‘Rediscovering a lost Neolithic tomb’ – OAS talk recording now online
The recording of the Orkney Archaeology Society (OAS) talk on the rediscovery and excavation of a Maeshowe-type chambered cairn in Holm. Read more
Category: Chambered Cairns
Link: East Mainland excavation ‘reveals ruins of huge tomb’
In August and September 2023, excavation in the East Mainland parish of Holm revealed the remains of a Maeshowe-type chambered cairn. Read more
Holm’s forgotten chambered cairn rediscovered in Orkney’s East Mainland
Archaeologists have discovered the ruins of an incredibly rare 5,000-year-old Neolithic chambered cairn that was largely destroyed, without record, in the 19th century. Read more
Video: Rock art in the Holm of Papa Westray South
The fifth, and final, UHI Archaeology Institute’s Tombs of the Isles recorded talk, again featuring Dr Antonia Thomas, the Ness project’s Neolithic art specialist. Read more
Video: Passage Grave Art in Orkney’s North Isles
The fourth of the UHI Archaeology Institute’s 'Tombs of the Isles' recorded talks, and the second featuring Dr Antonia Thomas, the Ness' Neolithic art specialist. Read more
Video: Art and architecture in Neolithic Orkney – a talk by Dr Antonia Thomas
The third of the UHI Archaeology Institute’s 'Tombs of the Isles' recorded talks, this time featuring Dr Antonia Thomas, the Ness' Neolithic art specialist. Read more
Video: Death and burial in Neolithic Orkney (Part Two)
The second part of Professor Colin Richard’s talk for the UHI Archaeology Institute’s Tombs of the Isles project. Read more
Video: Death and burial in Neolithic Orkney (Part One)
The first part of Professor Colin Richard’s talk for the UHI Archaeology Institute’s Tombs of the Isles project.
Funded by the North Isles Landscape Partnership (NILPS), Tombs of the Isles… Read more
Burying, depositing and discarding the dead – human remains at the Ness
Mention the Neolithic dead and the focus inevitably shifts to the chambered cairns of Orkney. However, the situation is far more complex. Read more
Vestrafiold – the fake horned cairn
Lying 50 metres east of the megalith quarry on Vestrafiold is an oval mound that was suggested to be the remains of a very poorly preserved stalled cairn. Excavation, however, revealed otherwise. Read more
Halykirk – dolmen or stalled cairn?
As regular readers will have noted, 19th century antiquarians were very keen to find evidence of dolmens in Orkney. Haleykirk/Helyakirk/Halykirk/Holykirk lies about a quarter of a mile to the south-east of the megalithic quarries on Vestrafiold, on the hill of Cruaday. Read more
The Bookan Chambered Cairn
At some point in the Neolithic a small, multi-chambered structure was built on high ground at the north-western end of the Ness of Brodgar. Read more
The Ness of Onston enclosure
North of the Unstan stalled cairn is an enigmatic earthwork that separates the landward side of the Ness of Onston from the headland.
This arc of two banks and ditches runs across the width of the headland, demarcating an area to the north that is now devoid of features or visible archaeological remains. Read more
Link: Podcast puts spotlight on Neolithic megalithic structures
Melvyn Bragg is joined by Professor Vicki Cummings (University of Central Lancashire), Professor Julian Thomas (University of Manchester) and Susan Greaney (University of Exeter) to discuss megalithic structures.
Click here… Read more
The Crantit cist burials
As we saw last time, the closure of the Crantit chamber left little or nothing visible above ground. But people came back, suggesting the site was marked and memories or traditions of its role persisted. We know this because centuries after the ancient site was sealed it became a focus for at least three Bronze Age burials. Read more
Crantit chambered cairn
In April 1998, the discovery of a prehistoric chambered tomb on the outskirts of Kirkwall caused great excitement in archaeological circles.
The Crantit chamber had lain undisturbed for millennia so hopes were high that it would contain the untouched remains of early Orcadians. Read more
Staneyhill long horned cairn
Across the waters of the Harray loch, just over two miles north-east of the Ness of Brodgar complex, is one of the few known Orcadian examples of a Neolithic long horned cairn. Read more
Video: Maeshowe and the winter solstice
Today, Wednesday, December 21, is the winter solstice – a day intextricably linked to Maeshowe in Stenness.
With its south-westerly facing entrance, Maeshowe’s best known attribute is its orientation towards the… Read more
Howe, Stromness – a hub of Neolithic and Iron Age activity
Ahead of planned agricultural improvements, the prehistoric site at Howe was excavated from 1978 until 1982 – an operation that revealed a complex series of occupation episodes spanning the Neolithic to Iron Age. Read more
Link: Explore Vinquoy chambered cairn with new 3d model
3d model of the Vinquoy chambered cairn, Eday, Orkney.
New 3d models of chambered cairns now available to explore as part of the UHI Archaeology Institute’s Tombs of the Isles… Read more
Sandfiold: cremation, tomb and cist
Like the many Neolithic chambered cairns throughout Orkney, the Sandfiold cist was clearly meant to be, and was, re-used. Few Orcadian cairns have been found to contain human remains, strongly suggesting that they were not the final destination for all the Neolithic dead. Read more
Quanterness chambered cairn
The Quanterness passage grave is the third in a series of three found in a three-mile stretch of countryside between Kirkwall and Finstown. Read more
