Video: Passage grave art in the North Isles of Orkney
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
Category: Chambered Cairns
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
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 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
The Stones of Stenness. (📷 Tim Winterburn)
Melvyn Bragg is joined by Professor Vicki Cummings (University of Central Lancashire), Professor Julian Thomas (University of Manchester) and Susan Greaney (University of… 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
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
Wideford Hill chambered cairn
Just under three miles to the east of Cuween Hill, on the steep, upper slopes of Wideford Hill, is a second Neolithic passage grave. Read more
Cuween chambered cairn
The Cuween cairn is built on an artificial terrace on the upper slopes of Cuween Hill's eastern side. Cuween is a Maeshowe-type cairn consisting of a “roughly rectangular” central chamber with four smaller cells branching off from each side. Read more
Not all monuments were created equal: part two
Evidence calls into question many assumptions surrounding chambered cairns and, indeed, Neolithic architecture. Not all structures were meant to be the steadfast edifices. Read more
Not all monuments were created equal
Visitors to the Ness of Brodgar dig will probably have heard “surface over substance” used to describe the construction of some of the structures on site. Read more
