The deer carvings, the first clear examples of their kind from the Neolithic to Early Bronze Age in the UK, are a fresh reminder of just how long Scotland has been inhabited.
Evidence of early human habitation can be found all over the country.
From the remote isles of the north to the rolling hills of the Lowlands, Scotland has an abundance of Neolithic sites you can visit.
All of them predate the founding of the nation, and some of them were even constructed before the pyramids.
Peter Irvine, author of travel guide Scotland the Best, takes a look at 15 of the best prehistoric sites to visit in Scotland.
A message from the Editor:
Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.
If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription at https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions.
9. Cairnpapple Hill - nr Linlithgow
Astonishing Neolithic henge and later burial site on windy hill with views from Highlands to Pentlands. Atmosphere made even more strange by the very 21st-century communications mast next door. Photo: Creative Commons
10. Cairnholy - between Newton Stewart & Gatehouse of Fleet
A mini-Callanish of standing stones around a burial cairn on very human scale and in a serene setting with another site (with chambered tomb) 150m up the farm track. Excellent view – sit and contemplate what went on 4,000–6,000 years ago. I have it on good authority that this is a great place to watch the sunrise over the Solway Firth. Photo: Creative Commons
11. The Brown and White Caterthuns - Kirkton of Menmuir, nr Brechin & Edzell
These Iron Age hill top settlements give tremendous sense of scale and space and afford an impressive panorama of the Highland line. Colours refer to the heather-covered turf and stone of one and the massive collapsed ramparts of the White. Sit here for a while and picture the Pict. Photo: Creative Commons
12. The Grey Cairns of Camster - nr Wick
The cairns are instantly identifiable near the road and impressively complete. The ‘horned cairn’ is the best in the UK. In 2,500 bc these stone-piled structures were used for the disposal of the dead. You can crawl inside them if you’re agile (or at night, brave). Photo: Creative Commons