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Fitty Hill Chambered Cairn |
10 posts
Links of Noltland Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork |
5 posts
The Pierowall Westray Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art |
News |
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'Orkney Venus' is back home for the summerWestray schoolchildren met Scotland's oldest face — the Orkney Venus — at the Westray Heritage Centre today, Friday, May 14. The children were the first visitors to the Westray exhibition, which opens to the public on Saturday, May 15... continues... |
Posted by goffik14th May 2010ce Edited 14th May 2010ce |
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Orkney Venus to face the public The earliest human figure (now commonly known as the Westray Wife) to be found in Scotland is to go on temporary display at Edinburgh Castle. More info : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8309503.stm |
Posted by drewbhoy17th October 2009ce |
Scotland's 'earliest face' foundA carving believed to be Scotland's earlist human face, dating back thousands of years, has been found on the Orkney island of Westray. The small Neolithic sandstone human figurine is believed to be up to 5,000 years old. Experts have described the find as one of "astonishing rarity"... continues... |
Posted by moss21st August 2009ce Edited 4th September 2009ce |
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Archaeologists Find Mysterious Neolithic Structure in Orkney A new structure has been discovered beneath beach sands on Westray in the Orkney Islands at the Links of Noltland. This Neolithic find is constructed with dressed stone and was clearly intended to look impressive from the outside. Dating to approximately 2000 BC, the building is quite different from most Bronze Age structures in this region......Read the full article by Caroline Lewis. |
Posted by C Michael Hogan20th December 2007ce Edited 21st December 2007ce |
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90% of Scotland's IA burials on Westray C14 dates for burials at the Knowe of Skea (HY44SW 2) on the edge of Berst Ness [HY44SW 3] push back the age of these from Viking to 200BCE-400ACE. Many of them (mostly children) consisted of bagged bodies dropped vertically into spaces created by removing material from the structures' walls. Article with photo on Sigurd's site http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/knoweskea2006.htm |
Posted by wideford3rd August 2006ce Edited 7th June 2007ce |
Latest posts for Westray |
Showing 1-10 of 16 posts. Most recent first | Next 10 
Links of Noltland (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — News |
Interim Links of Noltland report launched"The interim report on the ongoing excavations at the Links of Notland, in Westray, has been published by Historic Scotland. Shifting Sands: Links of Noltland, Westray presents an interim account of the excavation findings so far. It documents some of the most remarkable discoveries, including the Westray Wife and the "Cattle Skull Building" with its foundation deposit of skulls built into the walls. The Links of Noltland site lies on the exposed coastline of Westray and was buried beneath sand dunes until recently. With the rapid onset of erosion, the prehistoric remains were exposed and at extreme risk of being lost forever. A major programme of fieldwork, commissioned by Historic Scotland, is now being undertaken by EASE Archaeology. Discoveries include a Neolithic farmstead, field walls, cultivation remains and artefact-rich middens, together with six Bronze Age buildings and a contemporary cemetery. Written by Hazel Moore and Graeme Wilson, the archaeologists in charge of the dig, the report also describes the Bronze Age remains, which represent the largest and most complete settlement of this date in Orkney. The report provides an up-to-date statement on the archaeological discoveries, together with specialist analysis of artefacts recovered during the excavation. Shifting Sands: Links of Noltland costs £12.95." http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/?p=203 |
Posted by goffik 25th February 2011ce |
Orkney Venus Misses Out on Archaeology Award.A tiny neolithic figurine from Orkney has missed out on a prize at this year's British Archaeological Awards. The 5,000-year-old Orkney Venus, which was discovered during excavations in the island of Westray in August last year, is the earliest representation of the human form found in Scotland. It was up for Best Discovery at British Museum awards in London. But the title went to the Staffordshire Hoard - the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold - discovered in 2009. The Orkney Venus, a female carving, is just 4cm tall and composed of sandstone. more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-10690484 |
Posted by The Eternal20th July 2010ce |
Second Orkney Venus Found at Orkney Dig.Archaeologists have unearthed a second ancient figurine at a dig on Orkney. The discovery was made at the same site as the Orkney Venus, the earliest representation of a human figure to be found in Scotland. The Orkney Venus, a 5,000-year-old female carving which was found last summer, was just 4cm tall and composed of sandstone. The new find is the same size and shape as the original Venus but is made of clay and is missing its head. The older Venus is one of three finds which have been shortlisted for Best Discovery at the 2010 British Archaeological Awards. Both pieces were found at a Historic Scotland dig at the Links of Noltland on the island of Westray. Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop said: "It is excellent news that a second figurine has been found at the Links of Noltland dig, giving our team of archaeologists more information in piecing together what we can know about the lives of our ancient ancestors on Westray. "Although these figurines are tiny, their significance is huge and it's exciting to speculate whether there may be more, waiting to be discovered." The Orkney Venus, known locally as the Westray Wife, is currently on display at the Westray Heritage Centre. It has already been viewed by more than 100,000 people as part of a special Historic Scotland touring exhibition which has visited Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Kilmartin House in Argyll and Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness. The carving features a human face with heavy brows, two dots for eyes and an oblong for a nose. A pair of circles on the chest has been interpreted as representing breasts, and arms have been etched at either side. A pattern of crosses suggests some form of fabric. Its name comes from its resemblance to similar figurines classed as Venuses from elsewhere in Europe and beyond. The Orkney Venus is facing strong competition in Monday's British Archaeological Awards. The carving is up against a collection of copper and tin ingots discovered by divers off the coast of South Devon, and the Staffordshire hoard - the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-10676346 |
Posted by The Eternal 18th July 2010ce |
Links of Noltland (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — Links |
Westray Heritage Centrehistory, pics and blog |
Posted by wideford 1st July 2010ce |
Links of Noltland (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — Miscellaneous |
| this season's dig has begun and they now have 30 ox skulls in the foundations for which they can find nothing similar in Scotland [though J.W. Cursiter mentions the 1901 uncovering by storm near Skara Brae of a 3' deep ox midden 100' long, beneath which another storm two years later disclosed a building]. |
Posted by wideford 1st July 2010ce |
Links of Noltland (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — News |
Orkney Venus closes in on key prize 5,000 years after Neolithic creationThe Orkney Venus has been named in a shortlist of three for the Best Archaeological Discovery category in the 2010 biannual British Archaeological Awards. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at the British Museum on 19 July. The 5,000-year-old Orkney Venus attracted worldwide interest when it was discovered last summer by archaeologists working on the Historic Scotland excavation at the Links of Noltland, on Westray. The 4cm figure in sandstone is the only known Neolithic carving of a human form to have been found in Scotland. The enigmatic figure – known locally as the Westray Wife – had lain undisturbed in the earth until the archaeologists carefully brushed away the mud to reveal the human face with heavy brows, two dots for eyes and an oblong for a nose, staring back at them. A pair of circles on the chest have been interpreted as representing breasts, and arms have been etched at either side. A pattern of crosses suggests the fabric of clothing. Its name comes from its resemblance to similar figurines classed as Venuses from elsewhere in Europe and beyond. The figure is currently on public display for the first time on the island where it was found, at the Westray Heritage Centre. It has already been viewed by more than 100,000 people as part of a special Historic Scotland touring exhibition taking in venues including Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Kilmartin House in Argyll and Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness. It will finish in October at the Orkney Museum in Kirkwall. Peter Yeoman, Historic Scotland's head of cultural resources, said: "The Orkney Venus is the first replica of the human form to be found in Scotland and is possibly the best and earliest to be found in the UK. "Her discovery confirms the importance of the Links of Noltland as one of the most fascinating prehistoric sites in Scotland. It is an incredibly rich settlement site which is advancing our understanding of our Neolithic to the Bronze Age ancestors. "The site is in our care, but is severely threatened by wind erosion, which has removed the sand that protected the well-preserved houses, middens and fields for 4,000 years. "Historic Scotland is now leading a race against the wind with further excavations being carried out for us this summer." Historic Scotland senior archaeologist Richard Strachan said: "None of the archaeology team have seen anything like it before. It's incredibly exciting. There is a strong possibility that it has been a votive offering to mark the abandonment of the site." http://news.scotsman.com/news/Orkney-Venus--closes-in.6364105.jp |
Posted by moss 16th June 2010ce |
Links of Noltland (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — Links |
Orkney Archaeology NewsSigurd's article on latest discoveries |
Posted by wideford 27th August 2009ce |
Westray Heritage Centreblog of 2009 dig |
Posted by wideford 27th August 2009ce |
Orkney Archaeology Newsphoto of Neolithic art in Sigurd's article |
Posted by wideford 23rd September 2008ce |
Bronze Age settlement uncovered at the Links o' NoltlandOctober, 2006 excavations are summarised with a precis of the earlier history of finds at Links of Noltland. Emphasis is placed upon risk of loss of site artifacts from continuing dunes and coastal erosion. The Bronze Age elements are characterised and placed in perspective to the earlier Neolithic settlement. |
Posted by C Michael Hogan 27th December 2007ce |
Showing 1-10 of 16 posts. Most recent first | Next 10
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