Situated above the Bay of Skail is the excavated remains of one of the best preserved Neoloithic villages in Northern Europe, dating from 3000BC.
Around 1850, a violent storm, together with an exceptionally high tide, undermined part of the dunes surrounding the Bay of Skail. Grass and sand was stripped off revealing an immense midden and the remains of stone structures from a tightly knit complex of about 50 people. The local Laird William Watt of Skaill House began to clear and excavate the site, uncovering three houses. Unfortunately he, and later antiquaries, left little record of their work.
The site had just come into state care when another storm in 1925, another storm severely damaged and washed away some of the houses and there was a real danger of the site being entirely washed away. A protective sea wall was built and work began to clear and consolidate the site. Further excavation revealed more houses.
Recognising the significance of Skara Brae along with Maeshowe, Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness, and other unexcavated sites, the area was awarded World Heritage status in 1999 as the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. It acknowledges the status of Orkney as one of the main power centres in Europe at the time.
Excavation has revealed this to be the best preserved neolithic village in northern Europe, over 5000 years old. Nine of the buildings survive with many items of stone furniture giving a wonderful glimpse of life in the Neolithic.
The site was inhabited continually for at least 600 years.
There were two main periods of construction. The earlier houses were circular with stone beds set into the walls. The houses were free standing, with paths between them. Only two of these houses survive (9 and 10). The others were gradually replaced and built over.
The later houses were larger, more rectangular buildings with rounded internal corners and beds protruding more into the living area. Most of buildings are of this type.
The houses were made of thick dry stone walls. The inner and outer faces were dry stone and the space between was filled with packed midden. This was accumulated domestic waste that had rotted down and when mixed with clay and sand could be used as a building material It helped keep the inside wind and waterproof. Midden also piled up around the houses, providing stability and helping insulate them. As the midden piled up, it gradually buried the houses with subterranean passageways linking the houses.These were roofed with stone and it was possible to travel from one house to another without having to step outside.
(The green shows the midden surrounding the later houses.)
The design of the houses shows remarkable uniformity. It is unknown if the roofs were covered with stone or roof of turf, skins, thatched seaweed or straw, held down by weighted hopes of twisted heather.
Access to the houses was along a stone lined passageway. Each house had a stone slab door which could be secured with a bar made of bone that slid in bar-holes cut in the stone door jambs. This blocked the entrance providing security and privacy. There were no windows with the only light coming in from the doorway.
There was a central hearth, surrounded by kerb stones. There was little peat and no wood, so fuel was probably a mixture of animal dung, died seaweed, marine animal bones, heather or bracken. The fire not only gave warmth and light but cooked food and even disposed of combustible rubbish.
All furnishings were made of stone. Opposite the doorway was a stone built dresser. Between the hearth and the dresser there is sometimes a large block, perhaps seat of honour for the most venerated member of the household. By the fire was a stone box with joints cemented with clay to keep them water tight. It is thought these were used to store limpets which were soaked to soften them before being used as fish bait. There were two beds made of stone slabs on either side of the hearth. Bracken was probably used as a mattress with animal skins as blankets.
Small alcoves or cells built into the thickness of the walls probably provided more storage space. In some houses one of the cells appears to have been connected to a drain running beneath the houses and away from the village, suggesting it served as a latrine.
There is a single isolated building on western edge of the settlement which was not enclosed by the midden. It had a paved area in front of it, with much thicker walls and a central hearth. It may have been a workshop used for making tools. There is evidence of burnt stones, fragments of bone and antler and chips of chert in the building. Chert was used as a substitute for flint, which is only found in small nodules washed up on the shore. It was more difficult to work than flint, but pre- heating it made it easier. Larger tools, like knives, were made from either the local flagstones or from bone.
Villagers were settled farmers who were entirely self-sufficient. The village was surrounded by gently undulating pasture and the wide sweep of Skail Bay.
They raised cattle, pig and sheep, supplementing these with fish and shellfish harvested locally as well as bird eggs. Red deer were hunted for their meat, skins and bones. Local plants would also have been collected. The earliest inhabitants grew some barley but it is unknown whether later ones did. There is no evidence of spinning or weaving, suggesting clothes were made from cured animal skins. Many beads and broaches have been found.
It is unknown why the site was abandoned. The climate changed around 2500BC ,becoming much colder and wetter. There is a popular myth that the village was buried during a massive storm, although it is now thought abandonment was probably more complex and gradual with a move into dispersed single farmsteads and the settlement gradually became covered by a drifting wall of sand.
Skara Brae and nearby Skail House are now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.
The visitor centre has a shop and very good exhibition with artefacts from the site along with a short video. There is a full scale replica of one of the houses.
From there, it is a short walk to the actual site with raised walkway around the the houses.
website
plan of site
cont...
Around 1850, a violent storm, together with an exceptionally high tide, undermined part of the dunes surrounding the Bay of Skail. Grass and sand was stripped off revealing an immense midden and the remains of stone structures from a tightly knit complex of about 50 people. The local Laird William Watt of Skaill House began to clear and excavate the site, uncovering three houses. Unfortunately he, and later antiquaries, left little record of their work.
The site had just come into state care when another storm in 1925, another storm severely damaged and washed away some of the houses and there was a real danger of the site being entirely washed away. A protective sea wall was built and work began to clear and consolidate the site. Further excavation revealed more houses.
Recognising the significance of Skara Brae along with Maeshowe, Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness, and other unexcavated sites, the area was awarded World Heritage status in 1999 as the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. It acknowledges the status of Orkney as one of the main power centres in Europe at the time.
Excavation has revealed this to be the best preserved neolithic village in northern Europe, over 5000 years old. Nine of the buildings survive with many items of stone furniture giving a wonderful glimpse of life in the Neolithic.
The site was inhabited continually for at least 600 years.
There were two main periods of construction. The earlier houses were circular with stone beds set into the walls. The houses were free standing, with paths between them. Only two of these houses survive (9 and 10). The others were gradually replaced and built over.
The later houses were larger, more rectangular buildings with rounded internal corners and beds protruding more into the living area. Most of buildings are of this type.
The houses were made of thick dry stone walls. The inner and outer faces were dry stone and the space between was filled with packed midden. This was accumulated domestic waste that had rotted down and when mixed with clay and sand could be used as a building material It helped keep the inside wind and waterproof. Midden also piled up around the houses, providing stability and helping insulate them. As the midden piled up, it gradually buried the houses with subterranean passageways linking the houses.These were roofed with stone and it was possible to travel from one house to another without having to step outside.
(The green shows the midden surrounding the later houses.)
The design of the houses shows remarkable uniformity. It is unknown if the roofs were covered with stone or roof of turf, skins, thatched seaweed or straw, held down by weighted hopes of twisted heather.
Access to the houses was along a stone lined passageway. Each house had a stone slab door which could be secured with a bar made of bone that slid in bar-holes cut in the stone door jambs. This blocked the entrance providing security and privacy. There were no windows with the only light coming in from the doorway.
There was a central hearth, surrounded by kerb stones. There was little peat and no wood, so fuel was probably a mixture of animal dung, died seaweed, marine animal bones, heather or bracken. The fire not only gave warmth and light but cooked food and even disposed of combustible rubbish.
All furnishings were made of stone. Opposite the doorway was a stone built dresser. Between the hearth and the dresser there is sometimes a large block, perhaps seat of honour for the most venerated member of the household. By the fire was a stone box with joints cemented with clay to keep them water tight. It is thought these were used to store limpets which were soaked to soften them before being used as fish bait. There were two beds made of stone slabs on either side of the hearth. Bracken was probably used as a mattress with animal skins as blankets.
Small alcoves or cells built into the thickness of the walls probably provided more storage space. In some houses one of the cells appears to have been connected to a drain running beneath the houses and away from the village, suggesting it served as a latrine.
There is a single isolated building on western edge of the settlement which was not enclosed by the midden. It had a paved area in front of it, with much thicker walls and a central hearth. It may have been a workshop used for making tools. There is evidence of burnt stones, fragments of bone and antler and chips of chert in the building. Chert was used as a substitute for flint, which is only found in small nodules washed up on the shore. It was more difficult to work than flint, but pre- heating it made it easier. Larger tools, like knives, were made from either the local flagstones or from bone.
Villagers were settled farmers who were entirely self-sufficient. The village was surrounded by gently undulating pasture and the wide sweep of Skail Bay.
They raised cattle, pig and sheep, supplementing these with fish and shellfish harvested locally as well as bird eggs. Red deer were hunted for their meat, skins and bones. Local plants would also have been collected. The earliest inhabitants grew some barley but it is unknown whether later ones did. There is no evidence of spinning or weaving, suggesting clothes were made from cured animal skins. Many beads and broaches have been found.
It is unknown why the site was abandoned. The climate changed around 2500BC ,becoming much colder and wetter. There is a popular myth that the village was buried during a massive storm, although it is now thought abandonment was probably more complex and gradual with a move into dispersed single farmsteads and the settlement gradually became covered by a drifting wall of sand.
Skara Brae and nearby Skail House are now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.
The visitor centre has a shop and very good exhibition with artefacts from the site along with a short video. There is a full scale replica of one of the houses.
From there, it is a short walk to the actual site with raised walkway around the the houses.
website
plan of site
cont...
