Ness artefacts at British Museum will help shine a light on the world of Stonehenge

The three fragments of the ‘Butterfly Stone’ found at the north entrance of Structure Twelve in 2013. (Antonia Thomas)

A selection of the Ness of Brodgar’s finest artefacts will feature in a major exhibition at the British Museum next year.

Hailed the first exhibition of its kind in the UK, The World of Stonehenge aims to bring the story of the iconic monument into sharper focus – placing it in the wider context of prehistoric Britain, Ireland and Europe.

The stunning polished stone axehead found in Structure Fourteen in 2014. (ORCA)

Among the Ness finds heading to London are the “Butterfly Stone” found at Structure Twelve’s northern entrance in 2013; the carved stone ball found in Structure Ten in 2013; and the spectacular polished stone axe recovered from Structure Fourteen in 2012.

They will be display alongside artefacts from across Europe, including the Nebra Sky Disk – the “oldest known map of the night sky” – and a Bronze Age “sun pendant” from Shropshire, England.

Neil Wilkin, curator of the exhibition, said: “While both were found hundreds of miles from Stonehenge, we’ll be using them to shine a light on the vast interconnected world that existed around the ancient monument, spanning Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe. It’s going to be eye-opening.”

As well as artefacts from Skara Brae, the exhibition will also see the “Brodgar Stone” – a decorated slab found at the Ness in 1925 and now housed at the National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh – reunited with other artefacts from the site and on display in London.

The World of Stonehenge is at the British Museum from February 17 until July 17, 2022. Tickets go on sale in December 2021.