Visiting the Ness this summer? What you need to know
For the first time since 2019, all three main trenches at the Ness of Brodgar will be opened this summer – but although the covers start coming off on Monday,… Read more
About the Ness of Brodgar
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.
The last ‘Wednesday wildlife’ before its summer break
We’re back on site next week with the 2022 excavation starting on Monday, July 4.
So here’s our last Wednesday wildlife offering before it takes a summer break. The pictures… Read more
Back on site in seven days with focus on Structures One, Five, Eight, Ten and Twenty-Seven
In seven days, a full team of archaeologists will be back at the Ness of Brodgar for the first time since 2019.
Work resumes on Monday, July 4, and runs… Read more
Appeal for volunteers to help open the trenches
With just a week to go until we’re back on site, we’re looking for some hardy volunteers to help us open up the trenches.
So if you would like to… Read more
Zoom in to Trench J
Last week we had Trench P, now it’s Trench J from 2021, with Structures Five and Thirty-two and the “Great Wall of Brodgar”.… Read more
Wednesday wildlife – cygnets and swans
More photographs from around the Ness of Brodgar from site director Nick Card. All images were taken with a large telephoto lens so as not to disturb the wildlife.… Read more
Summer exhibition puts spotlight on the people of the Ness
We’re delighted to announce that we’ve got an extra event running over the 2022 dig season – a six-week exhibition in Stenness village.
Entitled The Ness: Its people, the exhibition… Read more
Link: Explore Vinquoy chambered cairn with new 3d model
New 3d models of chambered cairns now available to explore as part of the UHI Archaeology Institute’s Tombs of the Isles project… Read more
Get up close to the archaeology in Trench P
An overhead view of Trench P at the end of the last full season of excavation, 2019,
Zoom in for a close-up view of the archaeology and pan around the… Read more
Structure Eight: Bearing fruit
Sarah-Jane Haston is a UHI Archaeology Institute MRes student, looking at the charred plant remains from Structure Eight. We have been able to support her with tuition fees as a… Read more
Wednesday wildlife – singing and swimming
This week’s photographic selection from Ness of Brodgar dig director Nick Card. All images were taken with a large telephoto lens so as not to disturb the wildlife.… Read more
The rise and fall of the Ness
The last of our pre-2022 excavation season updates is now online and takes a look at what we know about the Ness complex – from its earliest days to eventual… Read more
Wednesday wildlife – bathed in sunshine
This week’s photographic selection from the lens of Ness of Brodgar site director Nick Card.
… Read more
Link: A full summer of excavation in Orkney
The Ness of Brodgar is just one of the excavations resuming in Orkney this summer.
For more details see Orkney.com’s latest post.… Read more
Wednesday wildlife – ‘what big eyes you’ve got!’
Wednesday again, so here is this week’s photographic offering from site director Nick Card, showcasing some of the wildlife around the Ness of Brodgar.
… Read more
Orkney Archaeology Society’s 2022 review now available
A summary of last season’s excavation is among the Ness-related articles featured in the new 2022 Orkney Archaeology Society annual review.
The publication looks at archaeological and heritage work undertaken… Read more
Talking rubbish – midden at the Ness of Brodgar
Until the early years of the 21st century, the huge, whalebacked mound at the south-eastern tip of the Ness of Brodgar was thought to be a natural feature.
Now, 18… Read more
Wednesday wildlife – bonxie attack!
This week’s selection of photographs from dig director Nick Card.
… Read more
Updated entry for Structure Ten
Our update to the structures section of the website concludes today, with a fully expanded and revised entry for Structure Ten – the last monumental construction at the Ness of… Read more
Wednesday wildlife – avian encounters
Another selection of photographs from site director Nick Card.… Read more
Prehistoric pottery use – the path to and start of a PhD
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
Albert Einstein
By Julia Becher
For as long as I can remember, curiosity was my… Read more
Wednesday wildlife – a curious owl
This week’s photographs from around the Ness of Brodgar from site director Nick Card.… Read more
Neolithic Orkney links from the Current Archaeology archive
Three articles from the archives of Current Archaeology magazine are now available online:
The Ness of Brodgar: uncovering Orkney’s Neolithic heart (2017)
A tale of two Neolithics? Investigating the evolution… Read more
