Today, Skerrabra - or Skara Brae as it has become known - survives as eight dwellings, linked together by a series of low, covered passages. Evidence at the site substantiated during Graham and Anna Ritchie's archaeological excavations of the 1970's CE have disproved the cataclysm theory which rests largely on the supposition that Skara Brae stood by the shore in antiquity as it does today. Historical Trips - Book your next historical adventure, 6 Secret Historic Gardens in the United Kingdom, Join Dan Snow for the Anniversary of the D-Day Landings, War of The Worlds: The Most Infamous Radio Broadcast in History, The King Revealed: 10 Fascinating Facts About Elvis Presley, 10 Facts About American Poet Robert Frost. The fact that the houses were so similar indicates that the 50 to 100 people who occupied Skara Brae lived in a very close communal way as equals. "The Heart of Neolithic Orkney" was inscribed as a World Heritage site in December 1999. They thus form a fundamental part of a wider, highly complex archaeological landscape, which stretches over much of Orkney. Wild storms ripped the grass from a high dune known as Skara Brae, beside the Bay of Skaill, and exposed an immense midden (refuse heap) and the ruins of ancient stone buildings. This is the best-preserved settlement of its period in northern Europe, Sacred sites. License. The Neolithic village of Skara Brae was discovered in the winter of 1850. We would much rather spend this money on producing more free history content for the world. They were built using a tough clay-like material reinforced with domestic rubbish called Midden, which helped to both insulate the houses and keep out the damp. Each house was constructed along the same design and many have the same sort of furniture and the same layout of the rooms. This type of ceramic has led to the designation of the inhabitants of Skara Brae as Grooved Ware People and evidence of similar pottery has been found in other sites in Orkney such as Maeshowe. The Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae, near the dramatic white beach of the Bay of Skaill, is one of the best preserved groups of prehistoric houses in Western Europe. [21] At the front of each bed lie the stumps of stone pillars that may have supported a canopy of fur; another link with recent Hebridean style.[22]. A number of stones in the walls of the huts and alleys bear roughly scratched lozenge and similar rectilinear patterns. Archeologists estimate it was built and occupied between 3000BCE and 2500BCE, during what's called the ' Neolithic era ' or ' New Stone Age '. In his 11 February 1929 CE report to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland on the proceedings at Skara Brae, J. Wilson Paterson mentions the traditional story of the site being uncovered by a storm in 1850 CE and also mentions Mr. Watt as the landowner. Anna Ritchie strongly disagrees with catastrophic interpretations of the village's abandonment: A popular myth would have the village abandoned during a massive storm that threatened to bury it in sand instantly, but the truth is that its burial was gradual and that it had already been abandoned for what reason, no one can tell.[34]. Le groupe de monuments nolithiques des Orcades consiste en une grande tombe chambres funraires (Maes Howe), deux cercles de pierres crmoniels (les pierres dresses de Stenness et le cercle de Brogar) et un foyer de peuplement (Skara Brae), ainsi que dans un certain nombre de sites funraires, crmoniels et d'tablissement non encore fouills. It was discovered in 1850, after a heavy storm hit the Orkney Islands off the North coast of Scotland and stripped away the earth that had previously been hiding it from sight. The group of Neolithic monuments on Orkney consists of a large chambered tomb (Maes Howe), two ceremonial stone circles (the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar) and a settlement (Skara Brae), together with a number of unexcavated burial, ceremonial and settlement sites. [50], .mw-parser-output .citation{word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}^a It is one of four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Scotland, the others being the Old Town and New Town of Edinburgh; New Lanark in South Lanarkshire; and St Kilda in the Western Isles. In this same year, another gale force storm damaged the now excavated buildings and destroyed one of the stone houses. Historical Trips - Book your next historical adventure, 6 Secret Historic Gardens in the United Kingdom, Join Dan Snow for the Anniversary of the D-Day Landings, War of The Worlds: The Most Infamous Radio Broadcast in History, The King Revealed: 10 Fascinating Facts About Elvis Presley, 10 Facts About American Poet Robert Frost, Incredible Ancient Ruins for Historic Photography, 10 of the Best Prehistoric Sites to Visit in Scotland, 10 of the Best Historic Sites in the Orkney Islands, 10 of the Greatest Heroes of Greek Mythology. House 8 has no storage boxes or dresser and has been divided into something resembling small cubicles. Allemaal karakteristieke activiteiten voor een neolithische gemeenschap. Found on the Orkney Islands off the north of Scotland, Skara Brae is a one of Britain's most fascinating prehistoric villages. It was rediscovered in 1850 In the winter of 1850, a particularly severe storm battled Orkney, with the wind and high seas ripping the earth and grass from a high, sandy mound known as Skerrabra. Skara Brae / skr bre / is a stone-built Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland. Fighting in the Fog: Who Won the Battle of Barnet? The monuments are in two areas, some 6.6 km apart on the island of Mainland, the largest in the archipelago. Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon Brilliant Rivals, Hitler vs Stalin: The Battle for Stalingrad, How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Humanity, Hasdrubal Barca: How Hannibals Fight Against Rome Depended on His Brother, Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage, Bones in the Attic: The Forgotten Fallen of Waterloo, How Climate and the Natural World Have Shaped Civilisations Across Time, The Rise and Fall of Charles Ponzi: How a Pyramid Scheme Changed the Face of Finance Forever. Explore some of the most breathtaking and photogenic ancient ruins with this list. The ancient village of Skara Brae was originally occupied somewhere between 3,200 and 2,200 BCE by a stone-tool using population of Neolithic Scotland. In the winter of 1850 a great storm battered Orkney and the wind and high tides ripped the earth and grass from a large mound known as Skerrabra revealing underground structures. The long-term need to protect the key relationships between the monuments and their landscape settings and between the property and other related monuments is kept under review by the Steering Group. 1. Wild berries and herbs grew, and the folk of Skara Brae ate seabirds and their eggs. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Bones discovered at Skara Brae indicate that it was lived in by cattle and sheep farmers. Explore England, Scotland, and Wales Quiz, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Skara-Brae, Undiscovered Scotland - Skara Brae, Scotland, United Kingdom. Those who lived at Skara Brae also made stone and bone tools, clay pottery, buttons, needles, stone objects and pendants. [44] Skaill knives have been found throughout Orkney and Shetland. Whether any similar finds were made by William Watt or George Petrie in their excavations is not recorded. They lived by growing barley and wheat, with seed grains and bone mattocks used to break up the ground suggesting that they frequently worked the land. Visitors can experience a prehistoric village and see ancient . Skara Brae is an incredibly well-preserved Neolithic village in the Orkney Isles off the coast of mainland Scotland. New houses were built out of older buildings, and the oldest buildings, houses 9 and 10 show evidence of having had stone removed to be reused elsewhere in the settlement. [8] In the Bay of Skaill the storm stripped the earth from a large irregular knoll known as Skara Brae. Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0. [16][17][18][19], Seven of the houses have similar furniture, with the beds and dresser in the same places in each house. WebGL must be enable, Declaration of principles to promote international solidarity and cooperation to preserve World Heritage, Heritage Solutions for Sustainable Futures, Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, Central Africa World Heritage Forest Initiative (CAWHFI), Reducing Disasters Risks at World Heritage Properties, World Heritage and Sustainable Development, World Heritage Programme for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Initiative on Heritage of Religious Interest, World Heritage Committee Inscribes 48 New Sites on Heritage List. [9] The site remained undisturbed until 1913 when during a single weekend the site was plundered by a party with shovels who took away an unknown quantity of artifacts. What is Skara Brae? A protective seawall was built and Childes excavations uncovered more houses, which he believed to be Iron Age buildings around 3,000 years old. At some sites in Orkney, investigators have found a glassy, slag-like material called "kelp" or "cramp" which may be residual burnt seaweed. Skara Brae was the home of a Neolithic farming community. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. [28] Graham and Anna Ritchie cast doubt on this interpretation noting that there is no archaeological evidence for this claim,[29] although a Neolithic "low road" that goes from Skara Brae passes near both these sites and ends at the chambered tomb of Maeshowe. As ornaments the villagers wore pendants and coloured beads made of the marrow bones of sheep, the roots of cows teeth, the teeth of killer whales, and boars tusks. This period was marked by agriculture, permanent settlements, and iron technology for weapons and. From ancient standing stones to Stone Age furniture, discover the best prehistoric sites Scotland has to offer. In a 1967 CE article, Marwick cited one James Robertson who, in 1769 CE, recorded the site in a journal of his tour of Orkney and claimed to have found a skeleton with a sword in one hand and a Danish axe in the other (Orkeyjar, 2). [20] The discovery of beads and paint-pots in some of the smaller beds may support this interpretation. The bones found there indicate that the folk at Skara Brae were cattle and sheep farmers. According to Stewart, the 1867 CE excavations by Mr. Samuel Laing uncovered so many knives and scrapers that Laing thought he had discovered a manufactory of such articles (Stewart, 349). What Was the Atlantic Wall and When Was It Built? Skara Brae | Leading Public Body for Scotland's Historic Environment Skara Brae Sandwick, Orkney, KW16 3LR 01856 841815 Plan your visit Overview Prices and opening times Getting here Access History Plan your visit We recommend booking online in advance for the best price and to guarantee entry. It would appear that the necklace had fallen from the wearer while passing through the low doorway (Paterson, 228). Petrie extensively catalogued all the beads, stone tools and ornaments found at the site and listed neither swords nor Danish axes. Though much of the midden material was discarded during excavations in the 1920s, the remains of wood, rope, barley seeds, shells, bones and puffballs offer an insight into those who lived there. Given the number of homes, it seems likely that no more than fifty people lived in Skara Brae at any given time. One building in the settlement is not a house it stands apart and there are no beds or a dresser. The houses at Skara Brae were linked by roofed passageways. Six huts had been put artificially underground by banking around them midden consisting of sand and peat ash stiffened with refuse, and the alleys had become tunnels roofed with stone slabs. Visit a replica Neolithic house to see how its full . (Maes Howe), ( ) (Skara Brae) , . Stakeholders drawn from the tourist industry, local landowners and the archaeological community participate in Delivery Groups reporting to the Steering Group with responsibilities for access and interpretation, research and education, conservation and protection, and tourism and marketing. Skara Brae, Orkney, is a pre-historic village found on an island along the North coast of Scotland, situated on the white beach of the Bay of Skaill. Mark, published on 18 October 2012. "[15] A number of dwellings offered a small connected antechamber, offering access to a partially covered stone drain leading away from the village. Long before Stonehenge or even the Egyptian pyramids were built, Skara Brae was a thriving village. It is possible that the settlement had more houses which have now been lost to the sea. The Management Plan is a framework document, and sets out how the Partners will manage the property for the five years of the Plan period, together with longer-term aims and the Vision to protect, conserve, enhance and enjoy the property to support its Outstanding Universal Value. Skara Brae can be found on Mainland, the largest of the Orkney Islands which sit off the North coast of . In 1925 another storm damaged the previously excavated structures, and between 1928 and 1931, Gordon Childe, the first professor of Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, was brought in to preserve the site for the public. [4], The site was occupied from roughly 3180 BC to about 2500 BC and is Europe's most complete Neolithic village. Additional support may come from the recognition that stone boxes lie to the left of most doorways, forcing the person entering the house to turn to the right-hand, "male", side of the dwelling. Remarkably undiscovered until a freak storm in 1850, Skara Brae is one of the most famous Neolithic sites in Britain and arguably, the world drawing some 70,000 visitors a year who want to see the complex and stunningly well-preserved remains. Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! These have been strung together and form a necklace. Neolithic villages, standing stones, the northernmost cathedral in Europe and even Viking graffiti are just few of the historic sites on display in the Orkney Islands. Robin McKelvie in Orkney: Maeshowe and her lesser-known Orkney siblings, A quick guide to lovely beaches in Orkney, View more articles about the Orkney Islands, https://grouptours.northlinkferries.co.uk. Because there were no trees on the island, furniture had to be made of stone and thus also survived. [40], Nodules of haematite with highly polished surfaces have been found as well; the shiny surfaces suggest that the nodules were used to finish leather.[41]. [47], There is also a site currently under excavation at Links of Noltland on Westray that appears to have similarities to Skara Brae.[48]. The remains of choice meat joints were discovered in some of the beds, presumably forming part of the villagers' last supper. [13] Other possible fuels include driftwood and animal dung. 10 Historic Sites Associated with Anne Boleyn, Viking Sites in Scotland: 5 Areas with Nordic History, 10 Historic Sites You Should Not Miss in 2023, Historic Sites Associated with Mary Queen of Scots, 10 Places to Explore World War Twos History in England, 10 Historic Sites Associated with Elizabeth I, Military Bunker Museums You Can Visit in England, The Duke of Wellington: Where History Happened. The state of preservation of Skara Brae is unparalleled amongst Neolithic settlement sites in northern Europe. 04 Mar 2023. Please support World History Encyclopedia. History Hit brings you the stories that shaped the world through our award winning podcast network and an online history channel. Following a number of these other antiquarians at Skara Brae, W. Balfour Stewart further excavated the location in 1913 CE and, at this point, the site was visited by unknown parties who, apparently in one weekend, excavated furiously and are thought to have carried off many important artifacts. Mark, J. J. For other uses, see, Names in brackets have not been placed on the Tentative List, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, List of oldest buildings in the United Kingdom, "Skara Brae: The Discovery of the Village", "Provisional Report on the Excavations at Skara Brae, and on Finds from the 1927 and 1928 Campaigns. 2401 Skara Brae is a 2,125 square foot house on a 5,672 square foot lot with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. [35] Uncovered remains are known to exist immediately adjacent to the ancient monument in areas presently covered by fields, and others, of uncertain date, can be seen eroding out of the cliff edge a little to the south of the enclosed area. The site is open year round, with slightly shorter hours during the winter its rarely heaving, but outside of peak summer months youve every chance of having the site to yourself. [26] Fish bones and shells are common in the middens indicating that dwellers ate seafood. Hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and subscriber rewards. World Heritage partnerships for conservation. The theory that the people of Skara Brae waited by the shore for driftwood from North America seems untenable as, first, the village was not originally located by the sea and, second, since wood was so precious it seems unlikely it would have been burned. At that time, Skara Brae was much further from the sea and was surrounded by fertile land coastal erosion has led the beach to Skara Braes doorstep. First uncovered by a storm in 1850, Skara Brae remains a place of discovery today. A wooden handle discovered at the site provides evidence that wood was most likely used in making tools rather than as fuel. Chert fragments on the floor indicate that it was a workshop. The folk of Skara Brae made stone and bone tools, clay pottery, needles, buttons, pendants and mysterious stone objects. Each house had a door which could be secured by a wooden or whalebone bar for privacy. The Neolithic village known as Skara Brae was continuously occupied for about 300 to 400 years, before being abandoned around 2500 BC. Discoveries at the Ness of Brodgar show that ceremonies were performed for leaving buildings and that sometimes significant objects were left behind. Skara Brae is a remarkably well-preserved prehistoric village, built in the Neolithic period. While nothing in this report, nor evidence at the site, would seem to indicate a catastrophic storm driving away the inhabitants, Evan Hadingham in his popular work Circles and Standing Stones, suggests just that, writing, It was one such storm and a shifting sand dune that obliterated the village after an unknown period of occupation. Learning facts about Skara Brae in KS2 is an exciting way to practise skills relevant in History, English, Geography and Science. Thank you for your help! Here are 8 fascinating facts about Skara Brae. Book tickets The inhabitants of Skara Brae built their community on a dichotomy of community life and family privacy, as portrayed by the combination of closely built, homogenous homes compared with the strong doors behind which they conducted their private lives. Not only do we pay for our servers, but also for related services such as our content delivery network, Google Workspace, email, and much more. [37][38] Similar symbols have been found carved into stone lintels and bed posts. Skara Brae was occupied for 600 years, between 3100 and 2500 BC. When the village was abruptly deserted it consisted of seven or eight huts linked together by paved alleys. The beads mentioned by Paterson in no way provide support for such a scenario and the absence of human remains or any other evidence of a cataclysm suggests a different reason for the abandonment of the village. After 650 years of occupation, objects left at Skara Brae suggest that those living there left suddenly popular theory has it that they left due to a sandstorm. The guidebook is worth picking up if youre interested in the history of the site. Physical threats to the monuments include visitor footfall and coastal erosion. This fragile landscape is vulnerable to incremental change. [23] The presence of heat-damaged volcanic rocks and what appears to be a flue, support this interpretation. One group of beads and ornaments were found clustered together at the inner threshold of the very narrow doorway. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [32] Around 2500BC, after the climate changed, becoming much colder and wetter, the settlement may have been abandoned by its inhabitants. What Did People Wear in Medieval England? The period was known as the neolithic ers/ new stone age. Please note: Please be aware of any bike racks / roof racks that might affect the overall height of the vehicle. It is managed by Historic Environment Scotland, whose "Statement of Significance" for the site begins: The monuments at the heart of Neolithic Orkney and Skara Brae proclaim the triumphs of the human spirit in early ages and isolated places. Today the village is situated by the shore but when it was inhabited (c.3100-2500 BCE) it would have been further inland. J. Wilson Paterson, in his 1929 CE report, mentions beads among the artifacts uncovered. The pottery of the lower levels was adorned with incised as well as relief designs. Cite This Work Mark, Joshua J.. "Skara Brae." Weve compiled some fascinating facts about Skara Brae you may not know! Protections by other conservation instruments, the Stones of Stenness https://www.worldhistory.org/Skara_Brae/. [14], The dwellings contain a number of stone-built pieces of furniture, including cupboards, dressers, seats, and storage boxes. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Unusually, no Maeshowe-type tombs have been found on Rousay and although there are a large number of OrkneyCromarty chambered cairns, these were built by Unstan ware people. The Orkney Islands lie 15km north of the coast of Scotland. What Happened after the Romans Landed in Britain? Verder zijn er een aantal uitgegraven begrafenisplekken, ceremonile plaatsen en nederzettingen te vinden. One of the most remarkable places to visit in Orkney is the Stone Age village of Skara Brae. For example, author Rodney Castleden suggested that "colons" found punctuating vertical and diagonal symbols may represent separations between words. [12] These symbols, sometimes referred to as "runic writings", have been subjected to controversial translations. In fact, no weapons of any kind, other than Neolithic knives, have been found at the site and these, it is thought, were employed as tools in daily life rather than for any kind of warfare. The houses were linked by roofed passageways. A later excavation by David Clarke in the 1970s gathered more information and, using the new technique of radiocarbon dating, revealed Skara Brae to be 5,000 years old. Work was abandoned by Petrie shortly after 1868 CE but other interested parties continued to investigate the site. In plan and furniture these agreed precisely with the material found covering them. De groep neolithische monumenten op Orkney bestaat uit een grote grafkamer (Maes Howe), twee ceremonile steencirkels (de Stenen van Stenness en de Ring van Brodgar) en een nederzetting (Skara Brae). Conservation and maintenance programmes require detailed knowledge of the sites, and are managed and monitored by suitably experienced and qualified professionals. The site was farther from the sea than it is today, and it is possible that Skara Brae was built adjacent to a fresh water lagoon protected by dunes. Skara Brae was a Stone Age village built in Scotland around 3000 BC. They were sunk into mounds of pre-existing prehistoric domestic waste known as middens. Originally, Childe believed that the settlement dated from around 500BC. They probably dressed in skins. Knap of Howar, on the Orkney island of Papa Westray, is a well-preserved Neolithic farmstead. The provided details are not correct. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/Skara_Brae/. Exposed by a great storm in 1850, four buildings were excavated during the 1860s by William Watt. (FIRST REPORT. Lloyd Laing noted that this pattern accorded with Hebrides custom up to the early 20thcentury suggesting that the husband's bed was the larger and the wife's was the smaller. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. Skara Brae was inhabited between 3,200 and 2,500 BC, although it . source: UNESCO/ERI Criterion (ii): The Heart of Neolithic Orkney exhibits an important interchange of human values during the development of the architecture of major ceremonial complexes in the British Isles, Ireland and northwest Europe. Historic Scotland - Skara Brae Prehistoric Village Property Detail, Ancient Scotland - Skara Brae Neolithic Village, http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_048/48_344_355.pdf, http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_063/63_225_279.pdf, http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/skarabrae/. The 1972 excavations reached layers that had remained waterlogged and had preserved items that otherwise would have been destroyed. Web. Shetlander Laurie Goodlad spent three days travelling around Orkney. Skara Brae /skr bre/ is a stone-built Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland. Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in todays complex world, where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development, unsustainable tourism practices, neglect, natural calamities, pollution, political instability, and conflict. Corrections? Enter your e-mail address and forename and an e-mail, with your NorthLink Ferries ID and a link to reset your password, will be sent to you. Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information. Redirecting to https://kidadl.com/search/facts%20about%20skara%20brae. Submitted by Joshua J. Archaeologists made an estimation that it was built between 300BCE and 2500 BCE. During the summer, the entry ticket also covers entrance to the 17th century bishops mansion, Skaill House, which has a rather contrasting 1950s style interior. 2401 Skara Brae is a house currently priced at $425,000, which is 4.0% less than its original list price of 442500. Located in the Northern Isles of Scotland, Orkney is a remote and wild environment. [7], In the winter of 1850, a severe storm hit Scotland causing widespread damage and over 200 deaths. The folk of Skara Brae had access to haematite (to make fire and polish leather) which is only found on the island of Hoy. World History Encyclopedia. It is suggested that these chambers served as indoor privies. Updates? At the time that it was lived in, Skara Brae was far further from the sea and surrounded by fertile land. A theory popular for decades claims the site was buried in sand by a great storm which forced the populace to abandon their homes and flee quickly. Skara Brae. The four main monuments, consisting of the four substantial surviving standing stones of the elliptical Stones of Stenness and the surrounding ditch and bank of the henge, the thirty-six surviving stones of the circular Ring of Brodgar with the thirteen Neolithic and Bronze Age mounds that are found around it and the stone setting known as the Comet Stone, the large stone chambered tomb of Maeshowe, whose passage points close to midwinter sunset, and the sophisticated settlement of Skara Brae with its stone built houses connected by narrow roofed passages, together with the Barnhouse Stone and the Watch Stone, serve as a paradigm of the megalithic culture of north-western Europe that is unparalleled. It is a UNESCO World. Several of its ruins and artifacts are still visible today. [6] Visitors to the site are welcome during much of the year, although some areas and facilities were closed due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic during parts of 2020 and into 2021. The village consisted of several one-room dwellings, each a rectangle with rounded corners, entered through a low, narrow doorway that could be closed by a stone slab. During the 1970s radiocarbon dating established that the settlement was inhabited from about 3200 to 2200 bce. All of the houses were: well built of flat stone slabs; set into large mounds of midden Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) sits alongside the SHEP and is the Governments national planning policy on the historic environment. In addition to Skara Brae the site includes Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness and other nearby sites.