ARCHITECTURE AND SOUND: AN ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS OF MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS IN PREHISTORIC BRITAIN. IN ANTIQUITY 73, 325-336. , 73, 325-36 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3426.

MacGREGOR, G, 2002, Making monuments out of mountains:the role of colo (Bibliographic reference). SAB4618.

HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND, 2021, STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: EAST AQUHORTHIES STONE CIRCLE (Bibliographic reference). SAB5968.

Aug 8 1984 , BO 36-37, BO 36-37 (Ground Photograph). SAB14279.

Aug 8 1984 , BQ 17-37, BQ 17-37 (Ground Photograph). SAB14280.

Aug 22 1986 , CQ 4a-6, CQ 4a-6 (Ground Photograph). SAB14281.

Aug 23 1990 , KO 5-9, KO 5-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB33823.

Aug 27 1996 , AAS/96/15/CT6, 30, 45, AAS/96/15/CT6, 30, 45 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16515.

Aug 27 1996 , AAS/96/15/G39/1-6, AAS/96/15/G39/1-6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16514.

Dec 31 1902 , AB 2417, AB 2417 (Ground Photograph). SAB20166.

Dec 31 1902 , AB 2666, AB 2666 (Ground Photograph). SAB20164.

Jan 1 1921 , DP 043103, DP 043103 (Ground Photograph). SAB20159.

Jan 1 1930 , AB 5847, AB 5847 (Ground Photograph). SAB20171.

Jan 1 1997 , A 54183, A 54183 (Ground Photograph). SAB20160.

Jan 1 2002 , E 8424-5 CN, E 8424-5 CN (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB20169.

Jul 24 1990 , AAS/90/7/CT10, AAS/90/7/CT10 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB19508.

Jun 13 1996 , AAS/GR/96/CT114-121, AAS/GR/96/CT114-121 (Ground Photograph). SAB32973.

Jun 24 1999 , AAS/99/07/CT21-5, AAS/99/07/CT21-5 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB17264.

May 1 2000 , AAS/GR/00/CT202, 203, AAS/GR/00/CT202, 203 (Ground Photograph). SAB34802.

May 7 2003 , E 35509 CN, E 35509 CN (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB20172.

May 21 2012 , AAS-GR-12-05-068 - 083, AAS-GR-12-05-068 - 083 (Ground Photograph). SAB20860.

Nov 1 1908 , AB 2499, AB 2499 (Ground Photograph). SAB20161.

Nov 1 1908 , AB 5447, AB 5447 (Ground Photograph). SAB20163.

Oct 4 2007 , AAS/07/02/DG1840-64, AAS/07/02/DG1840-64 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB19247.

Sep 10 2015 , AAS-GR-15-09-019, AAS-GR-15-09-019 (Ground Photograph). SAB35559.

Record last edited

Mar 20 2026 4:33PM