2022’s top ten: another ‘butterfly’ stone
The “butterfly” motif has been found incised into numerous stones and surfaces across the site, and this year was no exception.
The stone slab pictured above had been incorporated into… Read more
Monthly Archive: December 2022
2022’s top ten: two more thumb-pots
We have a growing collection of tiny “thumb pots” at the Ness, and another two were found this summer within two days of each other.
The first came from the… Read more
Harking back to summer with the sounds of the Ness
This was one of the special events at the Ness in 2022, when Suzy Angus made us a sound poem of the excavations.
Pour a glass of something you love,… Read more
2022’s top ten: multiple post-holes in Structure Five
Two covered depressions on either side of the blocked south-western entrance were found to be large, well-built post-holes, indicating that the doorway was also flanked by a pair of substantial… Read more
The Stones of Via
One of the most puzzling prehistoric features on the Orkney Mainland goes by the name of the Stones of Via. Most accounts over the past two centuries slotted it into one of two categories – a toppled dolmen or a denuded chambered cairn. But, as always, it is not that simple. Read more
2022’s top ten: human remains between Structures Eight and Seventeen
Excavation of an orthostatic box in 2022, introduced an intriguing new element into the relationship between Structures Seventeen and Eight.
The box – which was clearly, given its contents, not… Read more
2022’s top ten: the whalebone artefact
We remain in Trench J for today’s Top Ten entry.
A short distance to the north-west of the hearth mentioned on Saturday, and securely embedded into the floor of Structure… Read more
2022’s top ten: Trench J’s trio of polished stone axes
In 2022, Trench J maintained its reputation for producing polished stone axes – with three beautiful examples adding to its growing total.
At the start of the season the attention… Read more
Chasing the ‘Brodgar road’ – the claimed route of the stone circle megaliths
For many years I have been fascinated by an “old tradition” of a prehistoric, eight-mile-long track known as the “Brodgar Road”. This, it was said, marked the route of the megaliths bound for the Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness from the quarry site at Vestrafiold. Read more
2022’s top ten: second set of ‘Great Wall’ steps
The 2018 excavation in Trench J revealed what look curiously like a set of steps tied into the inner face of the northern boundary wall – the “Great Wall of… Read more
Wednesday wildlife – Stenness selkies
The weather’s not been particularly conducive for photography these past few weeks, but Nick dodged the showers at the weekend to capture these shots of seals in the Stenness loch… Read more
2022’s top ten: Structure Twenty-Seven’s north-western wall
As 2022 ticks away, we thought it would be a fine time to look back over our favourite finds and discoveries over the year.
We’ve selected ten and will post… Read more
The Stonehall settlement – part three
Excavated over a five-year period, the Stonehall Farm section was the most extensive area of the Neolithic settlement site - “a third location of early Neolithic settlement running parallel with the occupation of Stonehall Knoll and Meadow. Read more
Pitchstone flake brings Ness total to 47
A flake of Arran pitchstone from the analysis of environmental samples from Structure Eight has brought the total from the Ness to 47. Read more
