You’re riding through the Siwa desert, the sun is beating down on Bayek’s hood, and suddenly the music shifts. It gets airy. Ethereal. You’ve stumbled upon a circle of rocks that look like they've been there since the dawn of time.
If you’ve played Assassin’s Creed Origins, you know the drill. These aren't just collectibles. They are "Bayek’s Promise," a side quest that feels way more personal than the usual "go here, kill that" loop. You're looking at the stars, listening to Bayek talk to his son, Khemu. It’s heavy stuff. But finding all 12 stone circle locations ac origins provides is a massive pain if you don’t know where to look. Some are tucked away in regions you won't visit for thirty hours. Others are basically invisible behind a sand dune.
Most people want the reward. I get it. If you finish all twelve, you unlock the "Old Habits" trophy and, more importantly, the path to the Isu Armor in the Great Sphinx. It's the best-looking gear in the game, hands down. It glows. It's futuristic. It makes you feel like a god. But honestly? The hunt is the real meat of the experience.
Why these constellations actually matter
Ubi Soft didn't just throw random shapes in the sky. They used actual Egyptian mythology. When you interact with a stone circle, you have to align a constellation pattern with the stars in the sky. It's a mini-game, sure, but it’s grounded in how ancient Egyptians viewed the heavens. They saw the stars as a map to the Duat (the underworld).
The first one is basically a freebie. It's in Siwa.
Amun Stone Circle: The Starting Point
You’ll find this one south of the village of Siwa. It’s the emotional hook for the whole questline. Bayek explains to Khemu that Amun is the "Hidden One." It's poetic. If you miss this, you basically miss the context for why Bayek is even bothering to stare at the sky while the Ptolemaic army is trying to put a spear in his ribs.
The Great Twins and The Scales
These two are located in the Uab Nome region. This area is rugged. It’s rocky. It feels like the edge of the world. The Great Twins is situated on a small island in the northern part of the region's lake. Meanwhile, The Scales is further east.
I remember wandering around Uab Nome for an hour because the map markers in this game can be deceptive. The verticality of the terrain means Senu (your eagle) is your best friend. If you aren't using Senu to scout the physical stone formations from the air, you’re playing on hard mode for no reason.
Finding the hidden circles in the deep desert
The desert regions in Origins are massive. Empty. Hostile. If you venture into the Qattara Depression or the Isolated Desert too early, the high-level bandits will wreck you. But that’s where some of the best stone circle locations ac origins has to offer are tucked away.
Osiris is in the Qattara Depression. This region is famous for the mirages. You’ll see burning bushes or fish falling from the sky if you stay in the heat too long. The stone circle is located on the western side of the depression. It’s eerie. There is almost no noise out there except the wind.
Then you’ve got The Goat Fish.
This one is in the Isolated Desert, specifically the western part. It’s perched on a cliff. The view from here at sunset is probably the best visual in the entire game. You can see for miles. It makes you realize how much work the developers at Ubisoft Montreal put into the draw distance.
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The remaining circles scattered across Egypt
- The Lion (Iwehem Nome): Located in the eastern part of the region. It’s near the water, making it easier to spot than the desert ones.
- Serqet (Iment Nome): Find this in the sandy dunes of the west. It’s dedicated to the scorpion goddess.
- The Divine Lion (Iment Nome): Also in Iment Nome. This region is a nightmare for navigation because everything looks the same. Use the fast travel point nearby and head north.
- Taweret (Faiyum): Located on the western shore of the lake. Faiyum is lush and green, a nice break from the brown of the desert.
- The Pisces (Faiyum): This one is also in the Faiyum area, specifically on the eastern side near the border.
- Hathor (Ka-Khem Nome): Found on a marshy island. Watch out for crocodiles. Seriously. They will interrupt your stargazing.
- Apis (Isolated Desert): In the southeastern corner. It’s another high-altitude one.
The payoff: The Great Sphinx and the Isu Armor
So, you’ve spent hours chasing white icons on your map. You’ve seen all 12 constellations. Bayek has finished his heartfelt monologues. Now what?
You need to go back to Giza.
Specifically, you need to go to the Great Sphinx. There’s a small hole in the back of it. Most players miss this on their first pass. Once you crawl inside, you’ll find a massive map room that reflects the stone circles you’ve activated. This is where the "Expert" knowledge comes in: You cannot finish this without 50 Silica.
Silica is that glowing gold resource found in Tombs. If you haven't been raiding tombs and grabbing every piece of gold glass you see, you’re going to be frustrated. You’ll reach the bottom of the Sphinx, see the ancient mechanism, and realize you’re short.
Don't panic. You can find massive amounts of Silica in the Tomb of Khufu and the Tomb of Menkaure, both right there in Giza.
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Why the Isu Armor is worth the grind
It’s not just a skin. Well, technically it is (it doesn’t have stats), but it changes Bayek’s voice. It gives him a metallic, processed filter. It completely changes the vibe of the cutscenes. Seeing a 1st-century Egyptian Medjay walking around in what looks like a Mass Effect suit is the kind of "Ancient Aliens" weirdness that makes Assassin's Creed great.
Common mistakes and navigation tips
Kinda obvious, but people forget: you can only do these at night.
If you arrive at a stone circle during the day, hold down the touchpad (or the 'M' key) to pass time. Bayek will meditate, the sun will zip across the sky, and the stars will come out.
Another thing? The alignment mini-game.
Don't just look for the brightest stars. Look for the clusters. Usually, the constellation pattern you’re holding will "snap" or glow slightly when you’re hovering over the right area of the sky. If you’re struggling, rotate the pattern. Sometimes you have the right stars but the wrong orientation.
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Is it actually "Human-Quality" content?
Honestly, the "Bayek’s Promise" quest is one of the few times a map-clearing exercise feels like it has a soul. It’s about a father grieving his son. Every time you find a circle, you hear a memory of Khemu asking about the gods or the world. It’s grounded. It’s sad. By the time you get that Isu Armor, you feel like you’ve actually earned it through a journey of remembrance, not just a checklist.
Actionable Next Steps
To wrap this up and get you that armor efficiently, follow this order:
- Prioritize the "Tomb of the Prophets" and "Tomb of Smenkhkare": These are high-yield Silica locations. You need 50. Don't even bother going to the Sphinx until you have that number in your inventory.
- Clear by Region, not by distance: Knock out the two in Iment Nome together. Then hit Faiyum. Don't zig-zag across the map; the loading screens (even on modern SSDs) will kill your momentum.
- Use Senu's "Hover" mode: When you get close to the golden circle icon, switch to Senu. The stone circles have a distinct circular rock formation that is much easier to see from 100 feet up than from Bayek's eye level.
- Check your Quest Log: Under "Bayek's Promise," it will tell you exactly how many out of 12 you have completed. If you're stuck at 11/12, it's almost always the one in the Qattara Depression because that area of the map stays foggy for a long time.
Go get that armor. It’s the closest thing Bayek gets to a "superpower" look, and it makes the final hours of the campaign feel incredibly epic. Over and out.