Menhirs of Yoxie
The menhirs of Yoxie ( English Standing Stones of Yoxie ; formerly also called Yuxie or Yoxie Biggins ) are located near Nesting between Isbister and Skaw on the northeast coast of the Shetland island of Whalsay in Scotland , about 100 m from Benie Hoose and the cliffs of Yoxie Geo.
The earlier opinion that it is a stone grouping is out of date. The structure, excavated in 1954 and 1955, is among the remains of a multi-room building. It was at least 18 x 11 meters, but the northern part is poorly preserved. There is an L-shaped area to the west and a small forecourt to the east, but no signs of access. A paved corridor lined with larger stones leads through the building into a round, recessed room that is divided into two sections. The excavator Charles S. T. Calder interpreted Yoxie as the remains of a temple. There is evidence that these and structures like Stanydale on Mainland were used for religious purposes and that they were the first known temples in the British Isles .
Most of the finds date from the early and late Bronze Age and the Iron Age . A large vessel resembling an urn may have been used to hold grain. More than 120 unfinished stone tools have been excavated in Yoxie.
literature
- Gordon J. Barclay: Neolithic buildings in Scotland. In: Timothy Darvill, Julian Thomas (eds.): Neolithic houses in northwest Europe and beyond (= Neolithic Studies Group seminar papers. 1, ZDB -ID 1330587-6 = Oxbow monograph. 57). Oxbow Books, Oxford 1996, ISBN 0-900188-08-2 , pp. 61-76.
- Charles ST Calder: Excavations in Whalsay, Shetland, 1954-5. In: Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Volume 91, 1961, pp. 28-45 ( PDF ).
- Ann MacSween, Mick Sharp: Prehistoric Scotland. Batsford, London 1989, ISBN 0-7134-6173-X .
Web links
- Entry on Yoxie Menhirs in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
Individual evidence
- ↑ Benie Hoose, also Bunyie Hoose, is a Neolithic site about 100 meters northwest of the menhirs of Yoxie and about 140 meters southeast of Pettigarths Field Cairns.
Coordinates: 60 ° 21 '58.7 " N , 0 ° 56" 12.8 " W.