South Ronaldsay, Banks

ND 4580 8339 Two phases of excavation on the newly discovered mound at Banks established that it represents the remains of a Neolithic chambered tomb. The area was recently disturbed during development work but the heart of the monument was largely intact. The tomb consists of a linear central chamber, aligned E–W and c5m long, leading to five burial cells sealed by large waterworn capstones. The original ridge-like mound would have been more extensive, perhaps up to 80m long, 20m wide and 2.5m high, but has recently been removed and truncated to the level of the capstones. The central area is partly subterranean and the stone walls, containing a variety of quarried and waterworn material, were constructed in a quarried area into bedrock. The entrance passage is to the N. There are two larger cells at the W and E end of the central chamber, a single cell to the N and two cells to the S. The SW cell has an upper shelf opposite the entrance. The tomb was waterlogged and standing water partly filled the cells.

The N and E cells were partly excavated during Phase 1 (26 October–10 November 2010) and were found to contain human bones that formed closing deposits. These had been placed upon a layer of slabs, which is presumed to seal the lower unexcavated burial deposits. Six fragments of bone, predominantly cranium, were found in each cell, and a whole cranium had been placed in the E cell as if in a final gesture. The remains of the upper chamber backfill deposits were excavated during Phase 2 and it appears that the monument was closed in stages. Further deposits of cranium and long bone were found within the SE cell above the slab layer. Otter spraints were found at the level of this slab layer throughout the entrance passage, chamber and within the SE cell suggesting that the tomb had been left open at this stage for some time.

The main focus in Phase 2 (21 March–7 April 2011) was the full excavation of the W cell, which had been disturbed by a JCB, exposing the internal deposits. The capstone had been removed and internal walls damaged. The cell entranceway, which consisted of two large upright waterworn blocks set into sockets in the bedrock and the backfill and burial deposits in this area had been disturbed. The burial horizon in the W end of the cell, amounting to about two thirds of the original material survived in situ. Two side walls (NE and SW) were constructed above a thin clay floor layer which sealed the bedrock. Above the floor were several layers of disarticulated human bone within soft semi-waterlogged silts. The evidence indicates that there were several phases of use within the cell, with distinct concentrations of bones, two divided by a substantial c0.45m thick layer of waterborne silt. Otter spraint was present from the earliest phases of use and was found throughout the bone horizons. Although analysis is at an early stage, over 2000 human bones were recovered from the tomb with the minimum number of individuals currently placed at 15. This number will probably dramatically increase with the excavation of the chamber and remaining cells.

Archive: ORCA

Funder: Orkney Islands Council, Scapa Flow Landscape Partnership (HLF) and ORCA

ORCA, 2011

ND 4550 8400 (centred on) Work continued 11 April–30 August 2011 on the exploration, recording and evaluation of archaeological remains over an area of c9sqkm (900ha) in the vicinity of the Tomb of the Eagles visitor centre. This was the second five month season undertaken and followed several weeks of preliminary work in 2009. Desk-based work has included the study of satellite imagery and air photographs.

A significant portion of the study area, c200ha (22%), is either unimproved or little improved farm land and work in 2011 focused on two such areas, each c30ha (6–7%) of the total area. Not only were they found to contain the majority of the 150 sites/elements of sites recorded to date, but the preservation and the site types preserved was significant. The work is cumulative and ongoing but a few aspects can be touched upon.

There are a significant number of prehistoric houses, dykes, fields, terraces etc, and some of these are elements of coherent settlements. Among these, one at Old Head (ND 4690 8350) was evaluated by Malcolm Lillie of Hull University in 2010 (DES 2010, 127 8). Others, at Liddle Head (ND 4645 8325) and Black Geo (ND 4716 8473), were surveyed by us in 2011.

A non-intrusive evaluation we undertook on a trench on a mound in the car park at Banks (ND 4580 8339) in 2010 revealed that it contained man-made elements including several courses of a dry stone wall and a capstone sealing a chamber. This chambered tomb was subsequently partly excavated by ORCA (see entry above).

An almost circular enclosure (ND 44884 83081) on Brough Ness, c77m in diameter, was known from air coverage. This had not previously been located on the ground but its entire circuit was traced as a low bank. Further inspection of air photographs suggested the possibility of an internal ditch and also that the enclosure was apparently met from the S and N by trackways. Evaluation trenches across the S trackway, at its S and N ends confirmed a metalled surface c3m wide with kerbstones, though details differed. The northern trench was extended N to section the enclosure bank, which was found to have a stone core, but no inner ditch was apparent at the point investigated.

Several significant barrow cemeteries are in the course of being plotted.

An evaluation trench at the derelict farm of Isbister (ND 4658 8468) showed it to be sited on a farm mound.

Archive: RCAHMS (intended)

Funder: John W Hedges and Barry Constantine

SPEAR Project, 2011

ND 4580 8339 In 2010 a rock cut Neolithic tomb, now known as the ‘Tomb of the Otters’, was discovered at Banks Farm. In an adjacent field, recent work revealed possible stone structures thought to potentially indicate a house, possibly Bronze Age in date. The aim of the geophysical survey on

22 March 2016 was to map the extent of any possible buried structures.

Gradiometry and resistance survey were undertaken over an area of c40 x 60m. The survey appears to have detected prehistoric field boundaries and natural variations within the subsoil and possible modern ground disturbance. There is no evidence in the resistance data for buried structural remains other than the early field boundaries. In addition, the

extremely quiet magnetic response across the site suggests the lack of any significant ‘domestic’ occupation of the area.

Archive: Rose Geophysical Consultants

Funder: Hamish Mowatt

Susan Ovenden – Rose Geophysical Consultants

(Source: DES, Volume 17)

ND 4580 8339 Magnetometry survey.

Archive: Rose Geophysical Consultants

Funder: Hamish Mowatt

Susan Ovenden – Rose Geophysical Consultants

(Source: DES, Volume 17)

ND 4580 8339 Resistivity survey.

Archive: Rose Geophysical Consultants

Funder: Hamish Mowatt

Susan Ovenden – Rose Geophysical Consultants

(Source: DES, Volume 17)