Skara Brae
We only actually had three days in The Orkney Islands, but I feel I could enthuse endlessly about this magical and mysterious landscape. I can’t help thinking these islands reward you for being the type of traveller who is looking for something beyond the fleeting memories of sun, sea and sangria. This place isn’t a summer fling – it gets under your skin and you carry it around with you for life, very close to your heart.
I had nurtured this place in my imagination for some time before we arrived as I desperately wanted to see Skara Brae with my own eyes. I love archaeology and history and I particularly love to learn about how societies lived and operated, so when I read about this neolithic village that had been perfectly preserved, I was totally captivated.
Imagine the scene, The Orkney Islands 1850. It’s the middle of winter and a huge storm is lashing around the islands (probably nothing new there you may say). However, this particular storm brought extremely high tides which stripped the grass from a large mound. What lay exposed underneath was a number of stone buildings. Luckily the local Laird at the time was interested in the find and wished to excavate further.
Whether this is the first that the islanders had heard of such a settlement is debatable. I am sure if generations upon generations knew beforehand, they would have felt very protective about the treasure that had been unearthed.
Storm scars Skara Brae
By 1868 the remains of four houses had been excavated and at this point the excavations came to a halt. Yet another storm hit the island and this, unfortunately, damaged some of the previously excavated buildings. It was decided that a wall should be built to protect these finds – and surprise surprise as they began work on the wall – they discovered more archaeology.
Over the years these excavations continued. Slowly but surely Skara Brae (Skerrabra) village was uncovered, but even in the 1930s, archaeologists didn’t realise the scale of this discovery. Up until the 1970s this settlement was believed to be a Pictish village (which would have still been extremely exciting of course).
It’s thanks to carbon dating we know this settlement dates back to late Neolithic (between 3200BC and 2200BC). The time scale really is too much to wrap your head around I think.
It was the realisation of a long held hope for me, to finally see this archaeology with my own eyes. It was much bigger and more detailed than I had imagined it would be, but the dwellings were perfectly constructed. What a backdrop these early settlers had picked to live out their days. In summer it must have been a beautiful and abundant life.
I feel privileged to have had a glimpse into these people’s homes and I felt quite reflective as we walked along the beautiful beach at Skail Bay. It does make you wonder how much we have yet to discover.
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