In Neolithic and Early Bronze Age times burials were often covered by earthern mounds or rock cairns. Many of the Neolithic tombs were used for hundreds of years, with mortuary houses built of wood or stone. The latter, often constructed of large stones, still survive today.
Midhowe : An example of a stalled cairn, from the Orkney Isles, off the north coast of Scotland. A long central passage was divided into burial chambers by vertically standing slabs of stone. Originally roofed in stone, this example was excavated and preserved under a large shelter.
Knowe of Yarso : Another Orkney stalled cairn (with a modern concrete roof). The external view shows the prominent location.
Taversoe Tuick: Also located in Orkney, this relatively small tomb is unusual in having an upper and a lower burial chamber.
Dwarfie Stane: This is thought to be a Neolithic tomb, and resembles other chambered tombs, but at a much smaller scale. It is the only rock-cut tomb in Scotland. The large stone blocked the entrance to a very short passage and two carefully carved chambers. Similar blocking stones have been found at larger chambered tombs, such as Maes Howe.Hetty Pegler's Tump: From southern England, this is an example of a Cotswold-Severn tomb. A mound covers a stone passage with burial chambers on either side.
Wayland's Smithy: Also from southern England, this site consists of a long mound, originally with a boundary, or kerb, of small standing stones. One end of the mound has a facade of tall standing stones, behind which is a small stone passage and burial chambers.
Many burial chambers in the west survive as megalithic structures, but the covering mound or cairn has been removed by natural or human activity. These remnant structures are referred to as dolmens or cromlechs.