By Bernie Bell
Orkney has more than its fair share of brochs (aka Iron Age Roundhouses). Some are in a fine state of repair, some, just grassy mounds in the landscape.
‘The Orkney News’, has previously presented a selection of these, in a series entitled ‘Name That Broch’ https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/10/30/name-that-broch-the-answers/, and has also covered the previous Brochtoberfests held in Orkney https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/10/22/brochtoberfest/
Brochtoberfest! 2019 will soon be upon us, and I thought I’d present the reader with a different angle on brochs, or, brochs, from a different angle – that being – from above!
Bobby Friel has taken some fine aerial views of The Cairns broch, South Ronaldsay https://theorkneynews.scot/?s=The+Cairns, and, with Lindsay Kemp’s over view of the Iron Age Roundhouse at the Swandro dig on Rousay www.swandro.co.uk , these help us to see the interesting, and appealing, shapes and curves involved in the building of these impressive structures.
These images of The Cairns, ‘lifted’, with the kind permission of Martin Carruthers, from the UHI Archaeology Dept. blog https://archaeologyorkney.com/ show what I mean………….
Digging done, recording done, covered up for another season, The Cairns, sleeps……….
Here we have a pearl of an image, by Lindsey Kemp, of the Iron Age Roundhouse, Swandro, ‘lifted’, with the permission, and assistance, of Caz Mamwell, from the Swandro Newsletter – a good way to keep up with what’s happening, outside the digging season…. https://www.swandro.co.uk/newsletter
And there’s a late addition……….the dig at Swartigill in Caitness https://archaeologyorkney.com/2019/09/05/swartigill-dig-week-three/, has un-earthed a structure which the archaeologists are referring to as a ‘roundhouse’, so, I’ll stick my neck out, and include it in the aerial views of Brochs and Iron Age Roundhouses! Again, a beautifully clear image by Bobby Friel.
BROCHTOBERFEST! – Orkney Archaeology Society’s celebration of all things Broch and Iron Age, this year takes place in Kirkwall, Orkney, on the weekend of October 19th/20th
Check the OAS website https://orkneyarchaeologysociety.org.uk/ or Facebook https://en-gb.facebook.com/OrkneyArchaeologySociety/ for further details.
October – ‘tis the season to be Brochy!