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Quanterness is a Neolithic chambered cairn and prehistoric house located in Orkney, Scotland. The monument sits upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a conglomerate of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone formed during the Middle Devonian period. This distinctive geology of the Orkney islands provided the building material for the chambered cairn, whose stone construction reflects the local stone resources available to Neolithic communities over five thousand years ago. The site demonstrates the dual use of space characteristic of some Orkney prehistoric settlements, combining both burial and domestic functions.
The chambered cairn represents a significant form of monumental architecture in the Neolithic archipelago, built to serve as a communal tomb for the dead. The associated prehistoric house indicates sustained occupation and daily life at the site, revealing patterns of settlement and social organisation among early farming communities. The proximity of these two structures suggests they were integral to the same prehistoric community, functioning as focal points for both ritual activity and domestic practice.
Quanterness is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1365, recognising its importance as a scheduled monument. The site contributes to the exceptional concentration of Neolithic and Bronze Age archaeology found throughout Orkney, which remains one of Britain's most significant prehistoric landscapes.
Quanterness, chambered cairn and prehistoric house 50m NW of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1365. View the official record →
Quanterness is a Neolithic chambered cairn and prehistoric house located in Orkney, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1365.
Quanterness, chambered cairn and prehistoric house 50m NW of dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a chambered cairn and prehistoric house. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Quanterness, chambered cairn and prehistoric house 50m NW of 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 SM1365.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Wideford Hill,chambered cairn (1.2 km), Rennibister, souterrain (2.1 km), Grain Earth House and Grainbank, two souterrains, Hatston (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Quanterness, chambered cairn and prehistoric house 50m NW of'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.
Quanterness, chambered cairn and prehistoric house 50m NW of stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.