Warren Field facts for kids
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| Location | OS NO7397396777 |
|---|---|
| Region | Aberdeenshire |
| Coordinates | 57°03′41″N 2°25′51″W / 57.061295°N 2.430772°W |
| Type | Mesolithic site |
| History | |
| Periods | Mesolithic |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 2004 onwards |
Warren Field is an amazing ancient site in Scotland. About 10,000 years ago, people built a special calendar here. It's from a time called the Mesolithic period, also known as the Middle Stone Age.
This calendar uses 12 pits dug into the ground. These pits seem to match the different phases of the Moon. This makes it a lunar calendar, which tracks time using the Moon's cycles. Experts believe it is the oldest lunar calendar ever found! Warren Field is located near Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was first spotted from an airplane by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Digging to explore the site began in 2004.
What is the Warren Field Calendar?
The calendar at Warren Field is made of 12 pits. These pits line up with the southeast horizon. They also point to a specific spot where the sun rises during the midwinter solstice. The midwinter solstice is the shortest day of the year. This special alignment helped people keep track of the seasons. It also helped them correct their calendar based on the sun's yearly cycle.
How Old is This Calendar?
The Warren Field calendar is incredibly old. It was built nearly 5,000 years before the famous calendars from Mesopotamia. This makes it a very important discovery.
Why Was This Calendar Important?
People in prehistoric times needed to know the seasons. They relied on hunting animals that migrated, or moved, at certain times of the year. A calendar helped them know when to prepare for hunting specific food sources.
The Warren Field site is special for a few reasons:
- It is extremely old.
- It was created by hunter-gatherer people. These were groups who moved around to find food.
- Most other ancient monuments were built by farmers who stayed in one place. This calendar shows that hunter-gatherers were also very clever builders.
