Home  About Orkney  History  Tradition  Folklore  Placenames  Images  Downloads  About the Site  Contact   Links   Search Site   Awards	Last updated: April 23 , 2013 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 Groatsetter sword Among the many artefacts uncovered over the years, a Bronze Age wooden sword is unique in Orkney. Like the Orkney Hood, the Groatsetter sword was uncovered in a heavily peated area of St Andrews - the anaerobic conditions leading to its remarkable state of preservation. 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 Siege of Cubbie Roo's Castle Towards the middle of the 13th century, when Earl Jon Haraldson held the islands, a man named Snaekoll Gunnisson demanded the former Earl Rognvald’s lands in Orkney. The great-grandson of Earl Rognvald, and the nephew of Earl Harald Eiriksson (also known as Harald Ungi - ‘the younger’), Snaekoll claimed the holdings were his by right of inheritance. But Earl Jon refused. Click here for more details... 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 name means here. Questions? 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.