Wednesday 20 June 2012

Orkneys -- Skara Brae Neolithic site


Before we moved to the England my husband and I had read about this amazing discovery and vowed to visit it one day.  It lived up to our expectations and was an amazing place to see.  Here at Skara Brae, a 5000-year old site, there are stone houses with stone furniture.  A few years ago visitor could walk in amongst the ruins but damage was being done to the site so they built a replica of the site to allow visitors to experience life in those times.
Visiting the museum and learning about the people that lived here

the replica of the house

Entrance way-- the house were built with tunnels leading to other homes.

The kids found a nook they could hid in, inside the stone house.  It was probably used as a storage area

stone bed, all the houses found in this area were laid out the same way, stone beds to the side, stone dresser directly across from the doorway, fireplace in the center


Stone hearth and dresser

Next we walked to the real site.

Village map; they believe this site may have been home to at least 10 families or more.

We were able to walk around the top of the site 

Inside of the houses, see the stone shelving

All the homes were arranged in the same way center hearth and dresser with stone beds on either side

The work room



















Pretty amazing to know this has been here for 5000 years.  This site was buried under sand for many, many years before a large storm blew away the sand and the owner of the land, while walking his dog, discovered the site.

11 comments:

  1. Wow! That is too cool! I wish i had their stone-working skills! I need to build a stone path and redo our patio, so I am actually serious about that. I doubt anything I build will last 5000 years.

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  2. I've always wanted to go to Skara Brea.

    When I was in primary school we did a project on it. There was a novel the project was based around called Boy With the Bronze Axe. Might be interesting for your kids to read having been there.

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    1. funny you mentioned that, we bought the book while we were there and plan on reading it to the kids soon:)

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  3. What an amazing trip!!! I would love to see my kids flop down on that furniture! I think it may actually hold up to them! Move over Better Homes and Gardens!!

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    1. My husband referred to it as Fred Flintstone's house:)

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  4. Oh, so lucky!! We have always wanted to visit there!! My dh is really envious of you right now!!

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    1. I hope you can get there one day, we spent a week there and there was so much to see and do, we ran out of time:(

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  5. Wow, so fascinating; what an adventure again. Amazing layout of the dwellings with stone beds. What an experience you are all having. Loved this one!

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  6. Absolutely awesome. May I please be homeschooled with you? Oh, oh, I mean...may my children be homeschooled by you! ;)
    Love and God Bless NOBH friend!
    Christy

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  7. That looks like an awesome place to visit!

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  8. Amazing! We read a book about Skara Brea a few years ago and I thought it was fascinating! I'll have to add to my places to visit when I get to England someday!

    Becca

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