Orkney Neolithic project to carry out final digs

An aerial image showing Ness of Brodgar's ancient settlement

An archaeology project is to make its final excavation of a 5,000-year-old Neolithic site in Orkney next year.

The complex of buildings at Ness of Brodgar was discovered in 2003, and a series of important finds have been made since.

They have included human bone, artwork, pottery and stone tools.

Archaeologists also found proof Neolithic people were using paint to decorate their buildings as well as using stone as roofing material.

The final dig in the project involving Ness of Brodgar Trust, in partnership with the UHI Archaeology Institute, is to take place in 2024.

When excavations end the site will be covered over and returned to being a green field – left for future generations of archaeologists.

'Exciting phase'

Nick Card, excavation director and trust chairman, said: “Although fieldwork could continue for decades, we feel we have reached the logical place to pause as work on the major structures uncovered so far will be completed.

“We’re now moving into an exciting new phase of intensive work focusing on the scientific analysis of all the excavated material.

"The results, along with those from the environmental samples, will help unpick the story of the people who built, used, and ultimately abandoned the Ness in the centuries around 2,500BC."

Ness of Brodgar is near the Ring of Brodgar stone circle and forms part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site.