Editing Hebrides (section)

=== Prehistory ===
[[File:Callanish standing stones 1.jpg|right|thumb|[[Callanish Stones|Callanish stone circle]]]]
The Hebrides were settled during the [[Mesolithic|Mesolithic era]] around 6500&nbsp;BC or earlier, after the climatic conditions improved enough to sustain human settlement. Occupation at a site on {{lang|gd|[[Rùm]]}} is dated to 8590 ±95 uncorrected radiocarbon years [[Before Present|BP]], which is amongst the oldest evidence of occupation in Scotland.<ref>Edwards, Kevin J. and Whittington, Graeme "Vegetation Change" in Edwards & Ralston (2003) p. 70.</ref><ref>Edwards, Kevin J., and Mithen, Steven (Feb. 1995) [https://www.jstor.org/pss/124921 "The Colonization of the Hebridean Islands of Western Scotland: Evidence from the Palynological and Archaeological Records,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222121320/https://www.jstor.org/stable/124921 |date=22 December 2022 }} ''World Archaeology''. '''26'''. No. 3. p. 348. Retrieved 20 April 2008.</ref> There are many examples of structures from the [[Neolithic]] period, the finest example being the [[Callanish Stones|standing stones at Callanish]], dating to the 3rd millennium BC.<ref>Li, Martin (2005) [https://books.google.com/books?id=SKvBKzuwuo8C&dq=date+of+callanish+stones&pg=RA2-PA509 ''Adventure Guide to Scotland''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222121320/https://books.google.com/books?id=SKvBKzuwuo8C&pg=RA2-PA509&lpg=RA2-PA509&dq=date+of+callanish+stones&source=web&ots=4EAMDPGS3e&sig=Q1uZ5xEkW2iVuWhI2iBLPb8clH8 |date=22 December 2022 }}. Hunter Publishing. p. 509.</ref> [[Cladh Hallan]], a [[Bronze Age]] settlement on South Uist is the only site in the UK where prehistoric [[Mummy|mummies]] have been found.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/archaeology/excavations_techniques/mummies_cladhhallan_01.shtml "Mummification in Bronze Age Britain"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128141100/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/archaeology/excavations_techniques/mummies_cladhhallan_01.shtml |date=28 January 2011 }} BBC History. Retrieved 11 February 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/research/cladh-hallan "The Prehistoric Village at Cladh Hallan"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125060538/http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/research/cladh-hallan |date=25 November 2016 }}. University of Sheffield. Retrieved 21 February 2008.</ref>