Another Neolithic fingerprint turns up during pottery triage operations
Our 2026 pottery triage project is now into its fourth week and this morning Heather hit the jackpot with another Neolithic fingerprint. Read more
Category: Ceramics
‘Sherd Nerds’ back for a second season of pottery triage project
After the resounding success of the 2025 season, our nine-week pottery triage project got under way this week, with volunteers continuing to work through the Ness’ massive ceramics assemblage. Read more
Prehistoric ‘jigsaw’ reveals stunning example of Neolithic pottery decoration
An update on the beautiful pottery vessel from the "megadrain" in 2024. Read more
Bits and pieces – putting together a Neolithic pottery puzzle
Volunteer Joanne Greaves on her recent work piecing together fragments of a Neolithic vessel from underneath Structure Thirty-Four. Read more
Neolithic fingerprints spotted on fragment of miniature pot
Another two fingerprints have been found, this time on a tiny miniature pot from Trench X. Read more
Secondary use of pottery vessels at the Ness of Brodgar?
Former ChemArch PhD student Julia Becher has published her first thesis paper in Organic Geochemistry, and it is open access! Read more
Sherd nerd life – a clay portal to the past and a lottery winÂ
A lovely piece by journalist and Ness volunteer Huw Williams on this summer's pottery triage project. Read more
A clay bead? Or something else entirely?
Looking at a clay object under investigation this week. Is it a rare example of a clay bead? Or something completely different? Read more
Letting the dust settle – pottery triage project comes to an end
Our six-week pottery triage project came to an end this afternoon. A big thank-you to all the volunteers who made their way back to Ness HQ to help out. Read more
Ceiridwen’s photographs capture the pottery triage process
A selection of photographs from pottery triage volunteer Ceiridwen Blakesley. Read more
Triage volunteers recording pottery sherds of all shapes and sizes
A mixed bag of finds from week five of our ceramics triage project - including a stunning example of decorated Neolithic pottery. Read more
Time Team back on site along with new pottery triage volunteers
Week two of the pottery triage project also saw Time Team's Dr John Gater back on site... Read more
Fingerprint specialist drops in at Ness HQ during Scottish road trip
Professor Kent Fowler, from the University of Manitoba, paid us a visit last week during his road trip around Scotland. Read more
More examples of the ‘complex and endlessly varied’ pottery from the Ness
More beautiful examples of Neolithic ceramics catalogued during the post-excavation process. Read more
Puzzling but precise – intrigued by impressions on pottery sherds
We find fingerprints, cord, basketry and other impressions left in damp pottery while pieces were made in the Neolithic but some new examples have left us puzzled and intrigued. Read more
A pot is for storage and cooking…right?
Jan Blatchford on her surprising discovery - a cordon running across the base of a pot's interior. Read more
Specialists discuss post-excavation strategy for pottery assemblage
Our pottery specialists gathered this week to discuss the way forward with the site's huge ceramic assemblage. 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
