Unstan Chambered Cairn, Stenness, Orkney

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Unstan, also known as Knowe of Unstan or Onston, is a Neolithic cairn situated near the Loch of Stenness on Mainland, Orkney. In 1884, Robert Clouston excavated it and found crouched burials, mixed bone masses, animal remains, and sherds from over 30 round-based bowls. This distinctive pottery style became known as Unstan Ware. The mound can be accessed through its original entrance passage, which has been re-roofed, leading to a central chamber divided into compartments by four pairs of upright stones. This type of structure is classified as an Orkney-Cromarty cairn but features a unique side cell within the wall opposite its entrance. Unstan is cared for by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and is open to visitors at no cost. For visiting information, check our website. Explore more history of Unstan in the HES Archives.