No trip to Orkney is ever complete without a visit to Skara Brae, perhaps the best-preserved Neolithic settlement in western Europe, and certainly a most extraordinary glimpse into our past.
Of course, Orkney is blessed with an array of well-preserved Neolithic heritage, Skara Brae being only one of a number of notable sites. News that archaeologists have found yet another following natural erosion on the island of Westray, does not come as a surprise then.
But for those interested in prehistoric life, yet another jackpot has been hit. The remains of some 30 buildings have been uncovered by Historic Scotland, dating from around 4,000 – 10,000BC. Some are thought to have been constructed for ritual ceremonies, as places for women to give birth, or as sites where bodies were taken before burial.
One particularly well-preserved building is believed to have been a sauna or steam house - meaning our ancestors probably had quite sophisticated ideas about how to spend their leisure time. Field systems, middens and cemeteries were also found.
Natural erosion may have uncovered the remains, but it is archaeologists who shed the vital light on these lives lived many thousands of years ago, who bring their stories to life. We congratulate all those involved.
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