Skara Brae

Today was mostly just raining, blustery weather, so we had a quiet lazy morning, and then in the afternoon it brightened up briefly, and we were really lucky to actually have some sun when we went over to Skara Brae, which is less than a mile from where we are staying. We can see it out our front window!

Skara Brae is amazing. It is the oldest (discovered) intact village in Europe. It was occupied for about 700 years between 3200 and 2500 BC (so about 5000 years ago). There are eight stone houses along a central passage "street" and a village workshop. It was discovered in the 1850s by accident. This site has a good explanation. Because it had been covered by sand for 4000 years, the houses were incredibly well preserved, including things like pottery, tools, remains of food, and other things. There's a small museum and a reconstructed house.

It's astonishing that the stone furniture (beds, hearths, shelves, etc.) is exactly like it was left all those thousands of years ago.  It would have been completely roofed over with corbelled stone and overlaying turf. The lower walls are what remain.

Gill was here 30 years ago or more, and at that time, there was no development at all, and she just wandered in and out of the houses. Now it has a steady stream of tourists and very carefully guarded paths to keep to. 

The first extra is the nearby manor house where the local Laird lived who discovered it in the 1850s. The 2nd extra shows how close it is to the ever encroaching sea.