Neolithic tomb complex found on Orkney

Read Time:1 Minute, 43 Second

Archaeologists on Orkney are investigating what is thought to be a 5,000-year-old tomb complex. A local man stumbled on the site while using a mechanical digger for landscaping. It appears to contain a central passageway and multiple chambers excavated from rock. There is a large neolithic burial complex nearby called The Tomb of the Eagles where over 300 bodies were found. The neolithic period is when man evolved from hunter/gathering, to agriculture and settlement.

“Potentially these skeletons could tell us so much about Neolithic people,” said Orkney Islands Council archaeologist Julie Gibson. “Not only in relation to their deaths, but their lives.” One end of the tomb was accidentally removed as it was discovered and as a result, the burial site has now been flooded. Archaeologists are in a race against time to recover its contents before they are damaged or destroyed. “There might also be other material, pottery or organics such as woven grass, buried in there – which cannot last under the circumstances,” said Ms Gibson.

north scotland orkney islands

Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles north of the coast of Caithness. Orkney comprises approximately 70 islands of which 20 are inhabited. The largest island, known as the “Mainland” has an area of 202.03 square miles, making it the sixth largest Scottish island and the tenth-largest island in the British Isles. The largest settlement and administrative center is Kirkwall.

The name “Orkney” dates back to the 1st century BC or earlier, and the islands have been inhabited for at least 8,500 years. Originally occupied by Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes and then by the Picts, Orkney was invaded and then forcibly annexed by Norway in 875 and settled by the Norse. It was subsequently annexed to the Scottish Crown in 1472, following the failed payment of a dowry for James III’s bride, Margaret of Denmark. Orkney contains some of the oldest and best-preserved Neolithic sites in Europe, and the “Heart of Neolithic Orkney” is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site

About Post Author

Holte Ender

Holte Ender will always try to see your point of view, but sometimes it is hard to stick his head that far up his @$$.
Happy
Happy
0 %
Sad
Sad
0 %
Excited
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
Angry
0 %
Surprise
Surprise
0 %
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of

3 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
13 years ago

Being a Scot, and actually having been up in the Orkneys, I’m not too sure all Archaeologists could recognise the difference between “modern” housing in Orkney and Neolithic habitations. It’s cold, very windy (not many trees survive the icy blasts) bleak and wet. You get about 6 weeks of “summer” then the rest is variable to a maximum value of n.
It’s the only place I’ve been to that even the sheep look miserable and pissed off.

PS The sheep taste of seaweed. It’s a regular part of their diet, because even the bloody grass doesn’t grow well up there.

Nice beaches though, and very peaceful. ‘Cause there’s no other buggers there.

13 years ago

I hope they save everything..I’d love to be in on that dig.

13 years ago

Let’s try this again as I posted a simple one word comment early this morning.

WOW!

Previous post Glenn Beck vs Jon Stewart….The Rallies!
Next post Critter talk: “Convenience euthanasia” for pets?
3
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x