Excavation

Date 20 July 2009 - 28 August 2009

Event ID 608683

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/608683

HY 303 129 Further investigation of the large late Neolithic complex on the Ness of Brodgar was undertaken 20 July–28 August 2009 in order to characterise more of the structures and activity on the site.

Excavation of Structure 1 was continued and the removal of collapse and infill relating to the later reuse of the structure revealed more phases of its reuse. A short curving section of wall revealed last year has proved to be part of a suboval feature set into the later much smaller remodelling of Structure 1. The floor and occupation deposits in the late sub-oval Structure 7 were also examined. These mainly consisted of ashy spreads from a central square stone hearth.

Further work to define Structure 10 (the very large structure revealed in 2008) revealed a main structure, c15 x 15m, with an outer ‘forecourt’ area that extended out of the trench under the house of Lochview. The central ‘zigzag’ section of walling discovered last year and considered a later insertion formed part of a central cruciform chamber with a Skara Brae style ‘dresser’ present in one recess. The use of non-local red and yellow sandstone and ‘display art’ (cup marks, cup and ring and deeply incised geometric designs) characterised the chamber. The chamber was defined by walls c5m in overall thickness consisting of two dry stone walls each c2m thick separated by a midden core. Although sections of this wall had been systematically robbed in prehistory, almost down to the basal courses, in places the outer slightly bowed out wall faces survived to almost a metre in height and revealed stepped out lower courses. The main structure was surrounded by a c1m wide paved ‘pathway’ that was defined externally by a single faced wall with midden backing. In the ‘forecourt’ area a section of probable standing stone was incorporated into one of the outer walls. The stump of a second standing stone with an hourglass perforation was recorded next to the first stone. This stone had been reduced in size probably in the historic period.

Trench P was extended in order to examine the extent of Structure 8 (previously revealed as a pair of parallel walls c7m apart with a series of internal recesses along each internal wall face created by a number of opposed tapered stone piers). A gently curving stone wall between the two parallel wall lines was revealed forming the end to the structure. However, as with Structure 1 this curving wall was a later insertion that had reduced the overall length of the building. Small sections of walls that aligned with the original wall lines continued out of the side of the trench implying that it was originally much longer.

Trench R was opened in the southern field across an apparent large linear geophysical anomaly that stretches

across the peninsula. Excavation revealed a large double faced wall almost 2m wide. The SE side of the wall against which midden and rubble had been deposited survived to a height of at least 1.3m (the bottom of the wall was not reached). Inside this wall sections of several wall lines were revealed that are assumed to represent a phase of late occupation of the site, after the main structures had been abandoned (as revealed in other trenches). Although differing in width from the previously examined Great Wall of Brodgar on the N side of the Ness complex, it is assumed that the two are contemporary and formed an ‘enclosure’ around the main structures on the site.

A large assemblage of typical late Neolithic cultural material was also uncovered including another macehead,

four polished stone axes, a blade of pitchstone and Grooved Ware pottery. Numerous examples of Neolithic art were found consisting of incised geometric designs, pecked cup and cup and ring marks and surface dressing of stone faces.

Report: Orkney SMR and the RCAHMS

Funder: Orkney Islands Council; Orkney College, Robert Kiln Trust; Russell Trust, Orkney Archaeology Society and Orkney Builders

Nick Card – ORCA and Orkney College