Knowe of Yarso Chambered Cairn

The Knowe of Yarso is a Neolithic stalled cairn built between 3500 and 2500 BC high on the heather slope above Rousay's coast road, with wide views over Eynhallow Sound. Its roof was robbed long ago and the chamber is now protected by a modern concrete dome, but the walls stand close to their original height and visitors still enter through the original passage into a chamber divided by upright slabs, like the houses at Knap of Howar. The 1934 excavation found the remains of at least 29 people, seventeen of their skulls set side by side. It also held the bones of at least 36 red deer, which Historic Scotland compares with the dog skulls at Cuween Hill and the sea eagle bones at Isbister, perhaps the emblems of the people who used each tomb. From the small car park below, a steep waymarked path climbs for 10 to 15 minutes and can be wet and slippery; reviewers suggest allowing an hour and wearing good boots.