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Photo Pages: Ness of Brodgar - Ancient Village or Settlement in Scotland in Orkney
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Submitted by Andy B on Wednesday, 28 July 2010 Page Views: 5906
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 Site Name: Ness of Brodgar Country: Scotland County: Orkney Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Nearest Village: Stromness
Map Ref: HY303129
Latitude: 58.997504N Longitude: 3.214835W
Condition:| 5 | Perfect | | 4 | Almost Perfect | | 3 | Reasonable but with some damage | | 2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site | | 1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks | | 0 | No data. | | -1 | Completely destroyed |
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Ambience:| 5 | Superb | | 4 | Good | | 3 | Ordinary | | 2 | Not Good | | 1 | Awful | | 0 | No data. |
no data
Access:| 5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access | | 4 | Short walk on a footpath | | 3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk | | 2 | A long walk | | 1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find | | 0 | No data. |
no data
Accuracy:| 5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates | | 4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map | | 3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map | | 2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village | | 1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town | | 0 | no data |
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Internal Links:    
External Links:             Ness of Brodgar submitted by LizH
Ancient Settlement in Orkney. A large Neolithic complex on the Brodgar peninsula lies on the low ridge between the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar. An initial geophysical survey, as part of the WHA Geophysics Programme, revealed numerous anomalies ‘indicative of settlement’ covering 2.5 hectares.
In 2003 a large notched stone was ploughed up and a rescue excavation was undertaken, under the Human Remains Call-Off Contract, as the stone was thought to be from a cist. The trench revealed part of a large structure similar to Structure 2 at nearby Barnhouse Neolithic Village. This finding initiated a resistivity survey to try to define the extent of the built archaeology and complement the initial gradiometer survey.
More at the dig home page which has a live blog for the 2010 excavations.
Previous years are here.
Note: Painted walls found within two of the structures, the first such discovery in the UK. Also Neolithic 'slate' roof and lots more in the live excavation blog running at the moment.
You may be viewing yesterday's version of this pageTo see the most up to date information please register for a free user account.
 Ness of Brodgar submitted by LizH
Further along another section of this wall - very thick behind the clear front section, and also finished with a clear line.
 Ness of Brodgar submitted by LizH
One side of the thick wall which runs from roughly east to west across the site as far as they have yet excavated. Other structures have been built into it and on top.
 Ness of Brodgar submitted by LizH
Showing some of the excavation, which is as yet not very deep. Archaelogists on site said they believe they are not yet near the ground level of the structure. It is not clear what this structure is although some outline can be seen
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100m W 269° Brodgar Farm Chambered Tomb Chambered Tomb (HY302129)
100m S 178° Brodgar Farm Standing Stones* Standing Stones (HY303128)
141m SE 116° Lochview Mound* Cairn (HY304128)
282m SE 116° Watch Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (HY305127)
446m E 104° Barnhouse Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (HY307127)
564m SE 116° Stenness* Stone Circle (HY307125)
804m W 286° Comet Stone (Orkney)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (HY296133)
852m W 289° Fresh Knowe* Long Barrow (HY29601339)
869m W 272° Fairy Well (Stenness)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (HY2943212982)
982m W 282° Ring of Brodgar* Stone Circle (HY294133)
997m W 290° Plumcake Mound* Round Barrow(s) (HY295135)
1.1km W 281° Salt Knowe* Round Barrow(s) (HY293133)
1.2km E 109° Barnhouse Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (HY313122)
1.2km S 182° Standing Stones Hotel* Chambered Cairn (HY30251165)
1.5km NE 45° Campston (Grimeston)* Broch (HY310142)
1.5km NE 45° Grimston Broch* Broch (HY310142)
1.5km E 93° Maes Howe* Chambered Tomb (HY318127)
1.6km NE 64° Vola* Round Barrow(s) (HY31471395)
1.6km W 288° Wasbister Burnt Mound* Artificial Mound (HY28961378)
1.6km W 286° Dyke o'Sean Ancient Village or Settlement (HY289137)
1.6km W 286° Wasbister Disc Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (HY289137)
1.7km W 289° Bookan Cairns* Cairn (HY289139)
1.8km NW 293° Bookan Stones* Standing Stones (HY28921406)
1.8km W 290° Wasbister Cairn Cairn (HY28811397)
2.1km W 289° Bookan* Chambered Tomb (HY286141)
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Neolithic village found in Orkney sheds new light on Stone Age life (Score: 1)
by Andy B on Tuesday, 14 August 2007
(User Info | Send a Message) | The remains of a Neolithic settlement discovered in Orkney were hailed yesterday as potentially as important as the Skara Brae village on the islands.
The 2.5 hectare site is believed to date back nearly 5,000 years and to include a complex system of temples and dwellings spread over two fields. The find, at Ness of Brodgar, between the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness, will add to the area’s reputation as home to some of the most remarkable archaeological monuments in Europe.
Nick Card, project manager at the dig, began excavations two months ago with a team from Orkney College and Orkney Archaeological Trust. He said that the discovery had the potential to rank alongside Skara Brae, the Stone Age village that is now part of a World Heritage Site. “The discovery has the potential to illuminate how these different sites interacted and how people lived,” he said. “We are hopeful that every aspect of life 5,000 years ago will be clarified by our discoveries. This is not just about Neolithic life in the north of Scotland; it could have ramifications for the study of the Stone Age throughout Britain.”
Only a small part of the settlement has so far been unearthed, but it includes large oval stone buildings subdivided into small chambers, almost certainly temples. Other buildings are believed to be domestic.
Mr Card said: “What we have is a whole series of buildings; we’ve only managed to open a tiny percentage of what is actually here. The buildings which we have uncovered are of a kind never seen before. Some of the structures do appear to be domestic in nature but one, the main structure in the big trench, is much more complex, with very symmetrical architecture.” Other findings include a Neolithic mace head and beautifully decorated stones, as well as stone tools and burnt animal bones. Mr Card said that the team had uncovered “pottery by the bucketful”.
Julie Gibson, one of the archaeologists involved, said that the find would help researchers to understand the relationship between neighbouring Neolithic sites, including stone circles on the Ring of Brodgar, a promontory between two lochs, the Maeshowe chambered tomb and the Stones of Stenness.
Thousands of tourists visit Orkney each year to view its Neolithic monuments, widely considered to be among the finest in Europe. Archaeologists believe that it could be many years before the full extent of the dig is uncovered.
The Times:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2253781.ece | [ Reply to This ]
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Orkney Dig unearths Neolithic settlement (Score: 1)
by Andy B on Thursday, 16 August 2007
(User Info | Send a Message) | With thanks to cosmic:
The remains of a massive Neolithic settlement dating back more than 5,000 years have been discovered in Orkney.
Archaeologists said the discovery could be as significant as the famous prehistoric village at Skara Brae, which was unearthed in 1850.
The site at Ness of Brodgar lies in the heart of Neolithic Orkney, between the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness.
The finds have included a Neolithic mace head and decorated stones.
Only a small part of the site has been dug, exposing large oval stone buildings subdivided into small chambers.
Archaeologists from Orkney College hope the area will unlock some of the secrets of the people who lived there.
Nick Card, who is leading the dig, said: "What we have is a whole series of buildings - unfortunately we've only managed to open a tiny percentage of what is actually here.
"The buildings which we have been uncovered are of a kind never seen before.
"Some of the structures do appear to be domestic in nature but one, the main structure in the big trench, is much more complex with very symmetrical architecture.
"The scale of the building and its refinement would suggest that it perhaps had some other function other than domestic."
Archaeologist Julie Gibson told BBC Radio Scotland that the site was hugely significant.
She added: "This is going to tell us an enormous amount about how people interacted and worked within the stone circles.
"People who were staying here were probably putting up the stone circles, or certainly having their ceremonies at them - living right next door or coming for meetings there."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/6943696.stm | [ Reply to This ]
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Re: Ness of Brodgar (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Saturday, 18 August 2007 | I think it was the Neolithic Visitor Centre, or pilgrim's rest and hospitality generally. There would have been food and ale, shelter and warmth.
Merryn | [ Reply to This ]
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Re: Ness of Brodgar (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Tuesday, 28 August 2007 | i took part in the recent excavation at the ness of brodgar and can confirm that it will be one of the most importantant neolithic sites not only on Orkney or in Britain but possibly in europe!
this is 21/2 ha of the most densly packed upstanding neolithic archaeology i have ever encountered.
it may well take decades to fully unravel it | [ Reply to This ]
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Re: Ness of Brodgar (Score: 1)
by LizH on Wednesday, 29 August 2007
(User Info | Send a Message) | Condition: 2 (hard to tell yet as only about one foot dug up!)
Ambience: 3 (crawling with archaelogists - but they are interesting!)
Access: 5 just off road between Stenness and Brodgar circles. Site covered apart from during digs.
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Brodgar assumptions questioned by 2008 dig (Score: 1)
by Andy B on Wednesday, 01 October 2008
(User Info | Send a Message) | With the excavations on the Ness of Brodgar (Orkney, Scotland) now closed, site director Nick Card feels its time for a
major rethink about the landscape of Orkney's Neolithic Heartland.
The long-held assumption that the Ring of Brodgar and Standing
Stones of Stenness were the centre of activity needs looked at again,
said Nick, senior project manager of the Orkney Research Centre for
Archaeology (ORCA). He explained: "For centuries people have been
coming to the Ness and, because it is dominated by the two massive
stone rings, it's come to be assumed that they were the main Neolithic
focus of the area. The Ring of Brodgar, in particular, has become
regarded as the ceremonial 'centre' of the Ness.
In light of this
summer's finds, however, I would question that interpretation. I
wonder whether the stone circles were merely on the periphery of the
true ceremonial centre — a massive ceremonial complex, fragments of
which are now only coming to light. It's becoming clear to us now that
this complex, in its heyday, must have completely dominated the
landscape."
Read more at
http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/nob20081.htm | [ Reply to This ]
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Re: Ness of Brodgar (Score: 1)
by howar on Friday, 14 August 2009
(User Info | Send a Message) | | Looking along the Comet Stone with stub i the Ness of Brodgar is perfectly framed, like looking down the barrel of a gun. | [ Reply to This ]
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Re: Ness of Brodgar (Score: 1)
by howar on Wednesday, 26 August 2009
(User Info | Send a Message) | | They found a 'new' high wall in a trial excavation over the buildings from the main dig and it points across the gap between the Brodgar/Lochview standing stone pair, bisecting this | [ Reply to This ]
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'Neolithic cathedral built to amaze’ unearthed in Orkney dig (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Friday, 28 August 2009 | A huge Neolithic cathedral, unlike anything else which can be seen in Britain, has been found in Orkney.
Archaeologists said that the building would have dwarfed the island’s landmarks from the Stone Age — the Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness. Nick Card, who is leading the dig at the Ness of Brodgar, said that the cathedral, which would have served the whole of the north of Scotland, would have been constructed to “amaze” and “create a sense of awe” among those who saw it.
It is about 65ft in length and width and would have dominated the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness which stand on either side. These important sites, dating back about 5,000 years, might have actually been peripheral features of Orkney’s Stone Age landscape. Mr Card said: “In effect it is a Neolithic cathedral for the whole of the north of Scotland.”
The shape and size of the building are clearly visible today, with the walls still standing to a height of more then 3ft — although they would have been far taller when built. They are 16ft thick and surround a cross-shaped inner sanctum in which the 40-strong excavation team has found examples of art and furniture made from stone.
The cathedral was surrounded by a paved outer passage which the archaeologists believe could have formed a labyrinth that would have led worshippers through darkness to the chamber at the heart of the building.
The team has also discovered that a standing stone which is split by a hole shaped like an hourglass was incorporated into the structure, something never seen before in buildings from the period.
“A building of this scale and complexity was here to amaze, to create a sense of awe in the people who saw this place,” Mr Card said. “The perfection of the stonework is beautiful to look at. This is architecture on a monumental scale and the result is the largest structure of its kind anywhere in the north of Britain.
“Today it is still so impressive and when you look down on it from above it is almost jaw-dropping. It is a real privilege to work here and we feel that this was a very special place.”
Colin Richards, reader in archaeology at Manchester University and a leading expert on the period, said that the building would have stood at the heart of Neolithic Orkney. “A structure of this nature would have been renowned right across the north of Scotland — and is unprecedented anywhere in Britain,” he said.
The dig, which has been operating since 2003, involves archaeologists from Orkney College and from Aberdeen, Glasgow and Cardiff universities. Volunteers have also travelled from the United States, Italy, Sweden and Ireland to take part.
Last summer the team established that there was a very large building on the site, but it is only now that the true scale of the cathedral has been unearthed. The Ness of Brodgar site, which covers 2.5 hectares, has been described as potentially as important as the Skara Brae village, the world heritage site on the islands.
Source:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6795316.ece | [ Reply to This ]
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Tours of the Ness of Brodgar Excavations 2010 (Score: 1)
by coldrum on Wednesday, 23 June 2010
(User Info | Send a Message) | Tours of the Ness of Brodgar Excavations, 21 July 2010, 25 August 2010
Tours of the Ness of Brodgar Excavations
Ring Of Brodgar Stone Circle and Henge, 21 July 2010, 25 August 2010
This is your chance to see archaeology in action! The excavations at the Ness Of Brodgar year after year continue to reveal more and more about Orkneys Neolithic Heartland. The Rangers in conjunction with ORCA provide tours of the excavations.
Time: 11am and 3pm
Meet: Ness of Brodgar
For further information, contact
Historic Scotland Ranger Service
orkneyrangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or telephone +44 (0)1856 841 732
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/events/event_detail.htm?eventid=28365 | [ Reply to This ]
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Digging up the past at the Ness of Brodgar,27 July 2010, 3 and 10 August 2010 (Score: 1)
by coldrum on Wednesday, 23 June 2010
(User Info | Send a Message) | Digging up the past at the Ness of Brodgar,27 July 2010, 3 and 10 August 2010
Digging up the past at the Ness of Brodgar
Ring Of Brodgar Stone Circle and Henge, 27 July 2010, 3 August 2010, 10 August 2010
Young people between 12 and 16 are invited to try their hand at archaeology, learn excavation techniques and have the chance to be part of one of the most exciting excavations in the world!
There are a limited number of places for this event so booking is essential.To book a space and for further information contact the Orkney Rangers.
For further information, contact
Historic Scotland Ranger Service
orkneyrangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or telephone +44 (0)1856 841 732
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/events/event_detail.htm?eventid=28366 | [ Reply to This ]
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2010 Dig diary and blog (Score: 1)
by Andy B on Wednesday, 28 July 2010
(User Info | Send a Message) | 2010 Dig diary and blog Home page here
http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/nessofbrodgar/
Currently reporting
Neolithic ‘slate’ roofs!
One of the most interesting facets of the buildings to come to light this year so far is the evidence for roof coverings.
In most reconstructions of prehistoric buildings, you’ll often see hotch-potched arrangements of turf, animal skins or perhaps thatch. However, within the side recesses along the internal walls of Structure Eight, we have discovered a much more organised method of roofing – Neolithic stone slates!
See Monday, July 26, 2010 for the painted stone
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Re: Ness of Brodgar (Score: 1)
by howar on Friday, 13 August 2010
(User Info | Send a Message) | | Finally the Lesser Wall is exposed again and also they think they have reached the bottom, where a fine paved area has been revealed on the south side i.e. outside their gargantuan [putative] temenos. Looking along the wall between the standing stone pair with my new Casio Exilim FH20 I can confirm a definite alignment with the Staney Hill Tomb [there may be another site between them and some tumuli beyond, one of which has come up before]. There is now a viewing platform for visitors to look down from the east side. Unfortunately a new fence appears to be going back up around the dig after having been there over-winter, putting the public up to several feet further back on the ground | [ Reply to This ]
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Neolithic painted zigzag chevron pattern in red pigment found (Score: 1)
by Andy B on Tuesday, 24 August 2010
(User Info | Send a Message) | Neolithic stone network found on Orkney
Archaeologists have discovered the first evidence in the UK of stonework painted with a pattern, suggesting Neolithic people enjoyed decorating. It comes a week after the researchers, working at the Brodgar peninsula on Orkney, found plain painted stones thought to be around 5,000 years old at the spot.
The site, described as a possible Neolithic temple precinct, is between the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar.
The latest discovery, is a stone with a zigzag chevron pattern in red pigment.
More in The Scotsman
http://news.scotsman.com/news/Neolithic-stone-network-found-on.6454132.jp | [ Reply to This ]
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Re: Ness of Brodgar (Score: 1)
by howar on Wednesday, 25 August 2010
(User Info | Send a Message) | August 24th 2010
Went to Brodgar day before end of dig as though they have made lovely discoveries on last days much will be be going back under black plastic early on the day. Past Bridgend went around the back of the Kokna-Cumming mound to come upon the Lesser Wall of Brodgar from behind by a gentler slope. Glad they have realised that this is a late feature as otherwise what would one make of the Brodgar standing stone pair straddling its view eastwards and the tomb outside its supposed remit. To me the point of it is to face the Staneyhill Tomb - I forget what they call it in political science but it is like gardeners "borrowing a view" by bringing a further vista into the visitor's eyeline. What does this mean for the hypothesis that the Greater Wall of Brodgar was meant to form a northern boundary to the whole Ness assemblage ? It doesn't seem to have any similar alignment [and perhaps too thick to find a statistically valid one anyhow] but is it equally late, performing a non-liminal function yet to be identified. At the bottom of the Lesser Wall's southern side there is now a pavement just under the level of the Wall base by the remains of what is to my eye another wall at a slight angle to the later Wall. Near the bottom of the Wall it looks to me as if there are what is left of two cruder walls parallel to one another over and at right angles to my putative earlier wall, and hence the pavement below. To my dismay the area of trench behind the Wall has still not been dug below the level of its top. Probably a "health and safety" thing. Here there are two arcs of collapsed wall, perhaps an inner and outer section. Not that this necessarily means one or both had not been straight when still standing. Oh, I can barely wait for their investigation. And then maybe sometime they can go down to the Wall base here to see if the Lesser Wall might be part of some other structure yet.
On to the main Ness of Brodgar site a bit of height not only gains you perspective but also frees you of photographing beige stone against beige stone and having to decipher it later ! First up is the new to this season next-to-roadside observation platform with a long ramp for wheelchair access. Then there are the large spoil heaps by the northern and western sides, as long as you don't mind the shifting soil underfoot in places. The space between Lochview and the dig is too smaa for anything but a photographic tower for the bosses, so you can't use that. It amazes me that at first glance it all looks practically the same as last time. Up on the platform on this side of the site the bulk is taken up by Structure 10 on your left with its, ahem, standing stone. No work is ongoing in the 'cathedral' now. In front of the platform's near end Structure 8 is divine. Along the western edge are what I see as three sub-square interior cells but on plan I see are duplicated on the opposite side, forming two rectangular and one long oval sub-divisions of the whole. This is basically how it has looked since last year. But on my third visit of the season exterior to the northern wall at the trenches edge are (I think) three small strucures that make you think of mini-roundhouses. All this mixing of linear and circular or sub-circular forms throughout the site strike me as less a striving for a practical form [and/or effective ritual space] and more the search for an artistic vision, squaring the circle to put the art into architecture. Very nice, whatever. Next is the small Structure 7, pinned between 8 and the Structure 1+9 combo.
The latter can be seen from the first spoil heap. Up here the first thing you spot is a large circular wall arc [?9 - the structure plan on Orkneyjar is from the season's start] in front of which work has been going on in a linear structure apparently leading up and terminating before it with what I take to be either a wide facade (pehaps fronting a courtyard entrance) or two flanking ?guard-cells. Looking left from this by the edge of the trench is a short length of low parallel orthostats tha
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