Dig Diary Extra – The Ness of Brodgar excavation from above
A selection of drone photographs taken yesterday by Professor Scott Pike, Willamette University, Oregon.
Click on the thumbnails for a larger version.
… Read more
Category: Excavation
Dig Diary – A day of drains on a site abuzz with activity
Day Nine
Thursday, July 14, 2022
There is no finer place to be on a pleasant day that an archaeological excavation that is positively buzzing with enthusiasm and activity.
And… Read more
Dig Diary – Another piered building east of Structure One?
Day Eight
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
When a big yellow bucket is rumbling towards you, propelled by a vicious horizontal wind, you know it is time to review options.
That’s… Read more
Dig Diary – This season’s second polished stone axe from Trench J
Day Seven
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Well that’s been another busy day.
With multiple tours – private and public – the site has been a veritable hive of activity, with… Read more
Dig Diary Extra – 3d model of worked whalebone artefact

Trench J supervisor Paul Durdin has worked his photogrammetry magic again, this time creating a 3d model of the whalebone artefact found in the floor of Structure Thirty-Two yesterday.… Read more
Dig Diary – it’s large and made from whalebone. But what is it?
Day Six
Tuesday, July 11, 2022
Trench J at the Ness is the trench which just keeps giving.
You will recall that on Friday, towards the very end of the… Read more
Dig Diary – Trench J produces 2022’s first polished stone axe
Day Five
Friday, July 8, 2022
Can this really be the end of the first week at the Ness?
Time has flown past, much of it propelled on horizontal wind… Read more
Dig Diary – Full steam ahead as we get back into the trenches
Day Four
Thursday, July 7, 2022
After yesterday’s weather delay, it was full steam ahead today as the last of the covers were removed, the trowels came out and we… Read more
Dig Diary – What else but the weather!
Day Three
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Out there in the Archaeosphere there are diligent followers of the Ness who get quite annoyed when we insist on talking about the weather.… Read more
Damp and blustery on site but we’re open as scheduled
As forecast, the day dawned damp and blustery – but we are opening the site to visitors as scheduled and the tours will also run.
However, Orkney’s weather is notoriously… Read more
Dig Diary – The covers are off. And back on again
Day Two
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
We completed the herculean task of removing the protective covers from Trenches P and T today – only to put some of them back… Read more
Dig Diary – Back in business with a full team!
Day One
Monday, July 4, 2022
The Ness of Brodgar has come alive once more.
After the long, frustrating months of Covid and the truncated excavation of 2021, we are… Read more
Back on site in seven days with focus on Structures One, Five, Eight, Ten and Twenty-Seven
In seven days, a full team of archaeologists will be back at the Ness of Brodgar for the first time since 2019.
Work resumes on Monday, July 4, and runs… Read more
Link: A full summer of excavation in Orkney
The Ness of Brodgar is just one of the excavations resuming in Orkney this summer.
For more details see Orkney.com’s latest post.… Read more
Orkney Archaeology Society’s 2022 review now available
A summary of last season’s excavation is among the Ness-related articles featured in the new 2022 Orkney Archaeology Society annual review. Read more
Talking rubbish – midden at the Ness of Brodgar
What is midden and where does it fit into the story of the Ness? Read more
Between two walls – updated information on the Ness boundaries
Everyone who has visited the site during excavation season will have heard about the “Great Wall of Brodgar” and its southern counterpart “The Lesser Wall”.
Our understanding of their role… Read more
Link: ‘Ness artefacts take centre stage in London’
A new Orkney.com article, by Dave Flanagan, on the Ness’ involvement in the World of Stonehenge exhibition at the British Museum in London.
Click here to view.… Read more
