Maes Howe

Stennes, Co. Orkney

The domed burial chamber of Maes Howe is widely held as the finest example of a Neolithic chambered tomb in north-west Europe.

A designated World Heritage Site, Maes Howe was built over 5000 years ago and to this day much of it is shrouded in mystery. The entrance is through a narrow stone passage way, made deliberately low, it is believed, so that you must bow on entry, suggesting that important tribal leaders were buried here. The centre of tomb measures 6.7metres high and 35 metres across and is built entirely from slabs of sandstone with some skilled craftsmanship.

The tomb lay undisturbed until the 12th Century when it was plundered by Vikings returning from the crusades. Its not certain whether they found any treasure but there is an account that when one group entered seeking shelter from a violent storm tow Vikings went mad with fear and killed themselves. The Vikings left their mark on Maes Howe with some wonderful carvings of mythical beasts and Rune writings. However the translations of this graffiti extolling the virtues (or lack of them) of Viking girlfriends, show that little has developed since.

The original design of the tomb was such that the entrance was aligned with the sun and at the winter solstice the sunlight creeps up the passageway lighting up the whole chamber. Further evidence of its builders ingenuity and connections with other Neolithic sites on the island such as the Ring of Brodgar and the stones at Stenness.

Excellent guided tours offer a knowledgeable and intriguing account of this ancient structure and the ancient Orcadians who built it.