Mystery over carved face Orkney beach find

The face still has traces of what appear to be paint on it

A carved stone face has been discovered on a beach in Orkney.

The find at Aikerness and another unfinished carving found nearby were reported by Kerry Leitch from the nearby village of Evie on the Orkney mainland.

Ms Leitch found the carvings while walking her dog on the beach.

A social media appeal through the Orkney Beachcombing Facebook page has yet to find a definitive explanation, although the work appears to be local.

Kerry Leitch admits she has little to go on: "I found a stone face. That's all I really know so far.

"It's a statue by the looks of it."

The incomplete carving was found close to the waterline

The head has traces of paint on it. It has been suggested that the work is similar to carved human heads found in South America.

"It's red sandstone and it's got like leftover paint on it and barnacles and seaweed," Ms Leitch said.

"But it's pretty much just a face with rays coming from the back of it."

Although the head was in a position where it would be covered at high tide, it appeared to be too heavy to travel far in the water.

Kerry Leitch found the carvings while dog-walking

This may not be the first such discovery near Evie, according to Ms Leitch.

She said: "A lady has spoken to me. She says she found a bit here a couple of years ago, a similar sandstone and it was carved as well.

"She was wondering if maybe a sculptor has dumped it here, not wanted it and put it back into the sea to get washed away."

The most promising line of inquiry so far appears to be that the face may have been carved locally.

"Someone mentioned that there used to be an artist lived near here," Ms Leitch added.

"So it was maybe her. But I don't know. I'm clueless."

An appeal has been put out on social media for information about the finds