Antiquarian delvings on the Ness

Friday, December 7, 2018 (6:00 PM)

Waller Hugh Paton’s The Bridge of Brodgar, Stenness, 1875. Even factoring in his obvious artistic licence, the size of the mound beyond the brig is clear. It was reduced considerably in the 1880s. — Waller Hugh Paton’s *The Bridge of Brodgar, Stenness, 1875*. Even factoring in his obvious artistic licence, the size of the mound beyond the brig is clear. It was reduced considerably in the 1880s.

Evidence for earlier excavations at the Ness – probably in the early 1880s – has come to light in a handwritten note from the papers, manuscripts and notebooks kept by James Walls Cursiter.

Cursiter was a well-known Orcadian antiquarian around the turn of the 20th century. He was Stanley Cursiter’s uncle and lived at Daisybank, on Berstane Road, Kirkwall, before moving to Edinburgh in 1916.

The written script, which refers to the “mound near the Brig of Brodgar” – which was part of the Ness of Brodgar excavation site and the location of Trench T – was passed to Orcadian archaeologist Chris Gee after being found in an old leather case in the former home of his great-great grandmother.

This particular fragment was in a batch of written papers on The Antiquities of Stenness, which was possibly the draft for a future publication.

The note, pictured above, reads:

“…tumulus which has not been thoroughly examined. Mr Clouston previous to opening Onston found in it hundreds of rude-stone, chipped implements of sandstone and a stone lamp. Flint chips have also been found on its west side, where the ground is cultivated. Mr James Noble found in the debris a stone sinker which had also served as a whetstone. It was quadrangular section and one of its faces and one of its sides exhibited a considerable quantity of carving. An account of this stone appeared in Vol 10. Second series of the PSAS.”

The decorated stone sinker referred to by Cursiter in his note. (After Noble 1888. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquarians of Scotland. Vol. 22, pp. 266-7. — The “decorated stone sinker” referred to by Cursiter in his handwritten note. (After Noble 1888. *Proceedings of the Society of Antiquarians of Scotland*. Vol. 22, pp. 266-7.)

James Noble’s 1888 Proceedings of the Society of Antiquarians of Scotland paper can be downloaded here.

Many thanks to Chris for sharing this find with us.

James Wallace's 17th century drawing of one of the silver 'fibula'. — James Wallace’s 17th century drawing of one of the silver ‘fibula’.

There is also an intriguing possibility that the Ness mound was the source of silver artefacts in the 17^th century. This lost hoard is now regarded being Viking/Norse ring-money and, despite a lack of documented evidence, has become firmly associated with Salt Knowe, to the south-west of the Ring of Brodgar.

The sole surviving account of their discovery, however, suggests otherwise.

James Wallace’s A Description of the Isles of Orkney, published in 1693, states:

“In one of these Hillocks near the Circle of high stones at the North end of the Bridge of Stennis, there were found nine Fibula of silver, of the shape of a Horseshoe, but round…”

The fact Wallace specifically mentions the Brig o’ Brodgar and the “circle of high stones” strongly suggests he was referring to the Stones of Stenness and that the silver hoard came from the large mound at the south-eastern tip of the Ness. Why use the brig as a point of reference if you are referring to the Ring of Brodgar?