5,000 Year-Old Standing Stones

On the Isle of Lewis, atop a hill overlooking a western sea loch, is one of Britain’s best-preserved Neolithic sites. Older than Stonehenge, the Standing Stones of Callanish comprises 47 stones arranged in a cruciform with a circle where four avenues or rows meet. Most of the stones are 1 to 2 meters high but the center stone stands 5 meters high with its long sides oriented almost perfectly north-south. Within view a kilometer away are a dozen other stone circles, stone arcs, and standing stones.  Who created Callanish and why here?  How are the multiple stones connected? Theories, legends, and mysteries abound. Was this a communal temple or lunar calendar device? Are the stones petrified men who refused to convert to the local religion? Mysteries are good and the stones still give a tingle when touched. This was definitely the highlight of our five-night trip to the Outers.