The Ring of Brodgar
On a strip of land between two lakes in Orkney, a great ring of stones stands in the wind. Legend says they were giants, caught dancing at dawn.
What was reported
The Ring of Brodgar is a huge stone circle in Orkney, more than 100 metres across, standing on a narrow neck of land between two lochs. It originally had about 60 stones; 27 still stand. It's part of a landscape of ancient monuments, including the Stones of Stenness and the tomb of Maeshowe.
Local folklore says the stones were giants who danced on the land at night while a fiddler played. They danced so long that the sun rose and turned them all to stone. The nearby Comet Stone is said to be the fiddler.
Explanations offered
Archaeologists think the ring was built between about 2500 and 2000 BC, for ceremonies we don't fully understand. Excavations nearby at the Ness of Brodgar since 2004 have revealed a large complex of Neolithic buildings, suggesting the area was a major religious centre for its time.
- When
- Built about 2500–2000 BC
- Where
- Ring of Brodgar, Orkney, Scotland, UK
- Witnesses
- Archaeologists, Orkney folklore
- Status
- Purpose unknown
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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