Large stone structures or monuments that were created during the Neolithic period, and commonly found in Western Europe.
Introduction to Megaliths: An overview of what megaliths are, their historical significance, types, and locations.
Megalithic cultures of the world: A discussion of the different cultures that built megaliths, including the Neolithic cultures of Europe, Ancient Egyptians, Polynesians, and American Indians.
Evolution of megaliths: The gradual development of megaliths, including their architecture, meaning, and purpose.
Megaliths and ancient technology: A discussion of the technical skills involved in building megaliths, including quarrying, transporting, and shaping the stones.
Astronomical alignments of megaliths: The alignment of megaliths with celestial bodies and the theories around this practice.
Megaliths and archeology: How archaeologists study and interpret megaliths, including excavation techniques and data collection methods.
Megalithic art and symbols: A discussion of the artistic designs and symbols found on megaliths, including animal and human depictions, geometric designs and patterns, and religious and mythological themes.
Megalithic tombs and burial sites: A look into the importance of megaliths in the burial practices of different cultures, including dolmens, cairns, tumuli, and passage graves.
Megaliths and spiritual beliefs: A discussion of the role of megaliths in ancient religious and spiritual practices, including theories about their use in ritual practices and ceremonies.
Megaliths and cultural heritage: The preservation and protection of megaliths and their cultural significance in modern times.
Dolmen: A dolmen is a type of megalith made of two or more upright stones supporting a large, flat horizontal slab as a roof. It was used as a tomb, burial chamber or a shrine.
Menhir: A menhir is a large vertical standing stone, often used as a boundary marker, or a religious or ceremonial site. Menhirs are often shaped or carved to represent spirits, gods, or ancestors.
Cairn: A cairn is a mound of stones, often used as a memorial or burial site. Cairns were used to cover the graves of the dead and to mark important sites in the landscape.
Cist: A cist is a small stone chamber or box, often used as a burial site. The cist is oval or rectangular in shape and covered with a large flat stone.
Henge: A henge is a type of prehistoric monument consisting of a circular or oval-shaped bank with an internal ditch surrounding a central area. Some henges may have contained standing stones or other types of megaliths within their internal area.
Stone circle: A stone circle is a group of standing stones placed in a circle. They were often used for astronomical observation or religious and ceremonial practices.
Chambered tomb: A chambered tomb is a large megalithic structure consisting of a central burial chamber with an entrance passage leading to it. The chamber is usually covered with a mound of earth or stones.
Crannog: A crannog is a type of man-made island built in a lake or a marsh, often used as a dwelling or a fortified site. The crannog is usually made of timber, stones, and other materials.
Standing stone row: A standing stone row is a series of standing stones lined up in a row, often used as a boundary marker or a ritual site.
Portal tomb: A portal tomb is a megalithic structure consisting of two large upright stones supporting a horizontal capstone, with an entrance leading into a burial chamber. Portal tombs are also known as "dolmens with a doorway".