We continued our tour of the neolithic sites in Mainland Orkney this morning. Our first stop was the Ring of Brodgar. This is a large stone henge that pre-dates Stonehenge by 1000 years. However, it is not as old as the Stones of Stenness, being built about 500 years later. The Ring of Brodgar is the third largest henge in Britain.
Tonnes of rock and dirt were dug out to create the outer ditch and exposing the bare rocks to a depth of 4 metres. It is thought, based on archaeological work nearby, that antler picks were used to dig the holes and move the earth. The archaeologists have found these picks in nearby excavations.
From the Ring of Brodgar, we headed north to the Bay of Skaill where we visited the ever fascinating Skara Brae. Skara Brae is about 5000 years old and, thanks to archaeology and conservation, is in remarkably good condition. Skara Brae is a neolithic village, consisting of homes and a workshop.
Each home has a hearth which was used not only for cooking but also for heat.
The workshop is quite a large structure:
It is always breathtaking for me to see very real evidence of life, and a very busy life at that, from a time that is beyond our comprehension. It is incredibly humbling.
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