Video – Uncovering Trench P
Day Two of the 2019 excavation season and work continues removing the protective covers from the Neolithic structures in Trench P.… Read more
The Ness of Brodgar complex
Discovered in 2003, the Ness of Brodgar site has been under excavation since 2004, revealing a massive complex of monumental Neolithic buildings dating from the centuries around 3000BC.
Without parallel in Atlantic Europe, the Ness of Brodgar’s three hectares are filled with huge stone structures containing spectacular finds.
These have made the Ness one of the most important archaeological excavations in the world today, changing our understanding of the culture and beliefs of Neolithic Orkney and shining a new light on the prehistory of northern Europe.
The project is mainly funded through the generosity of the public through our two supporting charities, the Ness of Brodgar Trust and the American Friends.
Day One in pictures…
Click on any of the thumbnails for a larger version.
[gdgallery_gallery id_gallery=”4″]… Read more
Dig Diary – Monday, July 1, 2019
Day One
Rain, gales..oh my!
We’re back!
It hardly seems like ten months since we last saw the wonderful structures at the Ness of Brodgar in all their glory.
In… Read more
We’re back on site for 2019
Ten months have flown past and we’re back on site!
It’s a grey, blustery and damp morning and the first task facing the team is the removal of this lot from… Read more
All set for 2019 excavation season…
Archaeologists and volunteers will return to the Ness of Brodgar next week for the thirteenth year of excavation. The covers come off the trenches on July 1, with the site… Read more
‘The Appliance of Science’ – pre-dig lecture available online
Last week’s pre-excavation lecture, in Kirkwall, by site director Nick Card.
The talk, hosted by the Orkney Archaeology Society, was entitled The Appliance of Science.… Read more
Can you help us uncover the site?
With just one week to go before excavation resumes, we’re appealing for help from anyone free on July 1 and 2.
To re-open the Ness for the 2019 season, we… Read more
Article link: The Orkney farmer who dug the world-famous Ness of Brodgar – 80 years before anyone else
A link to The Scotsman’s article on Peter Leith: https://www.scotsman.com/heritage/the-orkney-farmer-who-dug-the-world-famous-ness-of-brodgar-80-years-before-anyone-else-1-4951519
See also: 1925 ‘Brodgar stone’ was a taste of things to come… Read more
First bottle of Ness whisky raises £300 for dig funds
The first bottle of the limited-edition Ness of Brodgar’s Legacy whisky was auctioned at tonight’s pre-dig lecture and raised £300 for excavation funds.
Bidding, which started at £100, was brisk… Read more
Ness spatulas in the research spotlight…
The spatulate stone tools found at the Ness over the past few years are the subject of a new research project this summer.
Archaeology Institute UHI undergraduate Gary Lloyd has… Read more
‘The First Digger at the Ness of Brodgar’
A new blog post from Pat Long: https://www.aboutorkney.com/2019/06/15/the-first-digger-at-the-ness-of-brodgar/… Read more
Welcome boost for Ness funds from Highland Park limited edition whisky launch
Ness excavation funds will benefit from the launch of a limited edition bottling of Highland Park whisky.
A percentage of the proceeds from sales of the 5,000 bottles of Ness… Read more
Ness pre-excavation talk 2019 – a reminder
A quick reminder that this year’s pre-excavation lecture by site director Nick Card takes place next week.
The Appliance of Science will take place, in the Orkney Theatre, Kirkwall, on… Read more
Archaeological flavour to 2019 student art show
There’s a distinct archaeological flavour to the forthcoming exhibition of Orkney College UHI exhibition of student work.
Among the exhibiting students is BA Fine Art student Samantha Gray, who has… Read more
Ness of Brodgar 2018 sketchbook online
Artist-in-residence Karen Wallis’s 2018 sketchbook of drawings is now online, through the link on her website homepage at www.karenwallis.co.uk.
Karen will be back on site this summer for her fourth… Read more
More coloured pottery from the Ness
The remarkable Neolithic ceremonial site at the Ness of Brodgar has a habit of springing surprises on those who work there.
Ceramics specialist Roy Towers from the Archaeology Institute of… Read more
Ness donors – thank you all
Since we sent out last month’s newsletter (if you have not signed up yet, click here) we’ve had a number of generous donations to the Ness excavation funds.
To respect… Read more
Turning a petrosphere…
Long-time supporters of the Ness Michael and Sara Sinclair have posted a video showing the creation of one of their wooden petropsheres.
The auction of one of Michael’s stunning brass petrospheres… Read more
Orkney – The Queen’s Isles
(Since posting this, we’ve learned it is not available to viewers outside Europe. Sorry to our non-European followers)
A beautiful documentary on Orkney, from ARTE.
The film-makers visited the Ness… Read more
Decorated stone fragment recovered from flotation residues
Eagle-eyed Cecily has recovered another beautiful find from the flotation residues. After last week’s tiny bead, this time she has found a small fragment of thin flagstone, unusually decorated on both… Read more
Ness’s smallest bead measures just 2mm in diameter
Sometimes it’s the small things that astound — like this tiny stone bead discovered today.
Measuring circa 2mm in diameter, the bead must have taken a steady hand and a… Read more
Putting decorated pot, and more, under multiple spotlights!
To the uninitiated, it might look as though Chris Marshall (right) has secured a sci-fi prop from a 1970s BBC TV programme (Blake’s Seven anyone?)
What he is actually doing is… Read more
