Archaeology around the Ness of Brodgar

The Deepdale Standing Stone, Stromness, Orkney (Sigurd Towrie)

The Deepdale Stone

Head north along the road south-west of the Stenness loch and a single standing stone will be clearly visible on high ground to the north-west. Located in the parish of Stromness, the Deepdale Stone stands …
The Barnhouse Stone, Stenness. (Sigurd Towrie)

The Barnhouse Stone

A solitary lichen-crowned megalith stands in a field about half a mile to the south-east of the Stones of Stenness …
Knowes and Barrows

Knowes and barrows on the Ness of Brodgar

Although the Ring of Brodgar dominates the surrounding area, the stone circle is but the tip of an archaeological iceberg …
Ness Neolithic trail - featured image

Walk the Ness Neolithic Trail

Although visitors can’t come to Orkney at present due to the Covid pandemic travel restrictions, we’re all looking forward to a time when things get back to some semblance of normality. So if you’re planning …
The Odin Stone. Marchioness of Stafford. 1805.

The Stone of Odin

Until the winter of 1814, the holed monolith stood to the north-west of the Stones of Stenness. But although its special place in the customs, traditions and folklore of the people of Orkney is well …

Skaefrue

Lying around 110 metres downslope and south-west of the Ring of Bookan is the large Bronze Age barrow known as Skaefrue …
Wasbister, Sandwick.

Wasbister settlement and disc barrow

During the Bronze Age, people gravitated towards the sites of already ancient monuments to bury their dead. As a result, clusters of barrow mounds can often be found around chambered cairns and other Neolithic monuments …
Picture: Jo Bourne

The ‘Lochview’ Standing Stones

Thousands cross the Ness of Brodgar annually. But, if noticed at all, a pair of standing stones between the two stone circles probably don’t get a second glance …
The Standing Stones of Stenness, looking north-west towards the Ness of Brodgar. (Sigurd Towrie)

Time for the old house to die? – henges and houses in the Neolithic

Over the past few weeks, we have looked at expedient architecture – the idea that some Neolithic buildings were hastily built, perhaps dismantled or simply left to become ruinous. This is not restricted to structures …
Picture: Aberdeen University

Around the Ness in the 19th century with George Washington Wilson

We were delighted to learn this week that the University of Aberdeen’s George Washington Wilson photographic archive is free to access online. Operating from Aberdeen, on the Scottish mainland, in the latter half of the …