Cairns

Cairns are human-made piles of stones used as a marker or as a burial mound. The word cairn comes from the Scottish.

Cairns have been and are used for a broad variety of purposes. In prehistory, they were raised as markers, as memorials and burial monuments. In the modern era, they are often raised as landmarks, especially to mark the summits of mountains.

Cairns are also used as trail markers. They vary in size from small stone markers to entire artificial hills, and in complexity from loose conical rock piles to elaborate megalithic structures.

Cairns may be painted or otherwise decorated, whether for increased visibility or for religious reasons.