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Home , Battle of Largs, Broch, Broch of Gurness, Chambered cairn, Costa Head, Maeshowe

ORCADIAN CHRONOLOGY INTRODUCTION - H ISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

BC 1398 Henry Sinclair visits ?? North Isles The Norse domination lasted c.10000 Ice retreats, sea level rising 1468 Impignoration to 1862 cleared out six hundred years and this c.6000 Grassland, hazel-scrub, ferns 1471 Act of Annexation to Scotland 1865 Junction Road, , built influence is still strong in the cover islands, first people arrive?? 1486 Kirkwall made a Royal Burgh First steamship to North Isles 3900 First known settlers Cathedral to Kirkwall Corporation 1867 First lifeboat isles today. was of Vegetation becoming more open 1492 Columbus reaches America 1870 J&W Tait founded great strategic importance 3800 Climate deteriorates 1513 Henry Sinclair II killed at Flodden 1874 First Longhope lifeboat during Viking times, and the 3600 oldest deposits 1528 Battle of Summerdale 1879 Kirkwall waterworks installed 3200 oldest deposits 1540 King James V visits Orkney 1887 Stromness Herring fishery starts exploits of the Earls and their 3000 Chambered Tombs being used 1541 Bishop Reid extends Bishop's Palac e 1890 Mermaid at Newark, Deerness supporters are related colour - , Standing Stones 1560 Noltland started 1892 SS St Ola I starts her long service fully in the . c.2750 Maeshowe built 1567 Norse laws ratified by Scots 1908 Stromness herring boom over 2700 Start of Great Age 1574 Earl's Palace, , built 1913 Peak of Herring boom 2600 Not many trees left 1581 Robert Stewart made Earl 1914 Electric Theatre opens Later medieval times saw a 2500 Skara Brae last occupied 1588 Spanish survivors settle in 1915 First Great Skuas breed large influx of Lowland Scots c.2000 Sandfiold burial 1590 First inn at Stromness 1916 HMS Hampshire sunk due to the close proximity of HMS Vanguard Knowes o’Trotty 1600s Stronsay Herring fishery 1917 blows up and then annexation by 1300 Peat bogs developing becoming important 1919 German Fleet scuttles itself Midsummer sunset at the Standing 1159 Hekla erupts 1607 Earl's Palace finished, Kirkwall 1920 N Zealand Wild White Clover Scotland. Orkney gradually 700 Iron Age round houses 1614 besieged 1937 End of Stronsay herring boom INTRODUCTION In "What The succeeded became more of a backwater 600 Oldest deposits 1615 Patrick & Robert Stewart executed, 1939 World War II, is an Orcadian?" George the . From this peri - and suffered as a result of c.325 circumnavigates Orkney Castle demolished, Cathedral saved sinking of "HMS Royal Oak " Mackay Brown concludes by od burnt mounds , , 214 Great Wall of China constructed 1633 Carrick House built 1940 Work starts on Churchill Barriers exploitation by Scottish Earls c.400 in use 1666 Great Fire of London; 1943 Italian Chapel started calling him, A fine mixter- cist and barrow graves as as well by the Merchant AD Newton realises gravity of situation 1947 Albert Kinema burns down maxter! This is literally true, as ruins of small houses Lairds. Only in the 19 th centu - 33 Death of Christ 1679 Wreck of the Crown , Deerness 1951 MV St Ola II commissioned as Orkney, at the cross-roads remain. This epoch was 43 Orkney said to submit to Claudius 1700 Hudson's Bay Company starts windmill ry were real farming improve - 83 Agricola's fleet said to visit Orkney to recruit Orkneymen 1955 Phoenix Cinema opens of the Atlantic, North Britain marked by a deterioration in ments to arrive, when steam c.500 Celtic monks arrive 1705 Earl's Palace ruinous 1957 Lyness Base closes down and the North Sea, has been climate and changes in society power finally made sea trans - 600 Norsemen start to appear in West 1721 Kelp-making introduced to isles 1959 Russia launches first satellite on the seafaring map ever as well as the appearance of port more regular. 632 Death of Muhammad 1725 Pirate Gow captured at Calf Sound 1967 Loganair starts inter-island service since people started to go to bronze and weapons. 793 Major Viking raids begin 1730 Archie Angel survives shipwreck 1969 First landing on the Moon 800s Norse migration 1743 Stromness becomes free Longhope Lifeboat disaster sea in boats. Many visitors During the later 19 th and then c.872 Harald Fairhair King of of Kirkwall taxes 1972 Kirkwall lifeboat established have come and gone over the About 700BC larger round the 20 th century there have Sigurd of Moere first Earl 1763 Irving 's father 1973 MV St Ola III start of ro-ro millennia, some staying to set - houses started to appear and 955 Earl baptised arrives New York 1974 Orkney Islands Council formed been the effects of the boom in 1000 Leif Ericson discovers America 1770 Grass, clover and turnip seeds 1977 Oil Terminal starts up tle, others leaving only their later the spectacular brochs , Herring fishing , two World 1014 Thorfinn becomes Earl introduced, farming reforms 1978 Orkney Norway Friendship Assoc genes. The regular input of some with large settlements Wars, further great strides in c.1030 Earl Rognvald Brusison 1776 American Declaration of 1983 Wind power starts Burgar Hill new blood and ideas has around them, were developed. agriculture, North Sea Oil first Earl to live in Kirkwall Independence 1987 St Sunniva starts link to Shetlan d ensured that the The introduction of iron for c.1035 First St Olaf’s Kirk built 1789 First lighthouse lit on North 850 th anniv of and the influx of large num - 1046 Thorfinn sole Earl Ronaldsay 1991 1st edition of this guide published are the versatile and welcom - tools and weapons would have bers of mainly English immi - 1065 Earl Thorfinn the Mighty dies 1794 Pentland Skerries lighthouses Scar boat burial revealed by storms ing people of today. been a revolution in itself. grants, with the result that the 1066 William - a French Viking takes 1798 Highland Park distillery established Ro-ro services to North Isles The Roman invasion of England c.1800 Ba’ game takes present form 1992 St Ola IV enters service population decline has now 1098 Magnus Barelegs expedition 1809 First Kirkwall pier built Orkney Ferries fully ro-ro to Isles After the end of the last Ice Britain in AD43 rippled as far reversed. The generation of 1117 Murder of Magnus 1813 Martello started 1995 50 th anniversary of Barriers Age, about 13,000 years ago, as Orkney. The islands were power from the wind, waves 1137 Foundation of St Magnus Cathedral Last Great Auk killed on Papay 1997 First Atlantic oil reaches Flotta nomadic hunters starting to experience more and tides is the latest in this 1151 Magnus relics transferred to Cathedral 1814 Stone of Odin destroyed 1999 Pickaquoy Centre opens arrived in Scotland. By outside influence, Pictish, Earl Rognvald goes to Holy Land 1830 Collapse of Kelp Boom series of developments. 2001 Pentland Ferries established 4000BC, Neolithic farmers Roman, Norse, Christian, 1152 Maeshowe runes 1832 dyke built 2002 NorthLink takes over 1171 Sweyn Asleifson killed at Dublin First steamship visits Kirkwall New pier at Hatston were well settled in Orkney. Scots and English. Orkney now has a very diverse Velocity 1188 Bjarni Kolbeinson bishop 1833 PS starts regular 2003 EMEC established For over 1,500 years their cul - economy, mostly still based on 1194 Battle of Florvag service to Kirkwall 2004 Stromness & Kirkwall mari nas ture flourished, leaving the vil - Beginning in the 8 th century 1231 Last Norse Earl dies 1838 Kirkwall Gas Company formed ILS at Kirkwall Airport its natural assets, but increas - (John Harraldson) 1847 Balfour Castle built New Kirkwall Library lages, chambered , stone the Scandinavians began to ingly depending on the ability 1263 Battle of , King Haakon dies 1850 Skara Brae revealed after storm first trenches circles and artefacts which we appear, probably not in huge of the Orcadians to adapt to 1266 1855 Steamer Stromness to Scrabster 2005 3rd edition of Orkney Guide Book can see today. They are among numbers at first. Large scale today’s changing world, just as 1290 Margaret, Maid of Norway, dies 1857 Orkney Roads act 2009 MV Pentalina enters service 1300 Dutch already fishing Herring 1858 Bridge at Ayre Mills closes the most spectacular migration took place during they have for at least the last Westray Wife found at Noltland th 1379 Earl Henry Sinclair I off Oyce, Skaill hoard found 2011 4 th edition of Orkney Guide Book Neolithic monuments in the 9 century, followed by the 6,000 years. 1380 Kirkwall Castle rebuilt 1859 First Orcadia steamship for 2012 New Kirkwall Grammar School Europe. "Golden Age of the ".

70 71 THE MESOLITHIC AGE - FIRST ARRIVALS HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY e c i

f The huge weight of the ice belongings and to go fishing in f O

c depressed the land, which rose deep water. Most importantly i h p

a after the glaciers had melted, a all the materials needed for r g o

r process called isostatic their construction had to be d y

H rebound. Where the glacia - easily obtained locally.

K tion was thin, or non-existent U the effect was for the land to Most evidence sink, a process which is still from Orkney of these happening in Orkney today. Mesolithic people is in the The result is that here sea form of small stone objects level is several metres higher that have been found, particu - than it was 10,000 years ago. larly on ploughed fields. These are nearly all Seismic events may also have microliths, which are small destroyed evidence. Around but carefully made flint tools. 6000BC there was a major Many would have been underwater event off Norway, mounted on wood with resin the Storegga Slides. These to make , scrapers, unleashed tsunamis which , and may have been up to 25m other useful things. (80ft) high which would have Chart of Orkney showing 10m, 20m and 50m depth contours been devastating to groups liv - Mesolithic worked stone arte - ing on or near the shore. facts have been found in sever - FIRST ARRIVALS At the Sea level was about 150m al locations in Orkney, but so end of the last glaciation, the lower during the glaciation The probability is thus that far no settlement site has been ice receded first from the and rose rapidly as the ice many early coastal sites have excavated. The microliths so Microliths of worked flint northeast and northwest melted. During Mesolithic been lost to the sea. Recently far found include styles similar Recently an excavation on Further such sites may well be coasts of Scotland as well as times Orkney was not joined underwater surveys have been to Scandinavian and Scottish Stronsay revealed over 1,000 found in future. These may be the islands. It was less thick to Scotland, but virtually all of started to try to discover any finds. Much further investiga - worked pieces of flint. It coastal, underwater or under - here and melting was aided by the islands were linked up. As such evidence. Shallow, shel - tion is needed to throw light seems to date from around neath later settlements. So far the sea and weather . It is not sea level rose, the Outer tered bays such as the Bay of on the situation, and it has 7000BC and may be a season - most Orkney microliths have clear where the first people North Isles became separated Firth and lochs such as the even been suggested that per - al basecamp. This site was been found on farmland. No arrived from, but they may and eventually the present sit - Loch of Stenness are prime haps our links with revealed by field walking, human burials from the well have been sea-borne from uation was achieved perhaps candidates. Scandinavia may be older when a scatter of flints was Mesolithic Age have yet been Britain, , Denmark or around 8000BC. than we have so far thought! discovered on a ploughed found in Scotland, let alone even Norway. There are many early sites on field. Orkney. The Bush, Big o’Waithe and the Loch of Stenness the Scottish coast, especially Possible Mesolithic tools and Microliths of worked flint on the west side and on the evidence of earlier occupation Inner . The oldest so were found at the lowest levels far found is from about at several Neolithic sites. It 6000BC at Cramond near seems that human settlement , while the nearest in Orkney may extend back to Orkney are in . further than it was thought. For example a burnt Hazelnut Getting around was obviously shell was found near important to these people too, Minehowe in in and it is clear that they had 2007, which dates from capable boats with which to around 6700BC. move themselves and their

72 73 NEOLITHIC AGE - T HE FIRST SETTLERS HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY S S S M M M H H H A A A C C C R R R

Knap of Howar House at , House at Skara Brae Roofs quite probably used Heather were likely vaged. Thus the archaeologi - some of the boat-building tra - used to secure the structures. cal record is perhaps biased in dition with woven Willow or The only evidence of flagstone favour of what was not sal - Hazel supporting a covering roofs so far is from the Ness vaged after abandonment. The Knap of Howar is the oldest stone-built house in Europe of leather and turf, parts of old o’Brodgar. A brief survey of boats or even flagstone slates. more recent ruined houses The houses may well have had NEOLITHIC AGE The dates from about 3600BC. packed between these walls Heather, reed or straw thatch shows that roof coverings and wooden fittings and doors. strong similarities between The buildings at Skara Brae in and surrounded them on the may also have been used. timbers are the first to be sal - Interior furniture only sur - tombs and various artefacts in Sandwick, Rinyo on Rousay, outside. No other similar the North of Scotland and Noltland on Westray, Pool on stone houses remain in Orkney suggests that farming Sanday as well as Barnhouse Britain, or indeed Europe, and NEOLITHIC TIMELINE arrived via Caithness. There and Ness of Brodgar in their origin is thus obscure. BC were cultural links with the Stenness all date from slightly However, the buildings at the c.11000 Orkney separated from Highlands and Islands, later, about 3100BC. These Knap of Howar have two Scotland Ireland and the south of are established settlements, interesting features. c.8000 First hunter-gatherers? England during the Neolithic built by accomplished stone - 3600 Knap of Howar oldest date Age. Farming was well estab - masons and reflect the work of There is a strong resemblance lished in Orkney at least 6,000 a settled people, rather than in shape and internal features 3200 Stalled cairns appear years ago. new arrivals. with some of the early cham - Isbister oldest date Maeshowe tombs appear bered cairns, and the outline is Skara Brae oldest date Houses One of the oldest The houses were quite sophis - distinctly boat-shaped. The 3100 Knap of Howar latest standing houses in Western ticated, being built with dou - later Neolithic houses such as Quanterness Europe, the Knap of Howar, is ble-skinned drystone walls. at Skara Brae are much squar - pottery on the island of Papay and material was often er, with built-in bed spaces, 3000 Standing Stones and resemble the later Expertly built interior doorway at the Knap of Howar Quoyness Cairn The houses at Skara Brae are joined by a central passage Maeshowe-type tombs. Skara Brae 1 showing , dresser, beds and stone furniture Skara Brae phase II Whereas elsewhere in Britain 2800 Maeshowe built Ring of Brodgar built plentiful timber would have 2600 Woodland virtual ly gone been available for construc - 2500 Cairns latest date tion, its relative lack in Orkney Skara Brae latest was made up for by the excel - lent building stone. NEOLITHIC DOMESTIC SITES TO VISIT Since driftwood from North Stenness Barnhouse America was very likely avail - Sandwick Skara Brae able in quantity, they would Rousay Rinyo have had wooden fittings, Westray Noltland links while whalebone may also Papay Knap of Howar have been used for rafters. Sanday Pool

74 75 THE FIRST SETTLERS HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

kept. Seabirds and fish were important in their diet and deer were hunted.

Boats To reach Orkney and the other Scottish islands good boats, seamanship and a working knowledge of the dangerous waters was required. These vessels had to carry substantial numbers of Bed and cupboards in hut 1 at Skara Brae people, animals, seedcorn, struct and maintain as well as was preserved and flavoured icinally, as flavouring or as veg - tools and other goods. They being light to haul out. with Meadowsweet, a very etables. Sea Plantain, journeyed far down the coasts common Orkney wild flower. Silverweed, Marsh Marigold, of Britain, and had done so High quality masonry work at the Ness o’Brodgar Clothing The old idea of the Scurvygrass, Sorrel, Lyme since the end of the Ice Age. Skara Brae people was that There was plenty of milk, fish, Grass and Bullrush are all edi - vives as stone beds, dressers, cases the quality of the stone they dressed in undressed sea birds as well as domestic ble and locally common. cupboards, stone-lined tanks work is very impressive. It is Offshore fishing for large Cod leather skins but this is highly beef and lamb. Many edible Poisonous plants such as and . Wood, leather, easy to imagine the domestic and Ling was practised. unlikely. Hunter gatherers wild plants which are mostly Henbane, which occurs in textiles and bone would all life of the inhabitants. Excellent hooks have been would have used light, protec - ignored today would have Orkney, may have been used have made the houses com - found in middens, fashioned tive and hard wearing materi - been gathered to be used med - as hallucinogen. fortable. The recent finding of These people had a good and from heated cartilage which als to make their clothes. The painting at the Ness o’Brodgar stable standard of living, with are extremely strong, yet flexi - Neolithic people had a wide suggests that colour may have time and energy to build elab - ble. None of this was possible range of options besides ani - been a . orate monuments like without a good knowledge of mal skins. These include Maeshowe, the Ring of the tides, skerries and weather woven vegetable fibres as Fuel could have been dried Brodgar and the impressive patterns in these waters. already mentioned, felted or dung, seaweed, turf, driftwood buildings on the nearby Ness. woven wool as well as woven or whalebone, but not much Nothing is known of their Their boats were probably grass or straw. Bone pins peat as this only started to language or culture, except built with a stout wooden would have been used in place develop much later. The that which can be gleaned frame, most likely with Oak of clasps. houses had good, lined, from their buildings, artefacts timbers and a framework of drains. At Skara Brae the and the landscape. Barley and Willow or Hazel. Although Food & Drink Remains of houses are equipped with cells some Wheat were grown, leather, perhaps tanned with pots varied from tiny to over which were perhaps toilets, while cattle and sheep plus Oak bark could have been 60cm in diameter. Two differ - store rooms or pantries. In all some pigs and goats were The large house at Barnhouse is 7m by 7m internally used as a skin, this would have ent styles of pottery artefacts Rectangular side cell in one of the buildings at the Ness o’Brodgar been heavy and easily dam - have been found in these Excavation at the Links o’Noltland aged when wet. Much more Neolithic sites. Round flag - likely is a woven fabric cover - stone pot lids are common. ing made from Flax or Nettle Saddle querns were in wide - fibres. spread use to grind the Wheat and Barley, though probably Both are very resistant to rot - the latter was mostly eaten ting, immensely strong and after malting which makes the easily grown in quantity. grain much more digestible, as Finally the skin would have well as sweet to the taste. been tarred with copious Large quantities of malt was amounts of pitch. Such boats also used to make ale, which would have been easy to con -

76 77 CHAMBERED CAIRNS HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

well as impressive stone circles seaweed on the land, especial - and very large buildings such as ly given the evident impor - at the Ness of Brodgar. This tance of the midding to them. suggests that their society was prosperous and well-organised. The vegetation changes start - ed about 3800BC continued There are similarities between for some time and by 2600BC pottery and other artefacts there were few trees left. found in Portugal, southern Recent tree-ring studies of old England, Ireland and Orkney, Irish Oaks suggest that there suggesting that there were con - was a sudden deterioration of tacts with people in these areas. climate about 2350BC, which Little is known about the boats is about the time of the latest of the time, but vessels able to Neolithic dates. One theory is Upper floor of Taversoe Tuick Unstan is a typical stalled cairn with one side cell transport people and their ani - that a large comet or asteroid BURIAL OF THE DEAD ological studies suggest that the mals across the Pentland Firth struck Earth at this time, caus - of which are well preserved, Although there is a range of was clearly taken very seriously, people had short and unhealthy or to fish offshore would have ing a nine-year winter. and well-built. These tombs sizes and design, there are and at least in some cases, excar - lives, but there is no evidence been more than adequate to were built by the Neolithic basically two types: which nation was practised. Bodies that this was universal. undertake longer journeys as By 1300BC extensive peat farmers, the oldest date in have been dubbed the Orkney- were left in the open for some well. bogs were developing, making Orkney being from about Cromarty Group (OC) and the time to allow the flesh to decay, The Neolithic people were able much marginal land unwork - 3200BC, and many continued Maeshowe Group (MH) . The and only some of the bones were to construct these elaborate Climate and climatic change able, and overwhelming in use for up to 800 years former type is related to simi - placed in the tombs. Some oste - monuments for their dead as may well have had a lot to do remaining woodland. By this before final sealing. lar cairns in Caithness, while with early settlement. time the landscape would have Analysis of pollen shows that been very similar to that of the by about 5900BC the land early 20 th century. was covered with grassland, birch-hazel scrub and ferns. Chambered Cairns are tombs After the arrival of man in which are characteristic of about 4000BC this was Neolithic times. They are replaced by more open vegeta - stone-built and typically have tion , probably due to their a central chamber with an grazing animals and clearing entry passage and sometimes for cultivation. While there is one or more cells off the main no direct evidence of manur - chamber. ing, it is hard to believe that these people did not notice the Orkney has a large number of Knowe of Yarso on Rousay is a typical small stalled cairn beneficial effects of dung and these houses for the dead , many The at Isbister is also stalled, but has three side cells Unstan Ware pots - largest two from Unstan, small bowl from Taversoe Tuick Decorative stone-work resembling Unstan Ware pottery Midhowe on Rousay is very large S M N

78 79 CHAMBERED CAIRNS HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

These are wide, round bot - in the Westray Heritage tomed pots, which may or Centre. It has spiral markings may not be decorated, and are very like the one found at also associated with the Knap Church on , now in of Howar in Papay, as well as NMS. Similar designs at Stonehall in Firth. in Ireland and elsewhere suggest cultural The MH type have rectangu - connections. lar chambers with high cor - belled roofs, and cells which Osteology The picture may also have high roofs, but gained from studies of bones they lack the upright stalls of recovered at Quanterness and the OC type. They also tend Isbister is of a hard life. Few to be built of larger stones, people lived longer than 30 The reconstructed exterior of Quoyness on Sanday showing entrance passage often very massive and nor - years, and most died before mally very well cut and fitted 25. Arthritis was common in centuries. In the two recent CHAMBERED CAIRNS together. There are only 12 adults, while mortality in excavations partial remains of TO VISIT examples of these unique childhood was high. Usage of large numbers of individuals structures. Where pottery the tombs lasted for several were buried, with up to 400 at This is only a selection of the was present it was always most accessible and best-pre - Grooved Ware, which are flat- served cairns. Others are men - tioned in the sections for each bottomed pots, and quite dis - parish or island. tinct from the Unstan type. Cuween cairn near is built with extreme care This association is also Bookan type the latter type is unique to upright stalls set into the side unique. Sandwick Bookan Orkney. In many ways these walls, shelves at one or both Rousay Taversoe Tuick tombs are similar to the con - ends as well as sometimes Unfortunately most sites were Eday Huntersquoy temporary houses at Skara along the sides and rounded cleared out in the past without Orkney-Cromarty type Brae and Knap of Howar. corbelling for the roofs. Low- the benefit of modern tech - roofed cells occasionally lead niques. However, several St Ola Head of Work The OC type, of which there off the main chamber. The cairns were excavated recently Stenness Unstan are about 60 in Orkney, is pottery type found in these Rousay Blackhammar and produced much data. The Taversoe Tuick characterised by having cairns was Unstan Ware. Maeshowe-type cairns at Exterior of Wideford Hill cairn looking towards Finstown and Cuween cairn Midhowe Quanterness (St Ola) and Knowe of Yarso Side cell at Wideford Hill cairn Howe (Stromness) and the The interior of Maeshowe is monumental and incorporates standing stones Bigland Long Orkney-Cromarty type cairn Westray Cott at Isbister () Eday Braeside yielded large quantities of Stronsay Kelsburgh human and animal bones, S Ronaldsay Isbister Dwarfie Stone artefacts and other material from which much has been Maeshowe-type deduced about the lives of the St Ola Wideford Hill people buried there. Stenness Maeshowe Firth Cuween Hill At on Westray, a Onziebust probable Maeshowe-type Papay Holm Long Cairn cairn was discovered during Sanday Mount Maesry quarrying. This yielded an Quoyness Eday Vinquoy Hill intricately carved stone, now

80 81 CHAMBERED CAIRNS - T YPES & D EVELOPMENT HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY S S open question. It is interest - S M M M H H Bookan-type cairns are charac - ing to note that nicknames for H A A A C C terised by having internal divi - C R R people from particular parish - R sions made of upright flagstones. es and islands are still in com - Pottery if present was Unstan mon use. Some of these may Ware. This type is the least be very ancient. common to have survived intact. That the Neolithic people Bookan, Sandwick Huntersquoy Upper level, Eday went to such lengths in hous - each of Isbister and work. The lack of bones and with animals, Sea Eagles at ing their dead, in contrast to Skull from the Tomb of the Eagles Quanterness. other artefacts in many Isbister, dogs at and later times, suggests that The diagrams on this page instances may simply mean Cuween and sheep, cattle or ancestors were very important show the development pro - to them. While much has Some cairns, such as that the cairns were cleared deer at others. Whether gression of chambered cairns. Vinquoy, Eday Maeshowe, contained no out at some unknown time in these, together with the many been discovered about the Starting with the apparently bones on excavation. Most the past. pot sherds also found, are the material aspects of these peo - simple, and early, Bookan Maeshowe-type cairns have long earlier excavations failed to In some cairns there appears remains of funeral feasts or ple’s lives, little has been type, through the various entrance passages, no internal divi - yield the detail of the recent to have been an association offerings to the dead is an revealed about their rituals increasingly elaborate stalled sions and several side cells leading and social organisation. The cairns to the Maeshowe type. off a large and high corbelled cham - S S very large effort implied in the

M M Orkney-Cromarty type cairns The last type is unique to ber. The chambers are often also

H H construction of these monu - A A are characterised by upright flag - Orkney and culminated in the corbelled and can number from C C

R R stones set like stalls in a byre and ments suggests that the socie - eponymous impressive struc - three to fourteen. Pottery where end compartments made from ty was well organised and had ture. present was always Grooved Ware large flagstones. A few have one or resources beyond mere subsis - more side cells. Pottery, if present, tence farming. Holm of Papay South

was always Unstan Ware. S M S Bigland Round, Rousay Yarso, Rousay H

Midhowe, Rousay A M C H S S R A M M C H H R A A C C R R

Blackhammar, Rousay

Unstan, Stenness Wideford Hill, St Ola S

M Maeshowe, Stenness S H A M C H R A C R

82 83 STONE CIRCLES AND STANDING STONES HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

and surrounded by a bowl of hills. Although there may be slightly more farming activity now than in Neolithic times, these are timeless places.

Traditionally it has been assumed that an ancient quar - ry near Vestrafiold in Sandwick (HY239218) is the source of stone for the Standing Stones, Brodgar and Maeshowe. A number of large Snowy midwinter sunset at the Standing Stones of Stenness stone slabs still lie where they were they were quarried, a forces in Neolithic society ty rites including dancing, number even still resting flat drove the building of stone music, song, drinking, use of on small stones awaiting circles all over Britain and drugs and a good deal of sexu - transport. The largest is over Northern Europe. The al activity. 5.5m long. Orkney seem to date from the late 3 rd millennium These people were established The Ring of Brodgar originally comprised 60 stones, of which 27 remain intact BC and are thus some of the farmers, accomplished fisher - STANDING STONES stones include the Watchstone gested rituals which is archae - Recent geological examina - tions at Brodgar suggest that oldest in UK. men and had at least occasion - Apart from houses and cham - and those at Barnhouse, ological shorthand for don’t al connections with distant bered cairns , the Neolithic Deepdale and Hinatuin. The know and often divined all this is true for some, but per - haps not all of the stones. It What archaeologists like to communities. But they also people also erected standing impressive rock cut ditches at sorts of other things. What is call rituals probably did depended on the return of the stones , stone circles and the three henges represent a clear is that the Neolithic peo - has been suggested that some of the monoliths may have involve the sun and moon, sun, the fertility of the soil, the henges. These are some of massive construction project. ple were very much in tune perhaps to decide on specific fecundity of their animals and the most impressive monu - Selection, quarrying, trans - with their environment which originated elsewhere in the West Mainland, perhaps from dates for festivals. The main crops and their own successful ments from this time, especial - port and erection of the obviously included the cycles activities were probably fertili - reproduction. ly the collection of monoliths seems like very of the Sun and the Moon. a number of different quar - between the Stenness and hard work in the absence of ries.. They were could have The Barnhouse Stone Lochs. metal and power tools The sites selected for these been delivered from different monuments are not acciden - parishes as part of a grand STONE CIRCLES & The henges include the Ring Many visitors, illustrious or tal. They are situated in the community enterprise. HENGES TO VISIT of Brodgar , the Standing not, have proposed reasons for heart of the West Mainland Stenness Standing Stones Stones of Stenness and the erection of these monu - amid a low lying landscape of Regardless of the reasons for Sandwick Ring of Brodgar Bookan. Isolated standing ments. They have usually sug - farmland, moorland and water and the logistics of their con - Bookan struction, the three henges STANDING STONES represent a considerable Midwinter sunset at the Watchstone Sunset from Bookan Ring in early November TO VISIT design challenge for a time when it is claimed that there Stenness Watchstone was no form of writing or Barnhouse notation. The circles are near Odin Stone (site of) perfect, the ditches symmetri - Comet Stone Harray Hinatuin Stone cally cut and the standing Birsay Quoybune stones are accurately set. Stromness Deepdale Rousay Yetnasteen Whatever the source of the N Ronaldsay Holland megaliths, they had to fit an Eday Setter Stone overall concept. Powerful Mor Stein

84 85 NEOLITHIC ALIGNMENTS AND CALENDARS HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

The setting sun reappearing on the north side of the Ward Hill of Hoy from the Watchstone on 12 th December The Moon low over the Orphir Hill from the Ring of Brodgar Midwinter Moonrise over Maeshowe ALIGNMENTS It is almost sun disappears behind a hill bathes in the May Day sun - some to be the precursor of from the Standing Stones it mark out where stones were to impossible to visit many of the and then momentarily reap - rise. The destroyed cairn at the so-called . only just clears the Orphir be erected and ditches to be Orkney Neolithic sites around pears on the other side, as for Pierowall may well have has a Most likely many of the align - Hills before setting into Hoy. dug. the solstices without noticing example in Stenness.. southwest orientation, with its ments which are so obvious to This very dramatic event obvious alignments to the ris - The movements of the Sun impressive lintel stone facing the observer today are intend - would doubtless have formed Alexander Thom and others ing and setting sun. The best are reflected in alignments at the sunset. ed, not with a high degree of part of the Neolithic calendar have postulated Megalithic known event is the setting Bookan, Brodgar, the geometrical accuracy. Feet, Yards, Rods and so on midwinter sun illuminating Standing Stones, Barnhouse Solar Calendar Midwinter Megalithic Geometry Surveys which in many cases seem to the chamber of Maeshowe. and quite possibly also at the and midsummer are obvious Moon The Moon was also of many of the 1,300 or so fit the actual measurements However local people have Ness of Brodgar. Things are set points in the calendar. A clearly important in the stone circles and settings in on the ground. Knowledge of long said that the Watchstone complicated by the fact that an number of festivals seem to be Neolithic, as now. Predicting Britain have revealed that triangles, especially the 3,4,5 is the most significant obser - unknown number of standing very ancient, including those the tides would have been most were accurately laid out would have been very helpful vation position. stones have been destroyed or now called St Brigit’s essential, but these people also as circles, ellipses or flattened in laying out circles, cairns and toppled. In recent times some (), May Day (), knew about the more long ellipses. Ropes and pegs houses. It is hard to imagine Sun The winter solstice was were then been re-erected. Lammas Lughnasa) and term movements of the Moon, would have been sufficient in how a structure like clearly an important event as it Halloween (Samain). They which are generally not under - many cases, but some form of Maeshowe was not designed is marked from multiple Nearly all chambered cairns were all taken over by the stood by today’s urban measurement essential to using units and angles. places on several dates have a day when the rising or Christians with a varying dwellers. between early December and setting sun will shine through degree of success. SUNRISES AND SUNSETS the end of January. Thus the its passage. This may or may Apart from its monthly cycle, precise date can be accurately not be of significance, but Detailed surveying of many the Moon has a complex The most unequivocal dates for solar alignments are midsummer and known despite many cloudy both Wideford and Cuween Neolithic monuments have behaviour due to the of midwinter sunsets and sunrises. The main sites are all in Stenness and are defined by the surrounding arc of hills. Sunset over the Hoy Hills days. Of particular interest are illuminated at the equinox, produced conflicting evidence its orbit around the Earth and from the Watchstone is the most accurate indicator for other days. The are the flashing events. The while Tomb of the Eagles for a calendar, thought by gravitational interactions midwinter sunset down the passage at Maeshowe gives precise days for between it, the Earth and the the solstice and the flashing days of 1 December and 29 January. Midwinter sunrise at Barnhouse, Stenness Midwinter sunset at the Watchstone Sun. As a result there are a Midwinter sunrise North Ronaldsay series of cyclical effects, the Midwinter sunset Maeshowe, Watchstone, Brodgar, main one being the Major Standing Stones, Bookan Lunar Standstills , which occur Early Feb/ Nov sunset Maeshowe, Watchstone every 18.6 years. Equinox March sunrise Cuween sunset Watchstone At these times, at Orkney’s Equinox Sept sunrise Wideford Hill latitude of o, the Moon only sunset Watchstone Early May/ Aug sunrise Tomb of the Eagles rises a few degrees into the sky, sunset Brodgar and skims the horizon. Seen Midsummer sunrise Brodgar, Unstan, Bookan from the Ring of Brodgar and Midsummer sunset Brodgar, Standing Stones, Barnhouse

86 87 NEOLITHIC ART , T OOLS & P OTTERY HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

Two further interesting objects were found here. In 2010 a second figurine was found, this time in clay and about 34mm high, though without its head. A much larger decorated stone 45cm high was also found here in 2008. It has incised chevrons and an S-shaped carving.

Pierowall lintel stone In nearby Pierowall a carved Incised stone from Skara Brae with chevrons and lozenges stone was found during quar - NEOLITHIC ART Until The range of artifacts which Skara Brae yielded a huge Tomb of the Eagles The first Knap of Howar The oldest rying work in 1981. It closely recently the subject of are found depends on the number of carved stone find at the chambered cairn at standing stonebuilt house in resembles a similar stone Neolithic Art in Orkney was environment in which they objects, made from Isbister on South Ronaldsay Orkney was the site of some found on Eday. The carving is not taken very seriously. have been since deposition. bone and teeth, as well as sym - was a cache of carved stone interesting finds, including a very similar to those at Certainly there were chevron Apart from bone, very few bols carved on stones. Many objects, including a mace head fine carved stone Newgrange in Ireland and was and lozenge incisions at Skara organic items have been dis - artifacts were carved from an small axe and knives. and a huge variety of bone and probably part of the lintel over Brae and elsewhere. Cup covered. This means that bone, ivory and whale’s teeth. Carved bone and shell jew - stone tools. Many of these are the entrance of this marks, eyebrow motifs and almost nothing is known Perhaps the most impressive ellery was found as well as a jet beautifully made and are more Maeshowe-type tomb. The whorls similar to those from about Neolithic wooden tools are two whalebone pins which button and ring. The high than merely utilitarian. The structure was destroyed some - other areas were also found, as and fittings, boats, textiles, are 25cm long. quality workmanship can be construction of the buildings time before 2,000BC. were many exquisite carved clothing or furnishings. admired at the site museum. is also very skilled. stone and bone objects. Westray The Links of Incised stone from the Links of Noltland There is no evidence that Noltland is a large area of these people used any kind of sand dunes above Grobust on writing or notation. Equally Westray is constantly chang - their language is unknown. ing. recent excavations there There are clear similarities have revealed a Neolithic set - with designs used in Ireland tlement. In 2009 the Westray and southern England on pot - Wife (or Orkney Venus) was tery and on carved stones. found. This 3cm female fig - Objects made from stone and urine is by far the oldest carv - jet which originated hundreds ing of a person so far found in of miles away confirm trading Scotland. The Westray Wife links. Incised stone from near hut 10, Skara Brae

Mace head from the Tomb of the Eagles Stone axe blade from the Knap of Howar Tomb of the Eagles stone

88 89 NEOLITHIC ART , T OOLS & P OTTERY HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

S of the larger artifacts found Brae and the Knap of Howar. M

N during excavations. They fre - Necklaces, bracelets and fine quently survive in remarkably bone pins are most common. good condition. Doubtless The latter were most likely there were fashions in pots used to secure garments. and perhaps rivalry between Shells, whalebone, whales’ different potters. teeth and Walrus ivory were also used. A probable pottery kiln was discovered at the Knowes of Haematite was found at Skara Trotty in 2006 but so far this Brae and other sites. Some of is the only Neolithic example the lumps were polished, sug - in Orkney. Recently, potter gesting that they may have Andrew Appleby and archae - been used to polish leather. Carved stone objects from Skara Brae ologist Stephen Harrison have Small pots which contained Skara Brae necklace made with bone and teeth Pottery As already men - tion similar to other forms of conducted some experiments red ochre which may have tioned pottery was a major Neolithic artwork. The for - with making and firing been for personal adornment. feature of the Neolithic Age in mer tend to be finer, round Grooved Ware type pottery. Orkney. It ranges from small bottomed bowls and beakers, At Ness of Brodgar stones bowls and drinking cups to while the latter are more utili - Temperatures of over 1,000 oC painted in red and yellow were very large containers capable tarian and usually are bucket were reached and a high yield found in 2010, suggesting that of holding up to 100 litres. In shaped. The different styles of very usable variety vessels the use of colour may have many cases the pots are beau - seem to be associated with resulted. It seems that been far more widespread tifully made. particular sites. Orkney clays need a high tem - than previously known. This perature to be properly fired. raises all sorts of questions Both Unstan Ware and Grooved Ware pottery sherds The kilns were built of turf about the appearance of build - Bone tools from Skara Brae Grooved Ware used decora - often make up a large fraction and have used mixtures of ings In the Neolithic Age. Large whalebone pins found at Skara Brae peat, dung, wood and seaweed as fuel. When peat was used the kiln burnt for a long time but reached over 1,100 oC.

Adornment Large numbers of artifacts which can only be interpreted as jewellery have been found, especially when conditions have been good for Grooved Ware pottery from Links o’Noltland, Westray survival of bone, as at Skara Bone jewellery from Skara Brae Grooved Ware pottery sherds in Orkney Museum Unstan Ware pottery from Isbister Tomb of the Eagles jewelllery

90 91 BRONZE AGE ORKNEY HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY S M N

At least eight Bronze Age tumuli surround the ring of Brodgar stone cist burial with cremat - mound was excavated to reveal several burials, some cremated, ed bones, four gold discs and a large and very well-built bur - others not, and a large urn, dating 21 pieces of from a ial cist. Fragments of gold and from about 2000BC. This unique necklace. amber which were missed in tomb is much larger than other cist 1858 were also found as well graves and the stones had been The gold is Scottish in origin, as cremated bone which very carefully cut. It seems that it was but the amber is probably should allow accurate dating designed to be repeat edly opened from the Baltic, and may have of the cairn. and reused. been fashioned into a necklace in England as the beads close - At Sandfiold near the Bay of There are well over 200 bar - ly resemble others found in Skaill a large flagstone cist was rows and cairns in Orkney Decorated gold disk found at the Knowes o'Trotty in 1858 - probably a decoration for a large button Wessex. recently excavated. Inside were dating from the Bronze Age . In contrast to the spectacular The small number of artefacts harder. However, intriguing The gold disks were likely monuments of the Neolithic, found have seemingly all been finds in several graves suggest used as decorative button cov - the Bronze Age has not left imported. Beaker pottery, a that this is not the whole pic - ers, most likely on the dress of many such remains to visit. finer and more decorated type ture. an important woman. Metalworking reached Britain characteristic of the period Excavations in 2002 proved about 2700BC, but none of elsewhere, is also rare in Burial Mounds It appears that the site is an extensive the few bronze artefacts found Orkney. This lack of artefacts that there was a change from cemetery, with a Bronze Age in Orkney date to earlier than may suggest that Orkney communal burials in cham - building, fire sites 2000BC. Copper ore does became relatively isolated bered cairns to individual and pits and the remains of a occur locally there is no evi - from Scotland about this interments in stone-lined kerbed cairn. dence that it was exploited at time, perhaps due to climate , often then topped with a this time. changes making life much barrow of earth or a cairn of During 2005 the largest The cist was used in the period 2750BC to 2500BC and later about 2000BC

Excavation at the Knowes o’Trotty stones. There was also a Large pot with cremated remains Archaeologists reveal the Sandfiold cist for the first time in 4000 years change from inhumation buri - als to cremation.

The Knowes o’Trotty are a group of mounds at Huntiscarth on the Lyde Road, Harray (HY343177), which form a large Bronze Age cemetery. There are two rows of eight or more mounds each. In 1858 excavation of the largest mound revealed a

92 93 BRONZE AGE ORKNEY HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

The structure at Liddel in skinned walls but, like later South Ronaldsay gives a clear houses, had radial walls inside. picture of the design of such It had a central hearth and sites. With a lack of large pots well-made stone drains. Next or metal containers, stone to it a smaller building had a tanks were filled with water, large stone tank. There are which was heated using stones many mounds on Sanday , from the nearby hearth. After some of which may be Bronze use the charred and cracked Age barrows. stones were thrown onto a pile - the . Recent excavations at the Links of Noltland on Westray The mounds are usually cres - have also exposed a Bronze cent-shaped and are probably Age house and outbuildings. Small burnt mound at Herston, South Ronaldsay the accumulation of “pot-boil - These structures have been evidence from pollen and iso - ers” built up around houses. exposed by erosion of sand BRONZE AGE TIME - topic studies that the climate Some of these mounds are dunes. LINE became cooler and wetter, quite large and have substan - BC tial buildings next to them. Dykes Also probably dating making farming much harder c2000 Bronze Age in Orkney Bronze Age house with associated burnt mound at Liddel, South Ronaldsay These may have been used for from this period are the many in Orkney. The eruption of Sandfiold Cist reused Hekla in in 1159BC Climatic deterioration In particular several large may date from the Bronze special occasions rather than treb dykes or gairsties which may have caused a sudden Beakers start to appear mounds which date from this Age , including a likely figure- everyday things. Generally it seem to divide up the land on change for the worse in the Peat starting to develop time in the Brodgar area sug - of-eight house. has been thought that the sites several islands, including weather , and further encour - Knowes o’Trotty in use gest that the people had elabo - were used for of large North Ronaldsay , Sanday and aged the development of peat c.1200 Burnt Mounds appear rate funerary rites, and per - Burnt Mounds Although joints of meat for communal Westray . Although North 1159 Hekla erupts in areas previously available haps continued to use the only a few Bronze Age houses feasting, but it is also argued Hoy is short on archaeological Sharp change in climate for farming , causing crop fail - Ring of Brodgar . have so far been excavated in that they may have been sites there is a fascinating col - c.1000 Liddle house abandoned ure and a sudden decline in Orkney, there are a large num - Bronze Age bathhouses or lection of walls and structures Tofts Ness house in use the population. There are at least eight such ber of Burnt Mounds all over saunas. under the peat in the BRONZE AGE SITES TO barrows here, in some of the islands, always near a fresh Whaness area below the Ward In such circumstances a hot VISIT which cists with cremation water source. These resulted Houses The substantial Hill. Such sub-peat struc - bath would have been most burials were found. Recent from the use of heated stones house at Liddel has double- tures suggest that much welcome! Burnt mounds are Stenness Tumuli at Brodgar geophysical investigations in to boil water, and first appear skinned walls and a flagstone remains to be discovered. Possible settlement very common in Orkney and this area have shown a series about 1200BC. floor with a large hearth and Harray Knowes of Trotty may well have been a fashion of structures, some of which huge flagstone water trough. During this period there is Birsay Kirbuster Hill There are slabs set into the of the time. Ravie Hill Typical burnt mound on the shore of the Loch of Stenness below Redland walls which are too small for Liddel burnt mound, South Ronaldsay Sandwick Sandfiold cist beds, but just right for use as Rousay Quandale burnt mound seats. Undecorated pots with Holm of Faray Houses Westray Links of Noltland flat bases were found as well as Papay Backaskaill burnt mound stone ploughshares and traces N Ronaldsay Muckle Gairstay of cereal pollen. It seems this Sanday Elsness Barrows site was abandoned about Tofts Ness house 1000BC. Treb Dykes Eday Heritage walk Another Bronze Age house Warness burnt Mound was excavated at Tofts Ness Auskerry burnt mound & houses S Ronaldsay Liddle house on Sanday . This large round - Hoy Whaness enclosures house also had double-

94 95 BROCHS AND IRON AGE ORKNEY HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

Brochs were developed in the late Iron Age as the ultimate version of the . The two Stromness excava - tions clearly show how there was a progressive evolution in design until the final massive round , with surround - ing settlement, was developed. These towers were up to 20m in diameter, with walls up to 5m thick at the base. If in is typical, which it may not be, they may have Aerial view of Howe Broch during excavation with surrounding settlement been up to 14m high, the walls being hollow with an interior stairway.

The single entrance is usually guarded by cells, and would no doubt have had a substan - Aerial view of the Broch of Gurness showing the surrounding settlement, banks and ditches tial door. There is evidence of one or more floors in several, BROCHS (ON Borg , strong - Bu of Cairston (Stromness). in Shetland and in but whether these were gal - hold) are a type of building major investigations and of the Western Isles, but also leries or not is not clear. Most unique to Scotland, especially the brochs at Howe now shown to have been built brochs are situated in good the north, and of which there (Stromness) and in Orkney. These were large defensive positions on the are over 100 examples in (Shetland), combined with a and well-built, with occupa - coast, and in Orkney usually Neolithic chambered cairn with a very finely-built passage under Howe Broch Orkney. Most of the brochs reappraisal of sites such as tion continuing for at least amid prime agricultural land. The radiocarbon dates from local product, which devel - which have been excavated Gurness ( Evie ) and Midhowe 500 years. They represent a This may be coincidence, as Bu of Cairston imply an early oped quickly from round - were cleared out in the 19 th (Rousay ), have thrown much sharp contrast to the preced - not only are there many inland date of about 600BC, suggest - houses, in themselves perhaps century. There have been new light on the subject. ing millennium, from which brochs , but others probably ing that roundhouses were the true architectural innova - recent excavations of round - domestic building remains are occupied sites which are now already being developing into tion of the early Iron Age. houses at Quanterness (St About 700BC a new type of sparse. modern farms. protobrochs by this time. One Ola), Pierowall (Westray ), house appeared, typified by theory is that brochs are a Tofts Ness ( Sanday ) and the those at and Old Unfortunately none of these That they were primarily interesting Orkney ruins is Excavations at the Bu of Cairston revealed a large roundhouse defensive structures seems The under the Howe Broch able to be viewed, as they were clear - the massive construc - all back-filled after excavation. tion, ditches and ramparts It may be that the appearance were not just for show. of the roundhouses reflects However the presence of con - changes elsewhere in temporary houses suggests Scotland, which had reached that they were often the centre Orkney. In particular the of a whole community. In destruction excavation at cases where no domestic Howe revealed much about buildings surrounded them, as the development of these at The Bu, they must have interesting structures. been very imposing farm - steads.

96 97 BROCHS AND IRON AGE ORKNEY HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

of trade, perhaps after passing through several hands on the IRON AGE TIMELINE way. c.700 Iron Age begins Roundhouses appear The Broch of Gurness con - Quanterness roundhouse Earliest dates at Howe veys a strong sense of c.600 Pierowall roundhouse grandeur, with its still-impres - Earth-houses appear sive tower, ramparts and Tweezers from Howe Broch Bu roundhouse earliest house ruins. The site is one of Insect brooch from Howe Broch c.325 Pytheas ' voyage c.300 Howe pre-broch the most impressive of all c.200 Brochs fully developed brochs . With possibly contin - Howe, Gurness, Midhowe uous occupation over nearly early AD Roman artefacts in brochs 1,000 years, it has Iron Age, c.100 Brochs in decline Borwick Broch is north of Yesnaby Pictish and early Norse con - BROCHS TO VISIT Similarly the Howe excava - perhaps after a disastrous fire, nections. tion, during which the broch and the later houses were of These are a small selection of the many broch sites in Orkney. Others was totally destroyed, revealed much poorer quality. Little is known of the people Headed pin from Howe Broch Woven heather from Howe Broch are mentioned in the sections for a whole unexpected sequence Although the Greek explorer, who inhabited the brochs . S each parish or island. M of occupation from an early Pytheas is said to have circum - They may have been descen - H

A St Ola Lingro (remains)

Iron Age roundhouse, itself navigated Orkney about C Berstane dants of the first settlers , who R built on the remains of a 325BC, no Mediterranean developed the society them - Firth Finstown Neolithic tomb, through to artefacts have been found Ingashowe selves, or they may have out - Rendall Tingwall the final broch at about from this early. side (Celtic?) ideas or incom - Evie Gurness 200BC or earlier. ers. Their boats would cer - Burgar Roman objects were only tainly have been very seawor - Birsay Oxtro Work at Old Scatness sug - present from about the 1 st cen - Sandwick Borwick thy, and they made contact Stackrue gests that the broch there may tury AD, suggesting that the with the Roman world accord - Stromness Breckness date from 400BC, a much ear - statement that Orkney was ing both to classical authors Deerness Dingieshowe lier date than previously envis - subdued by Agricola in AD83 Eves Howe and artefacts found at the Rousay Midhowe aged for such structures. It may not be just legend. The Brochs of Gurness and Howe. Westray Queenahowe appears that the brochs were discovery of fragments of Burristae in existence well before the Roman amphorae at Gurness N Ronaldsay Burrian Earthhouses Another inter - Stronsay Lamb Ness Romans reached Scotland. and pottery at Midhowe could esting development starting Grain Earth House , a souterrain at Rennibister , Firth Baywest strengthen this view. These about 600BC, is the Shapinsay Burroughstone By AD100 the Bu round - artefacts could just as easily Earthhouse, or souterrain . Site plan of the Broch of Lingro, destroyed in the 1980s by a farmer Burray Northfield house had fallen out of use, have come to Orkney by way S S Ronaldsay Howe of Hoxa Typical examples are at M Hoy Braebuster H

Interior of , Rousay Rennibister (Firth) and Grain A Quoyness C

(Hatston ). These under - R S Walls Hestigeo ground structures are thought OTHER IRON AGE to have been used for storage, SITES TO VISIT and probably formed cellars to long-disappeared roundhous - St Ola Grain Earth House Harray Russland es. There was a similar struc - Firth Rennibister Earth House ture under the broch at Howe. Sandwick Brough of Bigging The superficial resemblance to Tankerness Minehowe Westray Knowe of Skea chambered cairns is probably Eday Linkataing roundhouse more to do with common Sanday Tafts Ness materials than anything else. Shapinsay Burroughston S Ronaldsay Castle of Burwick

98 99 IRON AGE ORKNEY - M ETALWORKING & D EATH HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

some of the brochs , as well as The Knowe of Skea is situat - but its purpose ed on a small headland off remains obscure. Berstness, Westray and is in danger from coastal erosion. The mound is covered by a It contains a large round deep , with stone revet - building with a rectangular ting and an entrance causeway interior and very thick walls . on the west side. Major exca - There were stone box beds vation work over the last few and a central hearth but little years have revealed that the pottery or refuse, suggesting area was important during the that the place may have regu - late Iron Age as a metalwork - larly been cleared out. ing site. A furnace, kilns and One of the many Iron Age burials at the Knowe of Skea , Westray crucibles associated with cop - There are several associated per or bronze working as well small buildings, in which were as a steatite ingot mould have buried over 100 individuals, been found. The substantial including a large number of furnace is high up on the infants. Two of these struc - mound perhaps to aid tures were metalworking draught. workshops similar to the one at Minehowe . A mould found There were two burials, one of in one matches a pin found a young baby and another of a with one of the skeletons, sug - woman in her 20s. The gesting that the metalworking woman was buried under the was in some way related to use floor of the "metalworking of the place as a cemetery. workshop" while the building Knowe of Skea excavations, Westray was still in use. The body was There are may be a Neolithic fishing , while the associated but work at these two sites has buried on its back with a piece chambered cairn under the settlement is thought to lie already shown that this may Minehowe interior looking up lowers stairs from bottom of deer skull drilled with six large building, while Bronze behind the nearby farm of be due to lack of discovery Minehowe The mound now mound in Iron Age times. holes and bronze rings on the Age burials were also present, Langskaill. There is another rather than sites. Hitherto the known as Minehowe was first During the earlier excavations feet. Iron Age burials are rare suggesting that the site may probable chambered cairn on period has been all about cleared out in 1946, but was stone objects and bones were in Orkney, making this discov - have been used as a cemetery the top of nearby Berstness. brochs and roundhouses, but reopened in 1999. It is a well- found, but they have not been ery particularly interesting. for a long time. The headland now it may soon be possible to like stone structure with 29 preserved. Minehowe echoes overlooks the Westray Firth Iron Age burials have until add more details to these peo - steps, which was built into the similar stairways and in with its strong tides and good now been almost unknown, ple.

Corbelled roof of lower chamber Excavations in progress at Minehowe Minehowe Iron Age furnace Metalworking workshop at Minehowe e e i i r r w w o o T T

d d r r u u g g i i S S

100 101 THE IN ORKNEY HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY

in Orkney, to be followed by In AD43 Orkney leaders sub - tant both for food and raw Norse domination by the end mitted to Claudius , perhaps at materials, as well as for com - of the millennium. Colchester, and reference is munications. No doubt there made to Islands of the Picts . were accomplished seamen The people of Orkney proba - The Romans returned again and good boats. The incur - bly continued with their pas - in AD83 when Agricola sions of the Romans at the toral agriculture and fishing as specifically sent his fleet height of the development of previously, but much northwards after the Battle of the Brochs culture may well improved ships allowed more Mons Graupius to subdue have stimulated a common contact with the outside Orkney. The implication is purpose between the various world, and certainly by the 8 th that it was a regionally impor - tribes, who then became what century many families were tant centre of power, as the the Romans called the Picti, living in remarkably good Romans would be very unlike - causing the tribal groupings of houses with a reasonable stan - ly to waste their resources the 1 st century to become the Cross-incised stone, dard of life. unless some threat was posed. Picts of the 4 th century. more centralised, with a prob - The Picts were first men - It is interesting that the Orkney has long been held to able loss of power and prestige tioned by Eumenius in AD decline of the brochs occurs at be The Cradle of the Picts , and on the part of the Orkney 297, as Picti . Their ancestors about the same time. This of there have been suggestions chiefs. By St Columba’s time were also earlier referred to by course may all be Roman that Orkneymen were the northern Picts were Pytheas as Pretani . He also propaganda. The Romans involved in slave trading and becoming Christian, but called the headland facing wanted everyone else to head hunting from early Orkney continued to be the Orkney Cape Orcas . The believe that they had con - times. However the main subject of attacks from both Pretani are said to be one of quered everything. Without Pictish centres of power were Scots and Picts , suggesting the first Celtic tribes to arrive hard evidence these Classical in the area, where that considerable local power th in Britain and seem to be con - references must be in doubt. they had a large fort at remained. By the mid 8 cen - nected with the Picts . Celtic , and in Angus. The tury the Picts and Scots had people thus seem to have been It is likely that the origins of Picts in Orkney were probably Cross-slab from St Boniface , Papay

living in the north of Scotland the Picts in Orkney go at least descendants of the earlier m u e s

at least as early as the fourth as far back as the early Iron population, enriched by immi - u M

century BC. Age and perhaps further still, grant blood. y e n k

with continuity of settlement r Irish legend refers to the Picts the main theme. The sea The Pictish Kingdom gradu - O as Cruithni - descendants of a would have been very impor - ally developed and became king called Cruithne and his seven sons. They were a Celtic Stone with carved feet, St Mary's Kirk, Burwick, South Ronaldsay people who inhabited Northern and Eastern Scotland, who spoke a form of Brittonic Celtic, and who left numerous sculptured symbol stones, some houses and forts, but virtually no language , Brough of Birsay (replica) apart from some place names. THE PICTS Although least the Roman invasion, the A form of Irish Ogam script often called the Dark Ages, forceful spread of , was used, but most of the the first millennium AD was the emergence of local, region - inscriptions have so far proved in fact a time of great change al, and finally national power. indecipherable, although this and development, with not The Pictish influence was felt may soon change.

102 103 THE PICTS IN ORKNEY INTRODUCTION - H ISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY m m u guage. In addition the Moon u e e s s u was masculine in the Norn - u M M

y y e the language spo - e n n k k ken in Orkney until a few r r hundred years ago. This is O O most unusual, and perhaps reflects the Pictish form. However equally well these forms may derive from later Scots Gaelic.

There are several Papa names Carding combs from Buckquoy Spindle whorl from Buckquoy (Papdale, , Papa Reconstructed Pictish house from the entrance, Broch of Gurness cated to St Peter, suggesting Stronsay , Paplay), indicating been unified under Kenneth makes no mention of the that they may have been in use sites where Christian Papae mac Alpin and the Northern Picts , it nevertheless refers to by the general population as were living when the Norse Isles were already under the Pentland Firth as well as by priests. Earlier arrived. No doubt there were Norse threat. Peetalands Fjordur , Fjord of Christian sites have also fre - so dubbed by the Vikings Pictland. In addition such quently been built over with because of the presence of There has been speculation names as Pickiequoy and new churches. these monks. Many chapel that Christianity might have Quoypettie suggest Picts . The sites predate the Viking settle - caused much of the downfall vast majority of place names in Recent excavations have ment, including St Boniface of Pictish power. Inheritance Orkney are derived from Old revealed much about Pictish and the Brough of Birsay , as may have followed the female Norse, but there remain sever - buildings. In particular at well as a good number dedi - line, at least for the kings. al which may come from the Buckquoy ( Birsay ) and at

Many of the beliefs of Pictish . These m Skaill ( Deerness ) houses from Reconstructed Pictish house interior, Broch of Gurness u

e th th s society as deduced from the include Airy , Knucker Hill , u the 7 & early 8 centuries has considerable pre-Norse tual needs of the people, while M

symbol stones, may have been Kili Holm , Egilsay , Cantick y show that some of the Picts e structures also, and is the only skilled craftsmen dealt with n k different to Christian think - Head , and perhaps even the r lived in substantial dwellings, place where Pictish structures the more material aspects. O ing, implying that Christianity Old Man (of Hoy ). grew oats and bere, raised cat - are now visible, apart from the Evidence that the site was might have been quite alien to tle, sheep and pigs. They also Pictish houses at the Broch of monastic is limited to a few the Picts . Finally the increas - Old dialect words such as diss fished extensively offshore, Gurness . artefacts, such as a Celtic bell ing numbers of pagan Norse (small stack), kro (small enclo - showing that they had seawor - fragment, but there is proof of raiders and settlers could have sure), keero (native sheep), thy boats. There was some The suggestion is that the considerable bronze casting exploited the disintegrating rental (as in riggarental) and communication with the out - Brough was both a monastic operations during the 8 th cen - society, and taken over easily. treb (as in treb dyke) might side world as shown by arte - and secular site, where the tury in the area of the Pictish Although the Orkneyinga Saga come from the old Pictish lan - Bone pins from Buckquoy facts. The Brough of Birsay Papae ministered to the spiri - well. Many intricate moulds Razor found at Howe Broch , Stromness Quartz pebble with painted black spots Iron Age comb Pictish-style comb from Buckquoy m m u u e e s s u u M M

y y e e n n k k r r O O

104 105 THE PICTS IN ORKNEY HISTORY & A RCHAEOLOGY S m u M e s

H PICTISH SYMBOL TIMELINE - PICTS u A M

C STONES IN ORKNEY y R e

n Kirkwall Orkney Museum k

r AD

O Edinburgh National Museum 43 Orkney said to submit to ORIGINAL SOURCES Claudius , Islands of the Picts Firth Redland 79 Agricola invades Scotland Evie Aikerness Beach 83 Mons Graupius campaign Birsay Brough of Birsay 84 Roman fleet subdues Orkney Harray Knowe of Burrian c.100 Start of decline of brochs Holm Graemeshall 122 Hadrian's Wall begun Deerness Skaill 142 begun Papay St Boniface c.150 Ptolemy’s map compiled N Ronaldsay Burrian Broch from Agricola’s campaign Papa Stronsay Old Church 208-211 Severus campaigns in Burray Broch Scotland S Ronaldsay St Peter’s Kirk 297 Eumenius mentions two Flotta Altar front tribes of Picti in North Britain Pictish Eagle found at the Knowe of Burrian, Harray in 1936 Pictish symbols on bone, Burray Osmondwall Southern British pacified 306 Constantius campaigns Symbol stone removed from St Peter’s Kirk, South Ronaldsay were found, suggesting that Carved bone from N Ronaldsay 313 Romanized Britons in Birsay may have been an lowlands becoming Christian important centre for crafts - 367 Picts breach Hadrian's Wall men at that time. On the c.400 Hadrian's Wall abandoned c.561 King Bridei receives other hand the moulds may be Columba near Inverness, nothing more than the prod - Orkney Pictish king present ucts of an itinerant artisan. 564 Orkney hostages in Inverness to guarantee safe passage to missionaries Several symbol stones have 580 Dalriada expedition by sea been found in Orkney. The against Orkney replica of the Birsay stone at 600s First Orkney Pictish house sites known the Brough is the most spec - c.680 Symbol stones erected now tacular, but at least another till end of Pictish Kingdom eight have been found here. 682 Pictish king Bridei mac Bile lays Orkney waste The spectacular Flotta alter 685 Northumbrians defeated cross is in Edinburgh and 715 Nechtan transfers bishopric some others have been lost. from to The Burrian Cross is in St Boniface leads mission to Excavations in progress at Skaill, Deerness on a Pictish farm his court, story of St Tredwell Edinburgh, but the Burrian Establishment of St Peter churches, often near old brochs Eagle may be seen in the Ogam-inscribed stone from Pool in PICTISH SITES TO 741 Dalriada defeats Picts under Orkney Museum . Sanday , transliterates to “RV AV ORC” King Oengus which can be expanded to “HROLVR VISIT 742 Norsemen attack Pictish fort AV ORCNEIUM” or “Hrolf from the Several Ogam inscriptions Kirkwall Orkney Museum at Burghead Orkneys” have been found in Orkney. Birsay Brough of Birsay late 700s Pictish hoards at Burgar Point of Buckquoy These enigmatic rune-like Broch & St Ninian s Isle Burgar Broch Norse raids increasing, messages have so far defeated Evie Broch of Gurness settlement begun linguist’s attempts at transla - Sandwick Knowe of Verron 800 Norse settlement in Orkney tion, but recently persuasive Deerness Skaill complete Papay St Boniface 839 Norsemen defeat King of work suggests that many are St Tredwells Picts , Uuen, son of Oengus in fact in Old Norse and can Papa Stronsay St Nicholas Chapel 843 Unification of Picts & Scots be logically transliterated. N Ronaldsay Burrian Broch under Kenneth mac Alpin S Ronaldsay Old St Mary s End of Pictish Kingdom St Peter’s, East Side

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