| 2007 |
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"Decorated" Neolithic structure unearthed in Westray - archaeologists working on a rescue excavation in Westray have discovered a "mysterious" Neolithic structure at one of the county’s most important sites. |
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Maeshowe webcams back online - The annual Internet broadcasts from Maeshowe have resumed, allowing web surfers across the planet to view the winter solstice sunset from inside the cairn. |
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Solstice ticket deal for Maeshowe visitors - This year, Historic Scotland is celebrating the winter solstice at Maeshowe with a special ticket offer from December 11, to January 11, 2008. |
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Hazelnut shell pushes back date of settlement of Orkney by 3,000 years - A charred hazelnut shell recovered during the excavations at Longhowe in Tankerness, earlier this year, has been dated to 6820-6660 BC. |
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Were there Anglo-Saxons in Orkney before the Vikings? -
Were “English” settlers in Orkney at least a century before the migration to what was to become England?
According to a book to be published next month, they were. (October 11, 2007) |
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Developer dismisses fears over Orkney's World Heritage status - The developer of a wind turbine project in Stromness has dismissed claims this week that Orkney could lose its World Heritage Site, if the development goes ahead. (October 11, 2007) |
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Hopes that Stronsay flints could represent earliest evidence of human activity in Orkney - A fieldwalking project in Stronsay has led to the discovery of two tiny flint tools that could represent the earliest evidence of human activity found in Orkney to date. (September 26, 2007) |
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Unearthing the Stone Age in Wyre - the latest from a Neolithic excavation in Wyre (September 20, 2007) |
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Trial Eday dig confirms Neolithic remains - A trial excavation in Eday has confirmed the presence of at least one Neolithic structure.(September 20, 2007) |
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Iron Age roundhouse under investigation - An Iron Age settlement in South Ronaldsay has been the focus of an archaeological dig over the past few weeks (September 13, 2007) |
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A fresh look at Orkney's earth-houses - After three years work on an earth-house at Windwick in South Ronaldsay, a clearer picture of the structures’ role in Orcadian prehistory is beginning to emerge (September 13, 2007) |
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Sanday digs in the spotlight with the launch of excavation reports - In the 1980s, Sanday was the centre of archaeological attention in Orkney as experts descended on two separate sites on the island – Pool and Toftsness. Both excavations revealed an unparalleled view of life in Orkney – from prehistoric times through to the late Norse period. (September 10, 2007) |
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Prehistoric pollen study sees now sign of Bronze Age population drop - A long-held idea that the population of Orkney dropped in the Bronze Age appears to be far from correct, according to the latest palaeoecological data gathered from the county. (September 9, 2007) |
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Skara Brae graffiti removal a success - Historic Scotland conservators have successfully removed the graffiti left in one of the houses at Skara Brae last month. (September 9, 2007) |
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Orkney events for Archaeology Month 2007 - Throughout September, as part of Scottish Archaeology Month, there are opportunities to hear, direct from the experts, all about the fascinating history of some of Orkney’s historical sites. (September 7, 2007) |
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Stone wall hints at Neolithic spiritual barrier - A massive prehistoric wall, which may once have separated the realms of the dead and the living, has been unearthed on the Ness o' Brodgar in Stenness. (August 16, 2007) |
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Viking settlement helps understand
history of Skaill's landscape - A clearer picture of the history of the landscape around the Bay o' Skaill is emerging following the latest season of excavations near the Castle o' Snusgar in Sandwick. (August 15, 2007) |
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Outrage as vandals hit Skara Brae -
Vandals have targetted the 5,000-year-old village of Skara Brae in Sandwick, daubing graffiti on the interior of the best preserved houses. (August 14, 2007) |
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Geophysics survey on the Brough o' Birsay - As well as a three-week excavation at the Castle o' Snusgar in Sandwick, this year's project will incorporate an extensive geophysics scan of the Brough o' Birsay. (August 3, 2007) |
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Brodgar excavation resumes - with updates on Orkneyjar - A five-week excavation begins on the Ness of Brodgar on Monday, July 16, returning again to the field between Lochview and Brodgar Farm.
During the excavation, I hope to post regular updates in a dedicated section of Orkneyjar. (July 15, 2007) |
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Search for Mesolithic evidence resumes on Longhowe - A two-week excavation in search of evidence of Orkney’s Mesolithic past got under way on Monday. (June 19, 2007) |
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Grass-covered roof for Skara Brae house - Work to install a grass-covered roof on the best-preserved Neolithic house at Skara Brae is due to be completed by the end of the month. (June 7, 2007) |
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Dig reveals layout of Harray earth-house - Into the second week of the excavations at the earth-house at Corrigall, in Harray, and the layout of the underground chamber had become clear. (May 24, 2007) |
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Prehistoric pottery experiment hailed a success - The first stage of a project looking at the practicalities of Stone Age pottery came to a conclusion at the weekend. (May 24, 2007) |
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Archeologists descend on Harray earth-house - A three-week excavation is under way in Harray after the discovery of an Iron Age earth-house during routine farm-work. (May 12, 2007) |
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Geneticists need more Orcadian DNA - Scientists from Oxford University are looking for more blood samples from Orkney. (May 9, 2007) |
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Hands-on study project looks at prehistoric pottery - A new project to study the science behind prehistoric pottery is launched this weekend. (May 3, 2007) |
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Historic Scotland rangers prepare for 2007 -
Historic Scotland’s Orkney Ranger Service is hoping that 2007 will prove just as successful as 2006. (March 19, 2007) |
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Skara Brae included in new heritage TV series - Skara Brae has been named as one of the contenders for Britain’s Best – a new television series searching for the nation’s favourite historic site. (March 16, 2007) |
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Bronze Age settlement at the Links o' Noltland - After 26 years, archaeologists have returned to excavate a prehistoric settlement at Westray’s Links o' Noltland. (March 15, 2007) |
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Record-breaking visitor numbers at Orkney heritage sites - Heritage sites in Orkney are celebrating record-breaking visitor numbers. (March 13, 2007) |
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Stonehenge houses highlight the importance of Orcadian archaeology -
could Orkney’s beautifully-preserved archaeology shed light on the work being carried out around the Wiltshire World Heritage Site. (February 7, 2007) |
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Fourteen archaeological projects supported by OIC - Members of the Orkney Islands Council's development committee have approved grants for a number of archaeological projects hoping to take place this year. (February 7, 2007) |
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On earth as it is in heaven - was Orion linked to Orkney's Neolithic heartland? - Was the constellation Orion significant to the people who constructed the monuments in Orkney's World Heritage Site. (January 30, 2007) |
| 2006 |
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Did Gulf Stream disruption plunge Orkney into chaos and famine? - A slowing of the Gulf Stream - a massive warm-water current in the Atlantic Ocean - may have been responsible for a minor ice age that occurred between 1200 and 1850. And years of hardship for the people of Orkney. (November 30, 2006) |
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Academics ponder Orkney's fox-farming past -
They've not been seen on Orkney soil in recorded history, but did Iron Age Orcadians breed foxes for their fur? (November 30, 2006) |
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Maeshowe webcams back online - The annual Internet broadcasts from Maeshowe have resumed, allowing web surfers across the planet to view the winter solstice sunset from inside the cairn. (November 29, 2006) |
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Recent floods highlight theory on Maeshowe's ditch - a theory that the ditch surrounding Maeshowe was designed to be filled with water has come to the fore, following last month’s floods in Orkney. (November 17, 2006) |
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Calls for the return of 16th century Duke of Orkney's remains - Two MSPs have backed calls to have the remains of the first, and only, Duke of Orkney returned to Scotland.
But before the people of Orkney rush to join the cause, the Duke’s actual dealings with the county were brief, and strained, to say the least. (November 11, 2006) |
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Grant success for Orkney-based
research project -
A research project developed by an Orkney-based archaeologist has resulted in a major grant of £84,582 being awarded to the UHI Millennium Institute. (October 24, 2006) |
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Brodgar car park work disrupted by discovery of prehistoric enclosure - Work on a new car park near the Ring of Brodgar was halted last week following the discovery of a segment of prehistoric wall on the site - a section of masonry that could once have formed part of a huge walled enclosure between the Stenness and Harray lochs. (September 25, 2006) |
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Skye cave's intriguing parallels to Minehowe -
Since its “rediscovery” in 1999, there has been much head-scratching on the subject of Minehowe, in Tankerness. But a site in Skye, off the west coast of Scotland, is providing intriguing parallels to the Tankerness Iron Age structure. (September 5, 2006) |
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Reconstruction of medieval Westray house complete - Work restoring the lower courses of a medieval building in Westray was completed this week and the site is now open to visitors. (September 2, 2006) |
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Enigmatic Brodgar structure produces another example of Neolithic art - As another season’s work draws to a close, the Stenness side of the Ness of Brodgar continues to throw up archaeological surprises – including two pieces of iconic Neolithic art. (August 29, 2006) |
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Revisiting Orkney's Viking past in archeology month - September offers a rare chance to visit Maeshowe in the company of Professor Michael Barnes, one of the foremost experts in the Viking runes found inside the cairn. In addition Professor Judith Jesch will give two talks in Kirkwall. (August 28, 2006) |
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Snusgar dig confirms Norse settlement - An ongoing project to study settlement around the Bay o' Skaill in Sandwick has confirmed the presence of viking age structures. (August 17, 2006) |
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Archaeologists ponder Iron Age burial ritual at the Knowe o' Skea -
After four weeks of excavation at the Knowe o' Skea in Westray, archaeologists Graeme Wilson and Hazel Moore can boast a remarkable statistic.
The burials they have unearthed at the Berstness site make of an incredible 90 per cent of the known Iron Age remains found in Scotland to date. (August 3, 2006) |
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Neolithic site confirmed at Bronze Age cemetery - Questions surrounding an ‘unusual’ building at the Knowes o’ Trotty Bronze Age cemetery have been answered – at least partially. (August 3, 2006) |
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Archaeologist turns her attentions to Orkney's neglected hillsides - A pilot study by Judith Robertson, Orkney Archaeological Trust’s projects supervisor, has revealed a tantalising glimpse of what could lie on the Orkney ’s hillsides. (July 13, 2006) |
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Acoustic project returns to recreate the sounds of Orkney's sites - After repeated visits to measure and record audio data, Dr Aaron Watson has been back in Orkney. (July 13, 2006) |
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Councillors consider funding application to help return Neolithic carving to Westray - Orkney Islands councillors will meet tomorrow to consider a funding application to help extend the Westray Heritage Centre to house a piece of Neolithic artwork. (July 11, 2006) |
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North Ronaldsay beacon is contender for Restoration - A site in North Ronaldsay has been named as one of the 21 participating in this year’s BBC Restoration programme. The Dennis Head beacon in North Ronaldsay is is the oldest surviving purpose-built lighthouse in Scotland. (July 10, 2006) |
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Rare Bronze Age axe unearthed in Orphir peat bank - Men working at a peat bank in Orphir have unearthed an “outstanding” example of a Bronze Age socketed axe – believed to be only the second found in Orkney to date. (June 29, 2006) |
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Orkney's bogs hold the key to the islands' prehistoric past -
After three weeks wading through some of Orkney’s dankest bogs, a Hull university student hopes her investigation will answer some questions about the islands’ prehistoric past - in particular, what happened to Orkney’s population from the Bronze Age onwards. (June 28, 2006) |
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View-blocking film to stay as Skara Brae temperature problem solved - The installation of a reflective film on the glass cover of Skara Brae’s House Seven has been hailed a success – although it means visitors can’t see inside the prehistoric structure. (June 28, 2006) |
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Prehistoric sea level study begins - A project to study sea level change in Orkney over the millennia got under way last week, with initial work in Stenness and Burray. (June 13, 2006) |
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Orkney events for Archaeology Month 2006 - Orkney's programme of events to celebrate Archaeology Month in September has been released. Full details available here. (June 5, 2006) |
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Landscape survey leads to discovery of Neolithic settlement on Wyre - A treasure trove of Neolithic artefacts found in Wyre is hinting at the possibility the island could be the site of another Neolithic settlement. (June 1, 2006) |
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Step back and look again - Official launch for World Heritage Site book - A new book launched in Kirkwall on Tuesday evening hopes encouraging the visitor, casual or otherwise, to take a step back and look again at Orkney's World Heritage Site. (June 1, 2006) |
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Between the Wind and the Water focuses on Orkney's World Heritage Site - A new book from Orkney-based archaeologist and author, Caroline Wickham-Jones, has been released and is now available from bookshops. (May 29, 2006) |
| Murder
or sacrifice at Minehowe? - Analysis of the skeleton of a man unearthed
at Minehowe last summer has shown he met
a violent death.(April 24, 2006) |
| Fifth
place for Orkney's "prehistoric treasures" in Scotland's "Seven
Wonders" (April 8, 2006) |
| Human
burial recovered from South Ronaldsay shore - Archaeologists began work
in South Ronaldsay on Monday, recovering the remains of a body exposed by coastal
erosion. (March 22, 2006) |
| Alterations
to visitor arrangements will help protect prehistoric village - New paths
and a viewing platform are being created at Skara Brae, as part of a series of
alterations to the site aimed at protecting the prehistoric village from the thousands
of visitors it receives each year. (March 6, 2006) |
| 2005 |
| Booklet
summarises Minehowe findings - a comprehensive summary of the findings
at Minehowe so far – from the ritual nature and the activity on the howe
itself, to the metalworking complex and details of the two human interments. (December
19, 2005) |
| Eagle
deposits post-date tomb construction by 1,000 years - Radiocarbon dates
from the Tomb of the Eagles suggests that eagles were not deposited by the original
builders. (December 30, 2005) |
| Current
Archaeology unveils Orkney special - The latest edition of Current
Archaeology magazine has a distinctly Orcadian feel, with an edition devoted
to the county's latest digs and discoveries. (September
20, 2005) |
| Musical
project recreates the sound of Orkney's history - If you could take an
aural "journey" back through Orkney's history, what would it sound like?
A new CD allows us to glimpse at some of the music possibly experienced by our
Orcadian ancestors. (September 21, 2005) |
| Skeleton
of Iron Age man recovered from Minehowe grave - The remains of what appear
to be an adult male have been recovered from the Minehowe excavation site. (September
1, 2005) |
| Second
rare burial unearthed at Minehowe - With only days to go in
this year's archaeological excavations at Minehowe, a second Iron Age burial
has been found at the Tankerness site. (August 25, 2005) |
| Mesolithic
disappointment at Minehowe but bead find hints at more long-distance connections
- a search for Mesolithic remains on a mound in Tankerness has come up blank leaving
the experts to continue their quest for this "long lost" period of Orkney
prehistory. (August 18, 2005) |
| As
excavation finishes, work begins to open Viking age house remains to the public
- The final season of excavation at a Viking house in Westray finishes this
week, paving the way for the local community to develop the site as a tourist
attraction. (August 11, 2005) |
| Oxford
team bid to solve mystery of the mound - What lies
at the heart of a massive mound by the Bay o' Skaill in Sandwick? That
is the question that Dr David Griffiths, of Oxford University, hopes to answer.
(August 4, 2005) |
| Maeshowe
moisture problems traced - Historic Scotland experts
have identified the likely source of moisture seeping into Maeshowe. (August
4, 2005) |
| Knowes
o' Trotty gives up Bronze Age treasures - A cache of lost artefacts has
been recovered from the Knowes o' Trotty - almost 150 years after antiquarians
broke into one of the burial mounds. (July 14, 2005) |
| Search
is on for Knowes o' Trotty remains - The search is on for a quantity of
cremated human remains, first uncovered in a Bronze Age burial cist in Harray
almost 150 years ago (July
7, 2005) |
| Damage
limitation investigations begin at two of Orkney's top archaeological sites - Historic Scotland will begin investigative work aimed at preserving two of Orkney's
best-known archaeological sites next month (June
29, 2005) |
| New
protection measures at Skara Brae - ongoing work to protect the house
seven in the Neolithic settlement (June 15, 2005) |
| Summer
2005 season of archaeological digs - a brief look at some of the archaeological
projects scheduled for Summer 2005 (June 2, 2005)
|
| Medieval
ring found in Kirkwall garden - a 700-year-old ring is unearthed by local
gardener (May 26, 2005) |
| Quanterness
dig reveals suspected chambered cairn - An exploratory excavation has
taken place to study the remains of a suspected chambered cairn in St Ola (May
11, 2005) |
| Lost
Rowiegar bones recovered - a box of lost Stone Age remains from a Rousay
tomb have been rediscovered (May 11, 2005) |
| Probe
into Maeshowe water leak - water leaking into the 5,000-year-old cairn
worrying Historic Scotland (May 5, 2005) |
| "Unique"
Bronze Age burial site unearthed in field (April
28, 2005) |
| Historic
Scotland dismiss Maeshowe re-roofing claims
- The organisation reacts to claims that an employee informed a Maeshowe tour
group of plans to spend £1.5 million on a new roof. (April
21, 2005) |
| Orkney
Museum focuses on World Heritage Site patterns - A review of the Orkney
Museum's summer exhibition. (April 7, 2005) |
| Kirkwall
launch for long awaited Barnhouse book - Dr Colin Richards book covering
the excavation of the Stone Age settlement at Barnhouse
in Stenness launched in Kirkwall. (March 31, 2005) |
| Orkney
World Heritage Site research agenda available online (March
16, 2005) |
| Skeletal
remains rescued from eroding Medieval cemetery - a rescue excavation
of a suspected Medieval cemetery in Rendall drives home the ongoing problem of
coastal erosion in Orkney. (February 23, 2005) |
| Orkney's
Ring o' Brodgar to feature on Royal Mail commemorative stamp - One of
Orkney's best-known prehistoric monuments, the Ring o' Brodgar in Stenness, is
to feature in a series of Royal Mail stamps to be released in April. (February
19, 2005) |
| Emergency
excavation after January storms uncover Bronze Age site - An emergency
excavation on Sanday drew to a close on
Wednesday, after a team of archaeologists spent the past few days examining a
prehistoric site unearthed by the January storms. (February
19, 2005) |
| Cash
allocated but archaeological project funding might have to increase next year
- Orkney Islands Council allocate cash to Orkney archeological projects.
(February 10, 2005) |
| Westray
dig points to brutal Viking invasion of the isles - Further investigation
of a site at Langskaill farm, in Westray, appears to show that all evidence of
pre-Norse culture disappears abruptly with the arrival of the Scandinavian settlers,
fuelling speculation that the islands were taken by force. (January
13, 2005) |
| 2004 |
| Divers
confirm presence of two more Orkney crannogs - Orkney's first underwater
archaeological investigation has concluded that two of the county's islets are
definitely crannogs – artificial islands. (September
9, 2004) |
| After
centuries of anectodes, Sanday forest confirmed at Otterswick - The
existence of a 6,500-year-old forest in Sanday has been confirmed by a scientist
from Scottish Natural Heritage. (September
9, 2004) |
| Was
Iron Age Orkney the centre of a vast north warrior province? - Iron Age
Orkney was the centre of a vast province, ruled over by a chieftain who co-ordinated
a massive programme of defensive brochs to counter a threat from the south. This
is the conclusion of Shetland archivist Brian Smith. (September
9, 2004) |
| Minehowe
flints hint at Orkney's earliest settlers - A scattering of flints unearthed
near Minehowe could mark the site
of the earliest “settlement” found in Orkney to date. (September
1, 2004) |
| Death,
burial and metalworking at Westray's Knowe o' Skea - an update on the 2004
excavations on this enigmatic Iron Age cemetery. (September
1, 2004) |
| Quoygrew
project completes work on series of buildings occupied for nearly a millennia(September 1, 2004) |
| Was
Orkney's Holy Island home to an ancient monastery? - Sigurd Towrie realises
a long held ambition to set foot on Eynhallow, which was abandoned in the middle
of the 19th century. (August
26, 2004) |
| Minehowe
body was a woman - As suspected, preliminary studies of the skeleton
recovered from Minehowe last week have confirmed
it belonged to a young woman. (August
20, 2004) |
| Archaeologists'
delight as Minehowe gives up more of its secrets - A rare Iron Age burial
is causing great excitement among the experts working at Minehowe
— and as usual has raised more questions about life around the Iron
Age site. (August 11, 2004) |
| New
dig at site of Skaill Viking Hoard - The mound of Snusgar in Sandwick
is the site of a new excavation focusing on the history of human settlement around
the Bay o' Skaill. (August 11,
2004) |
| Archaeologists
return to Minehowe - A month long excavation at Minehowe
began on August 2, with archaeologists returning to the site for the fourth year.(August
2, 2004) |
| Exploratory
dig confirms existence of Brodgar Neolithic village - Centuries-old conceptions
about the Ness o' Brodgar - the thin strip of land between the Harray and Stenness
lochs - look set to be turned on their heads following a series of exploratory
excavations on the south-west of the ness. (June
16, 2004) |
| Re-evaluating
stone circles - In what is probably the first in-depth study into the
construction of Orkney's stone rings, Dr Colin Richards suggests that it was not
necessarily the stone circles that were significant but rather the act of constructing
them. (April 27, 2004) |
|
Archaeology
2004 - Every year a number of archaeological projects are carried
out in Orkney. This is a listing of the work that looks set to take place in 2004. |
| Crannogs
- revealing a lost chapter of Orkney's history
(April 16, 2004) |
| Two
new Pictish carvings found in Burray bone hoard (March
23, 2004) |
| Another
kist unearthed while ploughing - yet another Bronze Age burial
kist exposed while ploughing. (March
18, 2004) |
| Academic
questions authenticity of St Magnus' remains - archaeologist challenges
the widely held belief that the remains in the pillar in the Cathedral belong
to the historical Magnus Erlendsson. (March
10, 2004) |
| Archaeological
pictures and papers in honour of retiring chairman - A diverse
selection of papers in honour of the retiring chairman of the Orkney Archaeological
Trust is now available online. (March
1, 2004) |
| An
Australian Ring o' Brodgar? - A stone circle, based on the Ring
o' Brodgar in Stenness, has become the centre of a guided tour in Australia. |
| Ongoing
geophysics project continues to reveal secrets of Brodgar - the latest
set of geophysics scans on the Ness of Brodgar continues to shed light the stone
circle and the landscape around it. (February 19, 2004) |
| New
publication explores the art of the Picts (February
15, 2004) |
| Eleven
projects to benefit from 2004 OIC archaeology fund (February
5, 2004) |
| World
heritage site faces quarry threat - fears that a quarry expansion could
affect Orkney's World Heritage Site. (January 23, 2004) |
| Tourists
declared "no threat" to Maeshowe: Initial findings indicate
that Increasing visitor numbers is not having a detrimental effect on one of Orkney's
top visitor attractions. (January 15, 2004) |
| "Brogar"
no more - and farewell to "Maes Howe" - Historic Scotland revert
to Orcadian names (January 12, 2004) |
| 2003 |
| Arousing
discovery about Skara Brae design: The 5,000-year-old "lozenge"
symbol from Skara Brae is singled out as a potent symbol of arousal in men. (December 12. 2003) |
| Early
Rock: Were some ancient sites designed to be acoustically, as well as
visually, awe-inspiring? (November 6, 2003) |
| Was
Orkney the ceremonial capital of ancient Britain? - a national
newspaper's version of my original Brodgar geophysics
article. (November 3, 2003) |
| New
questions raised by geophysics surveys of Brodgar peninsula (October
24, 2003) |
| Metalworking
and mystery at Minehowe: The 2003 Excavation (September
11, 2003) |
| Increase
in tourist numbers poses threat to Skara Brae (August
28, 2003) |
| Roman
brooch find in Shetland extends ancient travel routes (July
11, 2003) |
| Radical
claims over Brodgar's past (June 4, 2003) |
| Experts
ponder mystery of Neolithic wooden structure (May
1, 2003) |
| Brief
glimpse of Brodgar structures (April
9, 2003) |
