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Cairn Head is a cairn situated in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. The monument stands upon bedrock of the Argyll Group, a sequence of metamorphic rocks formed during the Neoproterozoic era comprising psammite, semipelite and pelite deposits. These ancient metamorphosed sediments provide a solid geological foundation for the site.
As a cairn, the monument represents a form of prehistoric burial or ceremonial monument common throughout Scotland and northern Britain. Cairns of this type typically consist of a mound of stones constructed over or around burials, and often mark prominent positions in the landscape. Their construction and use span a considerable period of prehistory, though many date to the Bronze Age.
The site's location in Aberdeenshire places it within a region rich in prehistoric archaeology. The underlying metamorphic bedrock of the Argyll Group would have influenced both the availability of stone for construction and the visibility of the monument across the surrounding landscape. Protection by Historic Environment Scotland recognises the cairn's significance to understanding the prehistoric heritage of the region.
Cairn Head, cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM11621. View the official record →
Cairn Head is a cairn situated in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM11621.
Cairn Head, cairn is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM11621.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including St Bride's Church,Cushnie (3.6 km), South Brideswell, settlement, field system and cairn 340m NW of (4.4 km), Blackhills, roundhouse, cairns and field bank 370m NNW of (6.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Cairn Head, cairn's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Cairn Head, cairn stands on Argyll Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite, semipelite and pelite.