A cairn is a human-made pile or stack of stones. The word cairn comes from the Scottish Gaelic: càrn [ÃËkðaÃÂrànêà] plural càirn [ÃËkðaÃÂràò].Cairns have been and are used for a broad variety of purposes, from prehistoric times to the present.nnnA cairn to mark a mountain summit in Graubünden, SwitzerlandnIn modern times, cairns are often erected as landmarks, a use they have had since ancient times. However, since prehistory, they have also been built and used as burial monuments; for defense and hunting; for ceremonial purposes, sometimes relating to astronomy; to locate buried items, such as caches of food or objects; and to mark trails, among other purposes.
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