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A full aerial view of the Dunchraigaig Cairn. The cairn is in the centre of the image with surrounding grass and trees around it. There is a weak winter sun causing shadows from the trees.

Visit a tomb set apart from the others of Kilmartin Glen, on a shaded, tree-covered terrace.

Like most of the other Bronze Age cairns in Kilmartin Glen, it is a large, round burial mound about 4,000 years old. But Dunchraigaig stands apart from the others, and is not considered to be part of the linear group.

It’s unusual on the inside, too. Excavations in the 1800s found remains of up to 10 individuals in one cist, dug directly into the ground and capped with a massive 3.8m stone.

In 2021, it was also revealed that Scotland's earliest animal carvings had been discovered inside the cairn. Thought to be between 4,000 and 5,000-years-old, the carvings include depictions of two male red deer.

An image taken from within the cairn showing a rock face with ancient rock art on it. The mouth or entrance of the cairn is also visible in the image.
Rock art can be seen inside the cairn
An exterior view of Dunchraigaig Cairn. The cairn is visible in the centre of the image with grass surrounding it, and trees in the background.

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Membership

Ideal for regular visitors and heritage supporters

Unlimited annual pass for all ticketed sites plus daytime events

Two adults, holding hands with two young children, walk through a graveyard, with historical stone ruins in the background. It is a sunny day.
  • Unlimited annual pass for all ticketed sites plus daytime events
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Perfect for short-term trips and sightseeing

Valid for 14 consecutive days

A family walking across a grassy lawn with the New Abbey Corn Mill building in the background.
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  • 20% discount on audio guides at Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Glasgow Cathedral
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