A Gallery of Standing Stones, Cairns, and Castles of Scotland

Questions & Answers

Where does the name Scotland come from?

Scotland derives from the Latin "Scotti", which the Romans used in referring to an Irish tribe in the region.

What name was Scotland known by before the Romans?

Scotland was known as Alba in Scots Gaelic - though this originally only referred to the land of the Picts. It is unclear what name the whole of Scotland was called prior to the coming of Rome. The Romans called the land Caledonia, which probably meant "rocky land", though this is challenged.

What is the oldest stone house in Europe?

The Knap of Howar in Orkney, Scotland, is the oldest stone house in Europe.

What is Skara Brae?

Skara Brae is a Neolithic site in Orkney, Scotland, dated to c. 3100 BCE. It was a residential community of hunter-gatherers.