Easter Aquhorthies

Recumbent stone circle
Gordon, Grampian
Nearest town: Inverurie
Map reference: NJ 732208

Easter Aquhorthies Image The recumbent is red granite and the flankers are of grey granite

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Situated on the side of a hill near Inverurie in Gordon, off a dead-end road running past a farm, is East Aquhorthies stone circle. This circle, lying within the shadow of Ben Achie, is 19.5 m (64 ft) in diameter, comprises nine stones set in a low bank, a huge 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in) recumbent and two flankers. In addition, in front of the recumbent are two huge blocks of stone delineating an area, perhaps for ceremonial purposes.
    The stones in the circle are all of pink porphyry apart from the one next to the east flanker, which is of red jasper. These stones are graded in height decreasing from the 2.25 m (7 ft 4 in) flankers to the stones opposite the recumbent which are 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) high. The flankers are grey granite, and the recumbent is red granite from near Ben Achie.
    Some of the stones have been shaped: for example, the recumbent's outer face has been worked smooth. As with other stone circles, there is a diamond-shaped stone and a waisted, rectangular stone, similar to those found at The Hurlers and Avebury (both in England).
    As the site has not been excavated, it is not known whether there is a central cairn, but an early reference to a cist, and the rise in the profile of the interior, suggests that there may have been.

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