| c5000BC |
Evidence of Mesolithic activity on the Ness. |
| c3700BC |
Earliest evidence of farming in Orkney. |
| c3600BC |
Neolithic Settlements at Knap of Howar, Braes of Ha’Breck; Wideford Hill, Smerquoy; Stonehall. |
| c3500BC |
Carinated bowl sherd (Early Neolithic) under Structure Fourteen. |
| c3300BC |
Early structures built at Ness of Brodgar (underneath buildings currently visible in Trench P). |
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Structure Five at Ness of Brodgar (in Trench J adjacent to the ‘Great Wall of Brodgar’). |
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Early structures at Skara Brae. |
| c3200BC |
Barnhouse settlement in use. |
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Start of piered architecture at the Ness. |
| c3100BC |
Structures One, Eight, Twelve and Fourteen in use. |
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Standing Stones of Stenness erected. |
| c3000BC |
Stones of Stenness in use. |
| c2900BC |
Primary use of piered buildings at the Ness finishes. Some remain a focus of activity, but on a less grand scale. |
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Barnhouse settlement abandoned. |
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Structure Eight at Barnhouse settlement site built. |
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Structure Ten at Ness of Brodgar built. |
| c2800BC |
Structure Ten at Ness of Brodgar collapses and is rebuilt. |
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Large piered structures at the Ness of Brodgar out of use. Infilled with midden and rubble and the site abandoned, except for Structure Ten. |
| c2700BC |
Maeshowe ditch dug. Before or after chamber? |
| c2600BC |
Ring of Brodgar ditch dug. Before or after stones raised? |
| c2500BC |
Structure Ten hearth at Ness of Brodgar reused briefly. |
| c2450BC |
Skara Brae abandoned. |
| c2400BC |
The remains of Structure Ten at the Ness of Brodgar were the focus of a massive feast. |
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This saw the remains of over 400 cattle placed in the passageway surrounding the building – marking the end of the Ness and the start of something new? |
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Single sherd of early Bronze Age Beaker pottery and Bronze Age arrowhead found in the layers just above the bone deposit – the Neolithic in Orkney is drawing to a close. |
| 800BC-AD500 |
Some time in the Iron Age, the huge midden mound to the south-east of the Ness of Brodgar main site was remodelled (now in Trench T). |
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Not only was an Iron Age ditch cut into the mound, but a revetment wall, on the upslope side, was enhanced by a large bank, itself held at the rear by another revetment wall. |
| Feb 1925 |
‘Brodgar Stone’ found while ploughing Ness of Brodgar site. |
| Apr 2003 |
Notched stone and evidence of Structure One found while ploughing Ness of Brodgar site. |
