Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn, Finstown, Orkney

3D ModelNoAI

Cuween Hill is a chambered cairn situated close to Finstown on Mainland, Orkney.

The drystone structure was used for communal burial in the Neolithic, and belongs to the ‘Maeshowe Group’ of chambered cairns. It has four side cells opening off a tall central chamber, accessed via a long entrance passage, all encased within a round cairn. The interior stonework is particularly fine, with huge slabs spanning the central chamber’s width.

Excavations by James Cursiter in 1888, and by Malcolm Charleson in 1901, revealed the remains of at least eight people and many animal bones, including 24 dog skulls.

Cut into the solid bedrock of the steep hillside on which it sits, the cairn has impressive views over the Bay of Firth. A number of Neolithic settlements have been discovered in this area.

This site is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland. For information on visiting, see our website. Discover more history of Cuween Hill in the HES Archive.