A delightful bit of archeological history.
[quote]Footsteps from the past: the ancient village of Skara Brae
CAROLINE WICKHAM-JONES
SCOTLAND’s towns and settlements are proud of their roots, but few can boast the antiquity of Skara Brae on the Orkney Islands.
Originally built around 3100BC to house a small group of Neolithic farming families, the abandoned houses with their stone dressers, beds and hearths provide a remarkable glimpse of a lifestyle that has long disappeared.
Of course the village developed slowly, as any village today, but Skara Brae is notable for the quality of its remains. The historic site still provides a powerful message, even for the 21st century visitor used to home comforts which the early Orcadians never knew.
A close-up look inside a house offers stunning detail.
Picture: Sigurd Towrie
Skara Brae today comprises eight well-preserved houses, with the remains of others below and around them; all but one are inter-connected by passages with stone roofs which must have provided much-needed shelter in the harsh Orcadian winters. The buildings are sub-circular, skilfully constructed using local stone, and there is considerable uniformity in their design. Each contains a single room with central hearth, a dresser opposite the low doorway and a bed to either side. Small cells were built into the walls, some of which provided storage while others have interconnected drains and may indicate early internal plumbing. Smaller fittings include stone seats and watertight tanks to keep shellfish and fish.b[/b]
heritage.scotsman.com/places.cfm?id=2073772005[/quote]
If you have an interest in Scottish history this is a good web site:
electricscotland.com/history … /chap1.htm
