Forming part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, the Ness of Brodgar is covered in, and surrounded by, archaeology.
Until the start of the 21st century the isthmus was best-known as the location of the Ring of Brodgar.
That changed in 2003 with the discovery of large building – which would turn out to be part of a massive complex of monumental Neolithic structures, along with associated “artwork”, pottery, bones and stone tools, at the centre of a landscape rich in archaeology.
Excavation at the south-eastern end of the Ness ran from 2004 until 2024, revealing a massive complex of monumental Neolithic buildings from the centuries around 3000BC.
Without parallel in Atlantic Europe, the site’s three hectares are filled with huge stone structures and equally spectacular finds.
These made the Ness one of the most important archaeological excavations in the world, changing our understanding of the culture and beliefs of Neolithic Orkney and shining a new light on the prehistory of northern Europe.
Although fieldwork ended in 2024, the focus of the project is now post-excavation – analysing the material and data recovered during two decades of digging.
