Home  About Orkney  History  Tradition  Folklore  Placenames  Images  Downloads  About the Site  Contact   Links   Search Site   Awards	Last updated: April 12, 2012 Welcome to Orkneyjar - a website dedicated to the preserving, exploring and documenting the ancient history, folklore and traditions of Orkney - a group of islands lying off the northern tip of Scotland, Orkneyjar is a privately-run, non-profit website, created and maintained by Orcadian, Sigurd Towrie. ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS Click here for archaeology news section.   Site Spotlight A brief selection of topics covered in Orkneyjar... The Rose o' Kytton - Norse belief surviving in folklore On a shore in the East Mainland parish of Deerness, near the entrance of Deer Sound, is a steep, green slope that rolls down to a shingly beach. Somewhere on this slope is a wild, pink-coloured rose known as the Rose o' Kytton ... Click here for more details... The trial of alison balfour Perhaps one of the most disturbing accounts of a witch trial in Orkney centres around one Alison – or Alesoun – Balfour of Stenness. In the late 16th century, Balfour was implicated in a plot to murder the notorious Orkney Earl, Patrick Stewart. As a result she, and her family were tortured, and Alison eventually put to death... Click here for more details... The sandwick king stone Within the legend of the Belted Knights of Stove, there is one element that seems strangely out of place. The section that relates to the disguised king combing his hair by a stone brings little to the narrative and instead appears to be a later addition. Could it have been a later "insertion" to conveniently explain the origin of the stone's name? Click here for more details.... The Deepdale Stone Although Orkney is home to a number of famous standing-stones, it also has its fair share of not so well known monoliths. The Deepdale Stone is one such stone. Barely noticeable from the main Kirkwall to Stromness road - unless you know when and where to look - the Deepdale Stone pokes out from a crest of high ground on the western side of the road, directly opposite the Loch of Stenness. Click here for more details.... Contact the Author To contact the author, about any element of this site, click here. Update Schedule Orkneyjar is generally updated at least once a month - more over the summer excavation season - incorporating new content with relevant news and information relating to Orkney's rich archaeology, heritage and history. Quicklinks Select from...   ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS   TIMELINE   Mesolithic Orkney   Neolithic Orkney   Bronze Age Orkney   Iron Age Orkney   The Picts   The Vikings   HISTORY   Historical Sites   Chambered Cairns   Skara Brae   Minehowe   Megaliths   Ring o' Brodgar   Stenness Stones   Maeshowe   World Heritage Site   The Brough o' Birsay   The Brough o' Deerness   FOLKLORE   Selkie Folk   The Trows   Spirit Lore   The Hogboon   Orkney Giants   Witchcraft   DIALECT   Norn   Placenames   TRADITION   Birth   Death   Marriage   Holy Wells   Harvest Lore   Yule   The Ba' Game   ORKNEY   Landscape   Climate   Solstices   Parishes/Islands   Genealogy Why Orkneyjar? Find out what the site's name means here. Got a question? Check out the FAQ or visit the About Orkney Pages. Maps Click here for parish and island maps Orkney Genealogy - click here for links to get you started.