By Bernie Bell

Readers of ‘The Orkney News’ may remember ‘Name That Broch’  https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/10/30/name-that-broch-the-answers/

On Saturday 20^th October, there was a different kind of Brochfest in the St. Magnus Centre, Kirkwall.  The first Brochtoberfest was held two years ago, in the St. Magnus Centre, where we were introduced to the Caithness Broch Project   http://www.thebrochproject.co.uk/ , and, among other things, given a talk by a man who is a builder ( sorry – can’t remember his name!) about how the brochs were actually constructed.  I saw that  being worth any number of conjectures by academics. This man knows how a stone structure needs to be put together to ‘work’, and he can recognize the methods which were employed in constructions from the past.  I’m not knocking the academics!  Where would we be without them?  I’d long wondered why the Mousa Broch on Shetland  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broch_of_Mousa has those lines of regular gaps all the way up its interior. So, I took the opportunity to ask Martin Carruthers (Brochman Extraordinaire), who explained that those gaps, with long slabs above and below them, help with load-bearing in the walls, and so, made for a stronger structure. Martin also mentioned that some objects/artefacts were found in those spaces.  Were these ‘special’ objects, placed to strengthen the broch spiritually, as the gaps strengthened it physically?

Life is for learning, and I learnt things at the first Brochoberfest.

The second Brochtoberfest, last year, was held in Caithness. We couldn’t go to this, as I have problems travelling. I can travel, but slowly, and, there and back in a day, with a whole day of interesting events in the middle – I couldn’t  manage it. I can quote from the Caithness Broch Project’s write up of their achievements in 2017   http://www.thenational.scot/news/15816552.2017-was-an-exciting-year-for-the-caithness-broch-project/             ………..

“We decided to go out with a flourish and organise a number of events (including the ‘Caithness Broch Festival’ excavations) in October. Our month of activities kicked off with a Highland Council Ranger-guided walked across Westerdale, which features surely one of the highest concentrations of brochs anywhere in Scotland. Following on from last year’s ‘Brochtoberfest’ in Orkney, we decided to cap off a fantastic year by organising a day of academic and archaeological guest speakers, hailing from all over Scotland – and even one from Bradford – to talk about brochs at Caithness Horizons, on the 21st October. The day was a sell-out and so it was great to see such an interest in the academic research into the brochs of Scotland.”

This year, the Brochtoberfest returned to Orkney, to the St. Magnus Centre, and I was very pleased to see this, as it meant I could go along this time.

The Brochtoberfest in Orkney, is hosted by the Orkney Archaeology Society, with a lot of input from UHI ( The University of the Highlands and Islands), and , of course, The Caithness Broch Project.  On arrival, we encountered OAS members  ‘manning’ a table offering various OAS publications and bits & pieces, and also – as always on Orkney – a raffle!

We were given a list of the talks which would be taking place through the afternoon, in one of the rooms in the Centre

And which you can watch on the Orkney News Facebook page where Fiona has  livestreamed them.

We headed off into the main hall, where there was much of interest pertaining to brochs, UHI courses  https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/archaeology-institute/ , various excavations, and a sand pit for the children!

For actual, real, archaeological artifacts, there was a row of display cases containing finds from The Cairns dig   https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/07/03/bernie-bell-the-cairns-the-story-of-a-broch/      which takes place each year on South Ronaldsay, in Orkney. These displays included the every intriguing large whale bone which was found,, containing a human jaw bone, at the Cairns a few years ago

Also on display were some spindle whorls from The Cairns, including one which has its central hole off-centre

spindle whorls from The Cairns Broch Excavation Credit: B Bell

spindle whorl The Cairns Image credit B Bell

Amber, who has recently completed her Masters dissertation on textiles in the Iron Age, at UHI, explained that …the whorl with the off-centre hole, wouldn’t have worked right – it would ‘wobble’ as you tried to spin, so, it was probably discarded.  I asked was it found in the rubbish heap for the broch, but Amber explained that it was found in the foundations of a building, and that ‘perfect’ whorls are also sometimes found in foundation deposits, too.  Spinning – mattered.  This could be one of those examples of when everyday objects are of such importance in the lives of the people, that they took on a ‘ritual’ significance, and were placed carefully to add to the ‘strength’ of the new structure. They were magicy people!

Amber also showed us how to spin, Iron Age style.

There was a fine selection of books on offer, to suit all ages and tastes, supplied by The Orcadian Bookshop, and the shop at Skaill House. Here’s  OAS member, Julie, promoting the Ness of Brodgar booklet

There was even Lego broch building for the children. Or, not necessarily for children!

If you have Lego at home, you could have a go at building a broch, with or without the ’Mousa Gaps’.

There were displays showing work at different archaeological sites, and how these can link together, even across the world.  Orkney isn’t the only place where ancient peoples raised improbably large stones – much work has been done by UHI archaeologist on Rapa Nui ( or, Easter Island, as it was known for a long time)

I particularly like this image by Adam Stanford

and the explanation………………….

“Massive Pukas (top knot) at Puna Pou, decorated with canoes and other designs and later hollowed out for use as a shepherd’s shelter.”

And I’ll finish with the Westray Wifie, as everyone likes the Westray Wifie

So far, the Brochtoberfests have alternated between Orkney and Caithness. If this is the general plan, I’m not likely to manage to go to next year’s either, and I’ll be sorry to miss it, as it really is a good way to spend an afternoon – varied, much of interest, folk to talk with about matters archaeological in general, and brochy in particular. Probably the best way to know what’s going on is ….to join the Orkney Archaeology Society!  https://orkneyarchaeologysociety.org.uk/ or, check out the OAS Facebook page.

October – ‘Tis the season to get Brochy!