# The stone came from the mainland Orcadian Basin, in Caithness or around the Moray Firth.

> Most likely: The stone came from the mainland Orcadian Basin, in Caithness or around the Moray Firth.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/answers/ANS0CRWPJRM1Z47/the-stone-came-from-the-mainland-orcadian-basin-in-caithness  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Stonehenge](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge)[Where exactly did the Altar Stone come from, and how did it travel?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/questions/QST0CRWPD4Y0ARZ/where-exactly-did-the-altar-stone-come-from-and-how-did-it)Answer

Answer · Stonehenge

# The stone came from the mainland Orcadian Basin, in Caithness or around the Moray Firth.

The stone came from the mainland Orcadian Basin, in Caithness or around the Moray Firth.

**Most likely** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Most likely** Its tests supported it: three pieces of evidence for, one against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- A geochemical and mineralogical match to a specific outcrop; a coastal route feasible for a Neolithic boat.

## What would rule it out

- A matching sandstone found in a nearer basin, or evidence the fragments are not from the Altar Stone.

## Evidence 3 for · 1 against

[Caithness sandstones give the closest match to the stone's zircon age spectrum; candidate areas farther south…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/evidence/EVD0CRWPKG22MWJ/caithness-sandstones-give-the-closest-match-to-the-stones)

Supported

FOR

[Detrital zircon, apatite and rutile ages match the Orcadian Basin and exclude Wales and England.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/evidence/EVD0CRWPK0E54XJ/detrital-zircon-apatite-and-rutile-ages-match-the-orcadian)

Established

FOR

[Orkney sandstones are excluded by mineralogy and geochemistry.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/evidence/EVD0CRWPK8818K0/orkney-sandstones-are-excluded-by-mineralogy-and)

Supported

FOR

[No specific outcrop has been matched and no transport evidence exists.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/evidence/EVD0CRWPQ5879Y5/no-specific-outcrop-has-been-matched-and-no-transport)

Suggestive

AGAINST

## The questions it answers

[Where exactly did the Altar Stone come from, and how did it travel?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/questions/QST0CRWPD4Y0ARZ/where-exactly-did-the-altar-stone-come-from-and-how-did-it)

Most likelyThe stone came from the mainland Orcadian Basin, in Caithness or around the Moray Firth

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). The stone came from the mainland Orcadian Basin, in Caithness or around the Moray Firth. [Answer ANS0CRWPJRM1Z47]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0CRWPJRM1Z47
```

Key

**ANS** 0CRWPJRM1Z47

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

2

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