Ness of Brodgar

5,000 years ago Orkney was the centre of the universe.

The dig at the Ness of Brodgar is uncovering a large series of buildings thought to be only part of a massive temple site. The structures and finds are throwing up evidence that the neolithic culture which has left the landscape of what we now know as the british isles littered with standing stones and stone circles, may have spread throughout the islands from this point.

Finds are pointing towards a culture that used paint and pattern to great effect. Pots of pigment and tools for grinding have been found placed carefully in the structures. Walls appear to have been brightly coloured and patterned, leading some to speculate as to whether the standing stones themselves may have been brightly painted too.

The stone in the foreground of the pic is a 'saddle quern'. Commonly found in the archaeological sites, these were used for grinding grain. This one however, excavated only last week, is carved to an incredibly high standard for such a utilitarian object and seems to have been used for grinding fine pigments.

Great to see the excavations progress each year and evidence appearing to challenge what we think we know about people who weren't really that different to ourselves.