A Lovely Stone Table

I saw this feature in the garden where I was staying for part of my recent visit to Canada. It was built by Colin Shaw-Rimmington who is a well respected Toronto Chef. He is not a mason but I believe he managed to combine beauty with function in a way which many of our professional wallers find difficult to achieve.

Pictish ring Marks

The later Pictish markings were Cup and Ring incisions. Again the significance of these is not understood . They are found in many parts of the Celtic world , this one in Argyll near Lochgilphead is thought to be around 3000 years old.

Stone seat

This surprisingly comfortable looking chair was posted by Lili Mrzek.

Progress at Milton Eonan

These photos show the results of two restoration sessions at one of the oldest settlements in Glen Lyon in Scotland. Volunteers spent their weekends creating a beautiful area enclosed by dry stone walls with turf coping. Lovely to see this activity in an area where the first known records date back to the 8th century!
I posted the earlier work on 22 June this year.

Pictish Stones

This standing stone near Lochgilphead in Scotland has a large number of Pictish cup marks . The markings like these were early signs on rocks (at least 3000 years ago) which are not understood by modern archaeologists. Some believe they are maps of good ground or springs, others that they have religious significance.

Dry Stone village in UAE

 This house is in a village called Wamm. Located in the mountains west of Dibba, Fujairah. It is a traditional stone village in the northern mountains of Fujairah Emirate. Most of the houses are actually semi-subterranean. They used local stone and mud. Some structures were built using dry-stone masonry.

The photo was taken by archaeologist Michele Ziolkowski.

Bridge in Sydney

This bridge in the Botanic gardens in Sydney Australia was built with convict labour. It is said to be the first bridge of its kind in modern Australia.

Making the best of a dreadful tragedy

This is Leanach farm house. It was close to  the centre of the battle on Culloden moor, a defeat which led to the destruction of the clan system in the Highlands of Scotland.

Burial mounds in Argyll Scotland

The first photo shows a long shot of the chambered Cairn at Temple Wood near Lochgilphead. In the centre of the circle of standing stones is a tomb which was excavated in victorian times. This site around 4000 years old was completely covered by peat until this was removed for agriculture at the end of the 19th century.

Monarch Butterfly

Here you are one of the many butterflies that landed on the new bridge. Photo by John Shaw-Rimmington.