One version of the possible original appearance of the cairn.
Here we have attempted to portray the presumed original appearance of the
cairn according to later schools of thought.
It is believed that the primary cairn casing was originally as high as the cairn
core, the two forming a slightly domed upper
surface, the lower stonework "collar" being the secondary outer
casing, with the surrounding grassed over platform now almost
flush with this.
Many of the ideas about this final appearance of the cairn are based on
supposition, an alternative view was
supported by Childe (4) who thought that
the profile
of the original finished cairn was " a domical cairn of stones, resembling
in
profile Maes Howe".
It is likely that the entrance passage was blocked when the platform and secondary casing were built.