Geophysics survey on the Brough o' Birsay
Story dated: Friday, August 3, 2007

A team of archaeologists has returned to the Bay o' Skaill in Sandwick to continue an excavation of a suspected Viking-age settlement.

Led by Dr David Griffiths, of Oxford University, the archaeologists are working on and around the massive mound known as the Castle o'  Snusgar to the north-east of the bay.

As well as the three-week excavation in Sandwick, this year the project will incorporate an extensive geophysics scan of the Brough o' Birsay.

Dr Griffiths explained: "We've got some funding from Historic Scotland to carry out geophysics on the Brough. This is essentially a 'rounding-up' exercise to complete the coverage of the site - work which goes back to the excavations in the 1970s."

In particular, it is hoped the geophysics will confirm whether the "Peedie Brough" site, where a structure was found during excavations by Professor Chris Morris in the late 1970s, is part of the main site or a separate entity altogether.

The survey work is being carried out by Sue Ovenden from Orkney College,  and will cover the Mainland-facing coastal strip inwards into the visible settlement site on the Brough.

• An open day at the Snusgar excavation site is planned for Sunday, August 12, from 2-4pm