Surprising discovery about 'ancient' stone circle
A stone circle believed to be thousands of years old has turned out to be a replica built in the 1990s.
The stone circle was found in Leochel-Cushnie in Aberdeenshire, Scotland in December.
It was celebrated as an authentic discovery believed to be about 4500 years old.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Neil Ackerman visited the site after hearing about the find from resident Fiona Bairn.
Ms Bairn’s family has been farming in the area for generations.
“This amazing new site adds to our knowledge of these unique monuments and of the prehistoric archaeology of the area. It is rare for these sites to go unidentified for so long, especially in such a good condition,” Mr Ackerman said in a statement in December.
“To be able add a site like this to the record caps off what has been a fantastic year for archaeology in north east Scotland.”
It fit what’s known as a “recumbent circle model”.
Recumbent stone circles are about 3500-4500 years old and are unique to northeast Scotland.
“In numbering ten stones it fits the average, but its diameter is about three metres smaller than any known hitherto and it is unusual in that all the stones are proportionately small,” Adam Welfare, who was also studying it, said in a statement.
Archaeologists began to study it.
However, a farmer, who hasn’t been named and used to live in the area, has come forward claiming he built the stone circle in the 1990s.
Council confirmed the circle was less than 20 years old in a statement.
Mr Ackerman voiced his disappointment at discovering the circle isn’t as old as first thought but said the age “also adds an interesting element to its story”.
“That it so closely copies a regional monument type shows the local knowledge, appreciation and engagement with the archaeology of the region by the local community,” he said in a statement.
“I hope the stones continue to be used and enjoyed – while not ancient it is still in a fantastic location and makes for a great feature in the landscape.
“These types of monument are notoriously difficult to date. For this reason we include any modern replicas of ancient monuments in our records in case they are later misidentified.”
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