Region : Orkney Island : Rousay Town or village : Westside Grid Reference : HY 398 279 Period :   Prehistory  Knowe of Lairo CHAMBERED CAIRN

Inside the long horned cairn of Lairo, on the island of Rousay (Orkney), a narrow and sinuous passage leads to a rectangular tripartite chamber. The chamber is impressive for its height, 4.1m. Its tripartite plan was altered by the insertion of a wall along each side of the first two compartments blocking the third one. The chamber now is only 0.6m wide and 3.3m long. In the secondary walls four recesses were obtained at varying levels above the ground. Externally, the cairn measures 45.7m in length and from 1.5m to 3.2m in height. The site was excavated in 1936 and some human bones and a stone axe were found.

Other chambered cairns ------------------ Achnacree (Carn Ban) Barpa Langass Beorgs of Housetter Blackhammer Cairnholy I Cairnholy II Camster Long Camster Round Camus nan Geall Clettraval Cnoc Freiceadain North Cnoc Freiceadain South Coille na Borgie South Cuween Hill East Bennan Garrywhin (Cairn o' Get) Holm of Papa Westray North Holm of Papa Westray South Isbister (Tomb of the Eagles) Knowe of Lairo Knowe of Yarso Maes Howe Midhowe Nether Largie South Ord North Ord South Punds Water South Yarrows South Taversoe Tuick Torrylin Unival Unstan Vinquoy Wideford Hill Other sites in Orkney ---------------------- Barnhouse Settlement Barnhouse Stone Blackhammer Comet Stone Cuween Hill Dwarfie Stane Grain Gurness Holm of Papa Westray North Holm of Papa Westray South Isbister (Tomb of the Eagles) Knap of Howar Knowe of Lairo Knowe of Yarso Liddle Maes Howe Midhowe Broch Midhowe Chambered Cairn Rennibister Ring of Brodgar (Brogar) Skara Brae Stone of Setter Stones of Stenness Taversoe Tuick Unstan Vinquoy Watch Stone Wideford Hill