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
Category: Artefacts
Tiny bead fragment from Structure Five
The ongoing processing of environmental samples from the site has yielded another little treasure - another tiny stone bead fragment. Read more
Incised stone fragment turns up during environmental sample processing
Working through the Ness environmental samples, environmental archaeologist Cecily Webster has found another tiny fragment of decorated stone. Read more
Link: Biographies of Orcadian Neolithic axes paper now available
The first paper from the 'At the Cutting Edge: The Biographies of Orcadian Neolithic Axes' project been published in the journal Antiquity. Read more
Making and using Skaill knives – new paper in Journal of Lithic Studies
The results of a new study exploring how Skaill knives were made and used have been published in a new paper in the Journal of Lithic Studies. Read more
Out of chaos comes order – research continues on Ness stone tools
UHI Archaeology Institute PhD student Gary Lloyd on his ongoing research into coarse stone tools at the Ness. Read more
Focus on finds: Skaill knives (and how to make them)
A look at 'Skaill knives' - a very common Neolithic stone tool - their use and fabrication. Read more
Focus on finds: haematite
Excavation revealed the use of coloured pigment on pottery and walls, specifically using haematite for red hues. Read more
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
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
