Region : Orkney Island : Mainland Town or village : Stenness Grid Reference : HY 282 117 Period : 3rd millennium BC Unstan (Knowe of Onston) CHAMBERED CAIRN

This burial mound, about 13m in diameter, stands on a promontory in the Loch of Stenness (Orkney). The entrance is on the east-north-east side of the cairn. A long and narrow passage leads to the 6.6m long chamber, divided into five compartments by pairs of upright slabs (some of them are broken, as seen in the photo). In the middle of the west side of the chamber is the entrance to a side chamber. The site appears to have been entered by Viking tomb-robbers who carved some runes and a stylised bird on the lintel stone of the side chamber. Excavation in 1884 produced many bowls of a type often found in Orkney tombs: since then, this kind of pottery has been called Unstan Ware. Remains of inhumations were also found in both chambers. In care of Historic Scotland

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