Diary Extra – Around Trench P
A selection of photographs from Friday, recording elements of some of Trench P’s structures.
For more information on any of the buildings featured, see the Structures section.… Read more
Category: Excavation
Dig Diary – ‘Dressers’, DNA and earlier buildings
Day Five
Friday, July 7, 2023
The end of week one already! Where does the time go?
Before we get into today’s events, for fans of Morph we received a… Read more
Dig Diary – ‘Structure Five really is turning into something quite special’
Clea and Sarah Jane at work in Structure One this afternoon. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)
Day FourThursday, July 6, 2023
What a glorious day.
And how good to hear the gentle… Read more
Diary Extra – Pictures from day four
A selection of site photographs from today – hampered somewhat by the bright, contrasty sunshine. Click on any image for an enlargement.… Read more
Dig Diary – Extending Trench J, buildings beneath Ten and hundreds of visitors
Day Three
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
The excavation site opened to the public today and we are delighted to say they turned up in droves.
Over… Read more
Diary Extra – Uncovering the site
A few photographs from today. Click on any image for an enlargement.… Read more
Dig Diary – We did it! The entire site is uncovered ready for public opening
Day Two
Tuesday, July 4, 2023
We did it! All the structures, in all three trenches, are uncovered ready for a good spruce up tomorrow ahead of excavation resuming.
This… Read more
Dig Diary – It’s been a damp day shifting tyres, so here’s our plans for 2023
A chain of diggers and volunteers removing the tyres from Trench P. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)
Day OneMonday, July 3, 2023
I’m sure we say it every year but this time… Read more
Back on site tomorrow for another seven-week excavation season
Where has the time gone! We’re back on site tomorrow with archaeologists and students from all over the world gathering for another seven weeks of fieldwork.
As always, our first… Read more
The significance of cattle at the Ness Neolithic complex
The dominance of cattle at the Ness is in contrast with the picture elsewhere in Orkney, where sheep were most common. That cattle were considered significant by Neolithic farmers is clear from bone deposits that reflected the special treatment given to selected remains. Read more
Investigate Trench T and Structure Twenty-Seven
Not long to go now! Work to uncover the site begins on Monday, but here’s an aerial view of Trench T and Structure Twenty-Seven from 2022.
Zoom in, pan, explore… 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
Zoom in and explore Trench J
Zoom in and pan around high-resolution images of Trench J from 2021 and 2022. Read more
Get up close to the archaeology in Trench P

An overhead view of Trench P at the end of the 2019 season – the last time it was completely uncovered.
Zoom in for a close-up view of the… Read more
Catch up on last year’s dig ahead of 2023’s seven-week excavation
In a month’s time the covers come off again at the Ness and the penultimate season of excavation will begin. We’ll update you on our plans for the 2023 season… Read more
Palaeoecological investigation of Brodgar’s past landscapes
An update on Sue Dyke's palaeoecological investigations around the Ness of Brodgar. Read more
Stone roofing at the Ness of Brodgar
A new section outlining the the evidence for stone “tiled” roofs at the Ness and what these might have looked like.
Click here to read.… Read more
First Ness excavation report available to mark 20th anniversary of discovery
The site of what is now Trench P in April 2003. (📷 Beverley Ballin Smith)
The 20th anniversary of Structure One’s discovery – the first building found on site –… Read more
Ness dig ending in 2024 when focus shifts to post-excavation work
It has been decided that fieldwork at the Ness of Brodgar will end after the 2024 season. However, although on-site excavation will end, the Ness of Brodgar research project continues, analysing all the evidence from the past 20 years. Read more
Link: Excavating Orkney and Shetland from Current Archaeology archives
A selection of Orkney excavation highlights from the archives of Current Archaeology magazine.
Click to read.… Read more
