Probe into Maeshowe water leak
(Source: The Orcadian)
Story dated: Thursday, May 5, 2005

Excavations are planned at Maeshowe to find out why water is entering the central chamber.

Dr Sally Foster, senior inspector of ancient monuments with Historic Scotland, said what was found would determine what work, if any, was required on the 5,0000-year-old cairn.

She said the cairn had already been built to be watertight, with layers of clay and then earth over the stone structure.

But incursions through the roof by the Norse in the ???? century, and then Victorian antiquarians, had disturbed that. A concrete roof was installed in 1910.

"We suspect water is somehow penetrating between the modern 1910 roof and the clay core," she said, adding that no more excavation that absolutely necessary would take place to determine what the problem was.

Although admitting that a new roof might be required, Historic Scotland hopes the solution will prove to be something simpler.