Lochside find for Time Team’s John

As regular readers (and site visitors) will know, the water level of the two lochs flanking the Ness of Brodgar was different in prehistory.

So much so that it is likely the archaeology extends out into areas now covered in water.

Over the years we’ve had a couple of finds from the loch sides – polished stone axes and pottery – but the latest emerged last Friday. Found by none other that Time Team’s John Gater.

Taking a break from filming on site, John was down by the Stenness loch where he found a prehistoric ard – a precursor to the plough, which scratched shallow furrows in the soil.

Because of the many centuries it has lain in and around the loch, John’s ard is considerably waterworn but serves as another reminder of the changing landscape over the past 5,000 years.