Easter Aquhorthies recumbent stone circle , Aberdeen. Easter Aquhorthies is an example of a recumbent stone circle, i.e. a circle of standing stones whose two tallest stones flank a slab laid on its side. These sites typically date from the third millenium BC. According to the signboard near the site, the recumbent and its flanking stones frame the moon rising or setting in the southern sky, enabling lunar observations to be made by the farming communities who built the circles. These sites are usually found on the crests of hills or terraces with wide southerly views, and are considered to have been communal ritual centres. The 11 standing stones are graded by height, those closest to the recumbent being the tallest. Rock type varies too, with the circle stones being made from a pinkish porphyry and red jasper; the flanking stones and the recumbent are grey and red granite. Traces of a low cairn have been found inside the circle.