Worked-stone specialist’s welcome return to the Ness
We were delighted to welcome our worked-stone specialist, Ann Clarke, back to Ness HQ this week. Read more
Category: Artefacts
100 years on: the discovery of the ‘Brodgar Stone’ at Ness complex site
100 years ago this week the 'Brodgar Stone' was found - a taste of things to come. Read more
Three-week internship examining the Ness of Brodgar’s stone discs
Some thoughts on the Ness of Brodgar's stone discs from intern Maria van de Fliert. Read more
2024’s top finds – incised stone slab from Structure Twenty
Another beautiful example of an incised stone slab, this time from Structure Ten's predecessor. Read more
2024’s top finds – worked bone
Soil acidity at the Ness means worked bone and bone tools are something of a rarity. But 2024 saw four well-preserved examples emerge. Read more
2024’s top finds – the decorated clay cylinder from Structure Twenty
The remarkable, but enigmatic, object found in Structure Twenty, underneath Structure Ten. Read more
2024’s top finds – child’s tooth from a stone box in Structure Thirty-Four
Another of the season's most surprising finds – a child’s milk tooth from one of the orthostatic boxes in Structure Thirty-Four. Read more
2024’s top finds – another two of Ceiridwen’s decorated stones
Another two of the five decorated stones found by Ceiridwen in and around Structure Seventeen in 2024. Read more
2024’s top finds – the stone axe that once rivalled our finest
The poorly preserved remains of a once-beautiful polished stone axe were described as one of the Ness' greatest 'might-have-beens'. Read more
2024’s top finds – Ceiridwen’s decorated stone pair
To find one decorated stone at the Ness was always a notable occasion - imagine finding two, which is what Ceiridwen did this season. Read more
2024’s top finds – the ‘butterfly’ stone from Twelve’s eastern annexe
Behind this artefact is a long story, spanning years of excavation at the Ness. Read more
2024’s top finds – ‘stamped’ pottery sherd from Structure Forty
A first for the Ness - stamped decoration on a pottery vessel. Read more
2024’s top finds – Skara Brae-type stone dish from Trench T
We continue our look at this year's star finds with the Skara Brae-type stone dish from Trench T. Read more
2024’s top finds – the dog in the drain
This summer, in a corner of Structure Twelve, a few eyebrows were raised when excavation revealed the partial remains of a puppy in a drain! Read more
Sponsor a Square newsletter added to archive
Our latest newsletter has been added to the archive. Read more
Focus on finds: Arran pitchstone
Arran pitchstone has only been found at two Neolithic sites in Orkney – the Ness of Brodgar complex and the Barnhouse settlement, some 460 metres to the south-east. Read more
Focus on finds: Structure Ten’s sea eagle foundation deposit
In August 2019 there was great excitement on site following what appeared to be the discovery of a second human arm bone in Structure Ten. Closer examination, however, revealed it to be the wing bone of a sea eagle. Read more
Diary Extra – 3d model of pillowstone fragment and a complete example
Paul Durdin’s latest 3d model – the rhodochrosite pillowstone fragment from Structure Thirty today.
Two other rhodochrosite pillowstones have been found on site – both in Structure Eight in 2011… Read more
