The
recumbent is red granite and the flankers are of grey granite
(58Kb)
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.
The
recumbent is red granite and the flankers are of grey granite
(58Kb)
