The Knap of Howar, Papa Westray
Until the early years of the 21st century, the two buildings at the Knap of Howar had the distinction of being the earliest evidence of Neolithic settlement in Orkney. Read more
Category: Further Afield
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
Sandfiold: an ‘exceptional’ burial cist in use for almost two millennia
In 1989, a vehicle broke through the top of a rock-cut chamber that contained a rectangular, box-like structure. Read more
The Sandfiold Bronze Age cemetery
Sandfiold is a low hill, near Skara Brae, that is home to the remnants of an extensive Bronze Age cemetery. Read more
Visit Skara Brae virtually with new digital 3D model
A new 3D model of Skara Brae is offering online visitors an immersive digital experience of the 5,000-year-old Neolithic settlement. Read more
The Knowes of Trotty – a Bronze Age cemetery and Neolithic settlement site
The Knowes of Trotty form a Bronze Age barrow cemetery that is the only one of its kind in northern Britain and the largest between here and southern England. 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
The Bay of Firth Neolithic trail
Now that things are getting back to some semblance of normality, we’ve turned out attention to the incredibly rich Neolithic landscape around the Bay of Firth.
Although the trail focuses… 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
Skara Brae – the abandonment
The idea that Skara Brae was abandoned overnight in the face of a cataclysm is entirely incorrect. Unfortunately, like many myths surrounding the settlement, it is still often presented as indisputable fact. Read more
Skara Brae – the date and extent of the settlement
In 2017, a re-evaluation of Orcadian radiocarbon dates suggested that occupation at Skara Brae began around 2900BC, but was abandoned a short time later. The site was re-occupied between 2800-2700BC and finally abandoned around 2500BC. But are we seeing something else? Read more
Skara Brae – the houses
Skara Brae followed the pattern since noted at other Orcadian Neolithic settlements – houses were built, inhabited, abandoned and rebuilt, usually on the same site. Read more
