Editing Maeshowe (section)

==Siting==
Maeshowe appears as a grassy mound rising from a flat plain near the southeast end of the [[Loch]] of [[Harray]]. The land around Maeshowe at its construction probably looked much as it does today: Treeless, with grasses representative of ‘pollen assemblage zone’ MNH-I, reflecting "mixed agricultural practices, probably with a pastoral bias – there is a substantial amount of [[Plantago|ribwort]] pollen, but also that of cereals."<ref>Davidson & Jones (1985) pp 27</ref>

Maeshowe is aligned with some other Neolithic sites in the vicinity, for example, the entrance of "Structure&nbsp;8" of the nearby [[Barnhouse Settlement]] directly faces the mound. In addition, the so-called "Barnhouse Stone" in a field around 700&nbsp;metres away is perfectly aligned with the entrance to Maeshowe. This entrance corridor is so placed that it lets the direct light of the setting sun into the chamber for a few days on each side of the [[winter solstice]], illuminating the entrance to the back cell.<ref name="Monuments"/>{{rp|47}}

A Neolithic "low road" connects Maeshowe with the magnificently preserved village of [[Skara Brae]], passing near the [[Standing Stones of Stenness]] and the [[Ring of Brodgar]].<ref>Castleden (1987) p 117</ref> Low roads connect Neolithic ceremonial sites throughout Britain. Some archeologists believe that Maeshowe was originally surrounded by a large stone circle.<ref name=Lost-Worlds-2006-Pagans-s1-e12>
{{cite episode
 |date=2006-09-25 |df=dmy-all
 |medium=TV documentary
 |series=Lost Worlds
 |title=The Pagans [of Britain]
 |season= 1 |number=12
 |network=[[History Channel]]
 |people=series writers Martin Kemp and Dan Oliver, with contributions from historian prof.&nbsp;Ronald Hutton, and from archeologists Erika Guttmann and Martin Carruthers
 |lang=en-UK |publication-place=US
}}
</ref>
The complex including Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness, Skara Brae, as well as other tombs and standing stones represents a concentration of Neolithic sites that is rivalled in Britain only by the complexes associated with [[Stonehenge]] and [[Avebury]].<ref>Castleden (1987) p 93</ref>