My First Time in the Orkney Islands
I’m an Orkney virgin no more! While planning my itinerary, I decided at the last minute to snip two days off of London, which I’ve visited countless times, and go somewhere I’ve never been before: the Orkneys. (When all else is equal, it’s always fun to try something entirely new. I’ve been exploring Europe all my life…and there are endless amazing places yet to uncover.)
I flew into a tiny slingshot of an airport in the only sizeable Orkney town, Kirkwall, and I spent an entire day with a local guide. In this clip — just a moment of my time with Kinlay — I’m learning the story of Scapa Flow and the island’s fascinating WWII history.
(This is Day 87 of my “100 Days in Europe” series. As I travel with Rick Steves’ Europe Tours, research my guidebooks, and make new TV shows, I’m reporting on my experiences across Europe. Still to come: England, Scotland, Germany, Switzerland, and more. Follow along at
Norse Hall Skaill Rousay Orkney
This video clip shows the Norse Hall unearthed at Skaill Farmstead in the summer 2019 by a team from the University of the Highlands and Islands Archaeology Institute. See our blog archaeologyorkney.com for more information on this site.
Many thanks to Bobby Friel @Takethehighview for the video clip.
The Orkney Venus Exhibition 2010
A 5000 year old carving discovered in the Orkney Islands is being hailed as the earliest human figure ever found in Scotland. Discover the story behind this astonishing find - the Orkney Venus Exhibition 2010 is on tour at various locations across Scotland. historic-scotland.gov.uk/events
Stuart Hill May 13th 2017
Today we hit the streets of Kirkwall and caught up with Stuart Hill, the Independent candidate standing for Orkney and Shetland in the General Election on June 8th.
Kirkwall Castle Excavation
A team from ORCA Archaeology unearthed sections of wall and cobbled surface this week while undertaking a watching brief for an Orkney Islands Council infrastructure project in the centre of Kirkwall, Orkney.
See Kirkwall Castle Walls Unearthed During Roadworks in Orkney
A team from ORCA Archaeology unearthed sections of wall and cobbled surface this week while undertaking a watching brief for an Orkney Islands Council infrastructure project in the centre of Kirkwall.
To date, three walls in total have been uncovered during the works. One substantial wall set back from the road junction is built using immense stone blocks and lime mortar indicating that it is part of the now demolished fourteenth-century Kirkwall Castle.
The castle itself was built without royal consent in the late fourteenth century by Earl Henry Sinclair while Orkney was still ruled by Scandinavian kings and was said to be one of the strongest castles in the realm. In the early seventeenth century the castle saw action when it was defended by the rebellious Stewart Earls against the Scottish King’s forces under the Earl of Caithness. The structure was so strong that cannon balls were said to “split like wooden golf balls against the walls”!
See for full story
Wideford Hill Chambered Cairn, Orkney, Scotland.
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A journey through Scotland's ancient sites.
WIDEFORD HILL
CHAMBERED CAIRN
KIRKWALL
ORKNEY
SCOTLAND
INTRO
ON MAINLAND ORKNEY, TWO MILES WEST OF KIRKWALL ON THE OLD FINSTOWN ROAD IS WIDEFORD HILL CHAMBERED TOMB. A NEOLITHIC SITE DATED TO 3100BC WHICH WAS REDISCOVERED IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY BY A FEW LOCAL BOYS. THE CAIRN IS IN THE CARE OF HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND.
THE SMALL CAR PARK HAS STUNNING ELEVATED VIEWS OVER KIRKWALL. A HALF MILE WALK OVER WIDEFORD HILL ON A ROUGH MUDDY PATH TAKES YOU TO THE TOMB. THERE IS BEAUTIFUL SCENERY OF THE ORKNEY LANDSCAPE INCLUDING THE TWO ISLANDS OF HOLM OF GRIMBISTER AND DAMSAY ON THE BAY OF FIRTH. A SHARP EYE WILL MAKE OUT THE SIMILAR CUWEEN HILL CAIRN.
WIDEFORD HILL IS BLANKETED BY HEATHER AND MANY ANIMALS THRIVE ON THE TERRAIN INCLUDING THE ORKNEY VOLE. THIS ANIMAL WAS BROUGHT TO THE ISLAND BY SEAFARERS FROM THE NEOLITHIC ERA. WIDEFORD HILL IS LESS VISITED BUT JUST ONE OF ORKNEYS VERY IMPRESSIVE PREHISTORIC SITES. FILMING INSIDE THE CHAMBER PROVED VERY DIFFICULT WITH THE CONFINED SPACE AND FURTHER OBSTRUCTION OF THE ENTRANCE LADDER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOMB.
SITE
OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS CONSTRUCTED THE TOMB ON A MANMADE LEVELLED OFF BASE. THIS WAS DUG INTO THE HILLSIDE AND IS A FINE CONSTRUCTION, STILL IN REMARKABLE CONDITION AFTER FIVE MILLENNIA. THIS IS TESTAMENT TO THE MAJOR ENGINEERING AND MULTI SKILLED WORK BY PREHISTORIC PEOPLE. THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE IS REMINISCENT OF MAESHOWE.
THE SITE IS NOW ENTERED THROUGH A SLIDING HATCH IN THE MODERN ROOF. LADDERS GO DOWN INTO THE MAIN 3M HIGH CORBELED CHAMBER WHICH NARROWS UPWARDS. ORIGINALLY THE MAIN COMPARTMENT WAS ENTERED BY A VERY AWKWARD LOW PASSAGE, 5.5 METERS LONG WHICH IS ILLUMINATED BY THE SETTING SUN IN LATE FEBRUARY.
AT GROUND LEVEL THREE SMALL SUBSIDIARY CELLS OR CHAMBERS, BRANCH OFF FROM THE MAIN COMPARTMENT. ON THE INSIDE WALL OF THE MAIN CHAMBER IS RARE NEOLITHIC SCRATCH ART FROM 3000BC. SIMILAR MARKS ARE FOUND AT SKARA BRAE, A FEW OF THESE ANCIENT DESIGNS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY MODERN GRAFFITI.
EXCAVATIONS
ON THE SITES FIRST EXCAVATION IN 1849 BY GEORGE PETRIE AN ANTIQUARIAN. THE MAIN CHAMBER WAS TWO THIRDS FILLED WITH RUBBLE. THE SITE HAD BEEN INTENTIONALLY FILLED IN AFTER ITS CONSTRUCTION. THE CAIRN HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY PLUNDERED AND ROBBED. HUMAN REMAINS WERE NOT FOUND HOWEVER ANIMAL BONE AND TEETH WERE UNCOVERED.
HOWARD KILBRIDE-JONES EXCAVATED IN 1935 AND FOLLOWING THIS THE SITE WAS RECONSTRUCTED TO REVEAL THE CIRCULAR, THREE CONCENTRIC RING, STEPPED DESIGN.
REMNANTS OF A SETTLEMENT WAS FOUND DURING EXCAVATION AT THE BOTTOM OF WIDEFORD HILL. THIS SETTLEMENT IS LIKELY CONTEMPORARY WITH THE TOMB, THIS SUGGESTS A RELATIONSHIP. THE SITE MAY HAVE SERVED AS SOME KIND OF CEREMONIAL BUILDING FOR THE SETTLEMENT BELOW.
FUNCTION
THE ORIGINAL FUNCTION OR LIKELY MULTI-FUNCTIONAL USE OF THE SITE IS LONG LONG LOST TO US. A FEW THEORIES ARE, CEREMONY, RITUAL, INITIATION, MEDITATION, A WOMB TOMB INTO MOTHER EARTH & CONTACTING THE ANCESTORS.
ORKNEYS NEW STONE AGE INHABITANTS WOULD HAVE CROUCHED DOWN ON THEIR KNEES TO ENTER THE PITCH BLACK TUNNEL AND MADE A JOURNEY FROM DAYLIGHT TO THE DARKNESS OF THE CENTRAL AND OFF SHOOT CHAMBERS FOR A LONG LOST NEOLITHIC CEREMONY PERHAPS CONDUCTED BY THE LOCAL SHAMAN.
A BIG THANKS TO OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS.
Architecture of Saint Magnus Cathedral
Small overview of the outside of St Magnus Cathedral and it’s amazing Romanesque and Gothic architectural design.
I added a short overview of the 1615 Stewart Rebellion and the musket ball impact marks on the Cathedral walls.
Skara Brae, Quoyloo, Orkney, Scotland.
A Journey Through Scotland's Ancient Sites
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SKARA BRAE
QUOYLOO
ORKNEY
SCOTLAND
SKARA BRAE IS THE BEST PRESERVED NEOLITHIC VILLAGE IN NORTHERN EUROPE. THE SETTLEMENT IS A VITAL PART OF THE HEART OF NEOLITHIC ORKNEY, WORLD HERITAGE SITE. THIS DRAWS MANY VISITORS YEARLY TO MAINLAND ORKNEY, SITUATED BETWEEN NORTH SCOTLAND AND SHETLAND.
ON THE WEST MAINLAND COAST, AT THE BAY OF SKAILL AND OFF THE B9056 ROAD, YOU WILL FIND A PARTLY BELOW GROUND VILLAGE THAT WAS LIVED IN PRE EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS AND STONEHENGE CONSTRUCTION. THE STRUCTURE SURVIVES SURPRISINGLY INTACT WITH THE FURNITURE STILL IN PLACE.
IN THE PRESENT WE CAN LOOK INTO EACH DWELLING FROM ROOF LEVEL AND VISUALISE OUR ANCESTORS PLACING ITEMS ON THE DRESSER, LAYIN IN BED, SITTING AT THE HEARTH AND WALKING IN AND OUT THE DOORWAYS. SKARA BRAE WAS IN USE FOR 600 YEARS FROM 5100-4500 YEARS AGO. THE VILLAGE IS IN THE CARE OF HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND.
DURING THE WINTER OF 1850 A FEIRCE STORM RIPPED THE TURF FROM THE HIGH DUNE NEAR SKAILL HOUSE. A HUGE REFUSE HEAP WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT ALONG WITH REMAINS OF A PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENT.
SKARA BRAE HAS BEEN SO WELL PRESERVED DUE TO ‘MIDDEN’. THIS IS A LONG LASTING BUILDING MATERIAL, THE DWELLINGS WERE ENCOMPASSED BY AND BUILT INTO. SAND WAS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART TO SKARA BRAES SURVIVAL IN COVERING THE VILLAGE AND GIVING IT FURTHER STABILITY.
WHAT IS LEFT TODAY ARE TEN BUILDINGS MADE OF ORCADIAN FLAGSTONE. IT IS POSSIBLE SKARA BRAE WAS MUCH BIGGER. ARCHAEOLOGISTS ARE CONFIDENT THERE IS LITTLE TO UNCOVER AT THE LANDWARD SIDE. AT THE BEACH END, IT IS POSSIBLE MORE VILLAGE MAY HAVE EXISTED.
THERE WERE TWO PARTS OF CONSTRUCTION. THE BULK OF WHAT WE SEE TODAY IS THE YOUNGER CONSTRUCT. THIS HAS MOSTLY COVERED THE ORIGINAL BUILD WHICH HAD A DIFFERENT LAY OUT PLAN. HOUSES 9 & 10 ARE FROM THE FIRST PHASE. HOUSE 9 IS THE BEST PRESERVED OF THE EARLIER DWELLINGS.
THE MIDDEN MATERIAL WAS THE FIRST STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION. THIS CONSISTED OF DECOMPOSED FOODSTUFF, DUNG, SHELLS, STONES AND BROKEN ANIMAL BONES. SIMILAR TO A GARDENERS COMPOST HEAP. THIS MATERIAL MADE A TOUGH CLAY LIKE SUBSTANCE.
AS YOU ENTER EACH HOUSE YOU ARE MET WITH THE DRESSER STRAIGHT AHEAD. HOUSE 7 IS THE BEST PRESERVED. THE REMAINS OF TWO FEMALES WERE FOUND BENEATH THE FLOOR. THERE IS ALSO A HIGH LEVEL OF STONE CARVED DECORATION HERE. THE VISITORS CENTRE RECONSTRUCTION IS BASED ON THE HOUSE 7 DESIGN.
HOUSE 1 IS THE LARGEST AND NEAREST THE SEA. THIS IS A TYPICAL DESIGN FOR ALL THE HOUSES. NEXT TO THE DRESSER IS A UNIQUE FEATURE, THERE IS THREE SMALL BOX TANKS FOR FISH BAIT. AT THE DRESSERS RIGHT HAND SIDE IS A STONE GRINDER, IN THE CENTRE IS THE HEARTH. BETWEEN THE DRESSER AND HEARTH IS A STONE SEAT, AT EITHER SIDE IS THE BOX BEDS WITH STORAGE SPACES SET INTO THE WALLS.
STRUCTURE 8 IS PECULIAR AS IT IS DETACHED FROM THE REST OF THE VILLAGE. IT IS ALSO THE ONLY ROOM WHICH IS NOT FOR LIVING. THE ONLY FEATURE IT HAS IS THE HEARTH. IT HAS THICKER WALLS THAN THE OTHER DWELLINGS AND WAS FREESTANDING WITHOUT THE MIDDEN MATERIAL.
DURING EXCAVATIONS THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS FOUND ‘CHERT’ A FLINT LIKE STONE, EVERYWHERE. THIS SUGGESTS A WORKSHOP AREA FOR MAKING STONE TOOLS. OUTSIDE STRUCTURE 8 IS THE SO CALLED ‘MARKET PLACE’. WHICH HAS A PAVED AREA INSIDE THE MAIN PASSAGE.
THE SHORT AND NARROW DOORWAYS WOULD HAVE OFFERED PROTECTION AGAINST WIND. BEAR IN MIND THE HOUSES WERE ORIGINALLY ROOFED. SUPPORT BEAMS FOR THE ROOF WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE FROM WHALEBONE OR WOOD. THE ROOF MATERIAL WAS TURF, WEIGHTED DOWN BY TWISTED HEATHER MADE INTO ROPE.
CARVINGS CAN BE FOUND ON SOME OF THE WALLS AND PASSAGES. THE CARVINGS ARE SIMPLE ABSTRACT DESIGNS. THEY MAY ORIGINALLY HAVE BEEN COLOURED IN.
DURING EXCAVATIONS A FEW FINDS WERE OBJECTS MADE OF BONE WHICH RESEMBLE DICE. COW NUCKLE BONES WERE ALSO FOUND AND MAY HAVE A DIVINATION PURPOSE.
SKARA BRAE APPEARS TO BE ON A NORTH WEST ALIGNMENT WITH THREE SITES, RING OF BRODGAR, STONES OF STENNESS AND MAESHOWS. THE LATTER THREE CONSTRUCTIONS MAKE UP THE WORLD HERITAGE SITE. THE RING OF BOOKAN COULD ALSO BE INCLUDED ON THIS ALIGNMENT.
SKARA BRAE HAS A RESEMBLANCE TO PREHISTORIC VILLAGES IN CORNWALL, ENGLAND. CARN EUNY AND CHYSUTER ARE TWO EXAMPLES. HERE WE HAVE SIMILAR CONSTRUCTIONS AT THE TWO EXTREMES OF THE BRITISH ISLES.
WHEN SKARA BRAES USE CAME TO AN END, AT THE SAME TIME THE MAJESTIC CONSTRUCTIONS OF MAESHOWE, THE STONES OF STENNESS AND THE RING OF BRODGAR WERE BEING ERECTED.
IN NORTH EUROPE, SKARA BRAE IS UNPARALLELED IN ITS GIFT OF GIVING US AN INSIGHT OF HOW OUR DEEP ANTIQUITY ANCESTORS LIVED THERE LIVES. THE SITE STILL HOLDS THIS PROFOUND STATUS TODAY.
A BIG THANK YOU YO OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS.
Dr Julie Bond interviewed by Robbie Fraser for Radio Orkney 12/7/18
Julie speaking to Radio Orkney during in the 2018 Swandro dig, looking at the Iron Age buildings over the chambered tomb.
Huge Gang Fight Outside Pub
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point (P2P), point to multipoint, or mesh wireless links. Though almost all video cameras fit this definition, the term is most often applied to those used for surveillance in areas that may need monitoring such as banks, casinos, airports, military installations, and convenience stores. Videotelephony is seldom called CCTV but the use of video in distance education, where it is an important tool, is often so called. In industrial plants, CCTV equipment may be used to observe parts of a process from a central control room, for example when the environment is not suitable for humans. CCTV systems may operate continuously or only as required to monitor a particular event. A more advanced form of CCTV, utilizing digital video recorders[3] (DVRs), provides recording for possibly many years, with a variety of quality and performance options and extra features (such as motion-detection and email alerts). More recently, decentralized IP cameras, some equipped with megapixel sensors, support recording directly to network-attached storage devices, or internal flash for completely stand-alone operation. Surveillance of the public using CCTV is particularly common in many areas around the world. Experiments in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s (including outdoor CCTV in Bournemouth in 1985), led to several larger trial programs later that decade. These were deemed successful in the government report CCTV: Looking Out For You, issued by the Home Office in 1994, and paved the way for a massive increase in the number of CCTV systems installed. Today, systems cover most town and city centres, and many stations, car-parks and estates. A more recent analysis by Northeastern University and the University of Cambridge, Public Area CCTV and Crime Prevention: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, examined 44 different studies that collectively surveyed areas from the United Kingdom to U.S. cities such as Cincinnati and New York. The analysis found that:. There is still much research to be done to determine the effectiveness of CCTV cameras on crime prevention before any conclusions can be drawn. There is strong anecdotal evidence that CCTV aids in detection and conviction of offenders; indeed UK police forces routinely seek CCTV recordings after crimes. Moreover CCTV has played a crucial role in tracing the movements of suspects or victims and is widely regarded by antiterrorist officers as a fundamental tool in tracking terrorist suspects. Large-scale CCTV installations have played a key part of the defences against terrorism since the 1970s. Even so there is political hostility to surveillance and several commentators downplay the evidence of CCTV's effectiveness, especially in the US. However, most of these assertions are based on poor methodology or imperfect comparisons. A more open question is whether most CCTV is cost-effective. While low-quality domestic kits are cheap the professional installation and maintenance of high definition CCTV is expensive. Gill and Spriggs did a Cost Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) of CCTV in crime prevention that showed little monetary saving with the installation of CCTV as most of the crimes prevented resulted in little monetary loss. It was however noted that benefits of non-monetary value cannot be captured in a traditional Cost Effectiveness Analysis and were omitted from their study. To get a full understanding of the costs and benefits of CCTV in crime prevention these factors would have to be included. A 2008 Report by UK Police Chiefs concluded that only 3% of crimes were solved by CCTV. In London, a Metropolitan Police report showed that in 2008 only one crime was solved per 1000 cameras. In some cases CCTV cameras have become a target of attacks themselves. On July 22, 2005, Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead by police at Stockwell tube station. According to brother Giovani Menezes, The film showed that Jean did not have suspicious behaviour . Because of the bombing attempts the previous day, some of the tapes had been supposedly removed from CCTV cameras for study, and they were not functional. An ongoing change to DVR-based technology may in future stop similar problems occurring. In October 2009, an Internet Eyes website was announced which would pay members of the public to view CCTV camera images from their homes and report any crimes they witnessed. The site aimed to add more eyes to cameras which might be insufficiently monitored. Civil liberties campaigners criticized the idea as a distasteful and a worrying development. In 2013 Oaxaca hired deaf police officers to lip read conversations to uncover criminal conspiracies
Port Adventure Standing Stones Of Stenness Part 14
Stenness - Kirkwall Scotland - June, 2016
6,000 year old house older than Stonehenge found in Scottish field
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The remains of a 6,000-year-old dwelling have been uncovered in a field near Kilmarnock, Scotland, during pipeline upgrade works carried out by Scottish Water.
Archaeologists from GUARD, who were observing the pipeline excavations, found a number of post-holes dating back to the early Neolithic period (4,000 - 3,500 BC) that once formed part of a rectangular building belonging. It is thought to have belonged to one of the earliest farming communities in Scotland.The width and depth of these post-holes indicated that they once held very large upright timber posts, suggesting that this building was once a large house, probably home to an extended family or group of families.
The archaeologists also noted eight other sites of interest, including some prehistoric burnt pits and mounds.
Before the Neolithic period, Scotland was inhabited by small groups of hunter-gatherers who lived nomadic lives, living off the land. But during the early Neolithic, the first communities to adopt sedentary lifestyles began to emerge. They cleared areas of forest, establishing farms and growing crops such as wheat and barley, as well as raising livestock like pigs, sheep, cattle and goats.
The pottery recovered from the Neolithic house are shards of carinated bowl, one of the earliest types of pottery vessels ever to be used in Britain, Green said. Traces of milk fat have been found in other carinated bowls found elsewhere in Scotland.
With further analysis of pottery and environmental samples taken from the site, the archaeologists may be able tell the precise date the house was occupied, providing more insights into the history of early farming settlements in Neolithic Scotland.
Andrew Grant, an environmental adviser for Scottish Water, said: As part of the project planning, Scottish Water identified the possibility of archaeology and so factored in time for the area to be excavated.
However, the discoveries are even more significant than we had expected and we are delighted that, with the archaeologists' help and expertise, we have been able to uncover something of such importance.
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Stones of Stenness, Stromness, Orkney, Scotland.
A Journey Through Scotland's Ancient Sites
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STONES OF STENNESS
STROMNESS
ORKNEY MAINLAND
SCOTLAND
INTRO
THE STONES OF STENNESS IS ONE OF FOUR SITES WHICH MAKE UP THE HEART OF NEOLITHIC ORKNEY, WORLD HERITAGE SITE. THE STONES OF STENNESS ARE SITUATED ON ORKNEY’S MAIN ISLAND, NINE MILES FROM THE NORTH TIP OF SCOTLAND, ACROSS THE PENTLAND FIRTH.
ORKNEY WAS A JEWEL OF THE NEOLITHIC CULTURE. THE STONES OF STENNESS IS JUST ONE COMPONENT OF A MASSIVE CEREMONIAL LANDSCAPE. THIS MEGALITHIC COMPLEX WAS ERECTED BY OUR PREHISTORIC ANCESTORS. THE RING OF BRODGAR & THE RING OF BOOKAN, MAKE UP A TRILOGY OF SACRED CIRCLES AT THE NESS OF BRODGAR.
SITUATED NEXT TO THE B9055 ROAD AND BETWEEN THE LOCHS OF HARRAY & STENNESS. THE STONES ARE NOT ONLY OF SCOTTISH SIGNIFICANCE BUT GLOBALLY. THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION IS NOT CLEAR. DATES RANGE FROM BETWEEN 3400BC-2700BC. THE FIRST RECORD OF THE STONES WAS IN 1700AD. THE SITE WAS TAKEN INTO STATE CARE IN 1906.
STONES
THE STONES WERE LAYED OUT IN AN 30M X 32M DIAMETER OVAL.
ORIGINALLY THERE WERE TWELVE STONES, AT PRESENT FOUR REMAIN, THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE SINCE 1760. MODERN MARKERS INDICATE WHERE HOLES OR STONE SETTINGS WERE FOUND BY ARCHAEOLOGISTS. WOODEN POSTS COULD HAVE EXISTED BEFORE THE MEGALITHS.
BETWEEN 3000BC-2000BC IS WHEN THE STONES WERE THOUGHT TO BE ERECTED. THE HIGHEST IS OVER 5.7M. IT IS POSSIBLE THE MEGALITHS WERE ERECTED BEFORE THE HENGE CONSTRUCTION. THE TENANT FARMER PULLED DOWN TWO OF THE STONES IN 1851. ONE LAY RECUMBENT, THE OTHER HAD BEEN SHATTERED.
INTERIOR
THE CENTRAL FEATURES WERE IN USE FROM 4950-4500 YEARS AGO. IF YOU ENTER THE SITE FROM THE ORIGINAL ENTRANCE, THE FIRST FEATURE YOU COME TO AFTER THE MEGALITHS, IS A SHORT ARRANGEMENT OF STONES. ACCORDING TO EARLY ACCOUNTS A HUGE RECUMBENT MEGALITH LAY TOWARDS THE CENTRE OF THE RING.
A DOLMEN WAS RECONSTRUCTED IN 1906, THIS RECONSTRUCTION DESTROYED EVIDENCE OF WHAT ONCE EXISTED. IN THE 1970’S THE DOLMEN WAS TAKEN DOWN. THE TWO STONES THAT REMAIN, FRAME MAESHOWE IN THE DISTANCE.
THE FOCAL POINT OF THE INTERIOR IS THE LARGE HEARTH. AN EARLIER HEARTH WOULD HAVE PRECEDED THE ONE WE SEE TODAY, ALONG WITH A TIMBER UPRIGHT. COLIN RICHARDS AN ARCHAEOLOGIST, ARGUES THE ORIGINAL HEARTH CAME FROM THE MIDDLE AREA AT BARNHOUSE VILLAGE, A SHORT WALK AWAY.
HENGE
AROUND THE MEGALITHS WAS A MASSIVE ENCLOSURE HENGE WITH A BANK AND DITCH. THE DITCH WAS 4M WIDE BY NEARLY 2.5M IN DEPTH. THIS WAS A BIG ACHIEVEMENT BY OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS, AS THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN MET WITH MOSTLY SOLID ROCK.
THE SITE LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT TODAY THAN ORIGINALLY IMAGINED. HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF PLOUGHING WORE DOWN THE ORIGINAL HENGE BY 1973. WHAT WE SEE TODAY OF THE HENGE IS A MODERN RECONSTRUCTION OF WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN 1851.
ARCHAEOLOGY
ANIMAL BONES WITH GROOVED WARE POTTERY, SUGGEST THE NEW STONE AGE PEOPLE, COOKED AND DINED AT THE STONES. THIS GROOVED WEAR POTTERY HAS BEEN EXCAVATED AT SOME OF THE BEST KNOWN ANCIENT SITES IN SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND.
THERE IS EVIDENCE OF FIRE IN THE SMALL CENTRAL SLAB SETTING. THERE IS SIGNS OF ACTIVITY FROM MUCH LATER ON IN HISTORY. PITS WERE DUG AND FILLED WITH POTTERY JARS. THESE WERE ALSO FOUND IN NEARBY IRON AGE SETTLEMENTS FROM 3000 YEARS LATER.
OTHER INFO
AT THE TOP OF THE STENNESS PENINSULA IS THE WATCHSTONE. IT IS SITUATED A SHORT WALK AWAY TO THE NW. THE HOLED ‘STONE OF ODIN’ WAS NEARBY WHICH WAS DESTROYED IN 1814. THIS STONE WAS RENOWNED FOR SEALING CONTRACTS AND HEALING.
THE NAME STENNESS DERIVES FROM STEIN-NES, AN OLD NORSE WORD MEANING STONE PROMONTORY. THESE SITES AT THE NESS OF BRODGAR ALONG WITH CALLANISH ARE THE BEST KNOWN PREHISTORIC REMAINS IN SCOTLAND.
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS
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A journey in the mind from pre history to the present day told by the author with the aid of OpenScad Erlang and Wings 3d.
Travels from Neolithic Orkney to the Black Isle
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Welcome to our final Orkney Walking Tour. On the Summer solstice we took part in a pagan druidic ritual. Don't worry, no human sacrifices, but it was an interesting and fun event. However, before that I decided to do a walk between three closely placed neolithic sites. Orkney has a ton of these stone age houses and standing stones spread out over the island. This walk starts at the Barnhouse settlement, goes through the Standing Stones of Stenness, then follows a path past the Ness of Brodgar archeological site, and finishes up at the Ring of Brodgar which is the most famous and largest of the sites. Unfortunately, I somehow lost the last 15 minutes of the walks so it ends a bit abruptly but I hope you enjoy it anyway. It was a very windy night but just beautiful. If you ever get a chance to visit Orkney Islands (the islands north of Scotland) definitely take it.
Wikipedia Facts
Barnhouse Settlement -The Neolithic Barnhouse Settlement is sited by the shore of Loch of Harray, Orkney Mainland, Scotland, not far from the Standing Stones of Stenness, about 5 miles north-east of Stromness.
Excavations revealing the base courses of at least 15 houses. The houses have similarities to those of the early phase of the better-known settlement at Skara Brae in that they have central hearths, beds built against the walls and stone dressers, but differ in that the houses seem to have been free-standing. The settlement dates back to circa 3000 BC.
The largest of the original buildings was House 2. It was double-sized, featuring a higher building standard than the other houses and unlike the others (rebuilt up to five times) seems to have remained in use throughout the inhabited period of the settlement. The houses were clustered around a central open area which was divided into areas for making pottery and the working of flint, bones and hides. Evidence suggests that Barnhouse was abandoned around 2600 BC.
Standing Stones of Stenness
The Standing Stones of Stenness is a Neolithic monument five miles northeast of Stromness on the mainland of Orkney, Scotland. This may be the oldest henge site in the British Isles. Various traditions associated with the stones survived into the modern era and they form part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site. They are looked after by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument.
Ring of Brodgar
The Ring of Brodgar (or Brogar, or Ring o' Brodgar) is a Neolithic henge and stone circle in Orkney, Scotland. Most henges do not contain stone circles; Brodgar is a striking exception, ranking with Avebury (and to a lesser extent Stonehenge) among the greatest of such sites. The ring of stones stands on a small isthmus between the Lochs of Stenness and Harray. These are the northernmost examples of circle henges in Britain. Unlike similar structures such as Avebury, there are no obvious stones inside the circle, but since the interior of the circle has never been excavated by archaeologists, the possibility remains that wooden structures, for example, may have been present. The site has resisted attempts at scientific dating and the monument's age remains uncertain. It is generally thought to have been erected between 2500 BC and 2000 BC, and was, therefore, the last of the great Neolithic monuments built on the Ness.
The stone circle is 104 metres (341 ft) in diameter, and the third largest in the British Isles. The ring originally comprised up to 60 stones, of which only 27 remained standing at the end of the 20th century. The tallest stones stand at the south and west of the ring, including the so-called Comet Stone to the south-east. The stones are set within a circular ditch up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) deep, 9 metres (30 ft) wide and 380 metres (1,250 ft) in circumference that was carved out of the solid sandstone bedrock by the ancient residents. Technically, this ditch does not constitute a true henge as there is no sign of an encircling bank of earth and rock.
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The Scottish Isles | Part 7 of 'Standing with Stones'
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The surprising thing about the monuments of these outliers of the British Isles is that not since the grandeur of Avebury in Wiltshire and Stanton Drew in Somerset have we seen stone circles the size of some of these. If size was an expression of 'wealth', how was it being bestowed on the populations of these islands?
This is the last of a complete seven-part online edition of Standing with Stones. If you've ever dreamed of travelling through Great Britain & Ireland, visiting the standing stones and other fantastic monuments that our ancient ancestors left us, then you will love this film. Over two years in the making, Standing with Stones was made by just two men with great film making skills, a camper van and a passion for the monuments in stone left to us by Neolithic and Bronze Age ancestors. The result is a remarkable feature length documentary film that take the viewer on a journey of discovery, uncovering the true extent and variety of megalithic Britain and Ireland.
In this episode, Callanish, Grey Cairns of Camster, Maes Howe, Ring of Brodgar, Stenness, Skara Brae, The Tomb of the Eagles.
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Christmas Day? I fancy a swim.
Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness
The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic stone circle erected between 2500 BC and 2000 BC. The Stones of Stenness, another stone circle was erected around 3100 BC, making it one of the earliest in Britain.
Christmas Day charity swim
Tracey and friends brave the elements to raise money for Rapid UK.
Well done! Donations to RAPID UK very much appreciated.
A Guide To Island Hopping in Scotland
Island hopping is a great way to experience the offshore gems and secret spots that Scotland has to offer – whether you have a week or a weekend to spend here, the islands won’t disappoint.
Scotland is famed for its staggering mountains, beautiful lochs, and a variety of gems to explore, but, did you know that our islands are magical and otherworldly? Scotland has over 790 islands, each unique in their own way. With incredible natural beauty, dramatic seascapes and magical atmosphere, you’ll never want to leave island life behind.
Our islands are split into a few groups – Inner Hebrides, Outer Hebrides, Shetland, and Orkney.
Navigating across these bucket list-worthy islands is easier than you may think. Regular ferry connections run from the mainland to the islands on the west and north coasts of Scotland, as well as between the islands themselves. Some ferries allow you to take your car so you can continue exploring when you’re there.
You can even fly to various islands from the cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Inverness. Or why not fly from island-to-island to save time travelling?
Our islands have more to show than you can fit into a day – so why not stay over? There’s plenty of accommodation options on offer – from cosy cottages on the waterfront and eco-friendly self-catering lodges, to quaint campsites, caravans and B&Bs – but make sure you book ahead!
Venture to the Inner Hebrides if you want to explore places seen in blockbuster films, such as Prometheus, Snow White & The Huntsman, and Flash Gordon, or if you’re up for a scenic sailing tour. If magical lands filled with ancient history take your fancy, then head to Orkney!
The Isle of Mull is the perfect location to spot a variety of wildlife, including eagles soaring overhead, and head to Tobermory to see the colourful houses and buildings as well as trying some fresh seafood in one of the local pubs. Or, if you want to sample a dram or two of whisky then head to the Isle of Islay where you can choose from eight distilleries.
On the west coast, enjoy the untouched beauty of the Isle of Jura, let your inner adventurer out and try windsurfing on the Isle of Tiree, or uncover the turbulent history at the ancient abbey on the Isle of Iona.
If you’re a wildlife enthusiast, the waters off the Isle of Coll are a great place to spot giant basking sharks, and even if you’ve never been there, you’re probably already familiar with Skye – it’s one of the most photographed, and talked about, of the Scottish islands.
The Outer Hebrides are perfect if you’re looking for crystal clear waters and golden sandy beaches. Or hop further afield to Orkney and Shetland to tick these magical places off your bucket list. From remnants of ancient civilisations, the chance to spot the Northern Lights during the darker winter months, and the cries of thousands of seabirds, to lively folk music sessions and ferocious Viking culture – there’s an abundance of things to keep you busy!
Why not follow some of our ready-made itineraries, or plan one of your own to make the most out of your island adventure?
Island Hopping:
Orkney:
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