I never thought I’d be writing that! Excavations at the Ness of Brodgar were thought to have ended with the digging season of 2024.
Then Time Team stepped in and did Ground Penetrating Radar which appeared to show something extra-ordinary.
The People of the Ness kept their cards close to their chests (pun totally intended), and revealed nothing but the fact that there would be a limited short term dig in July 2026.
Then, two days before the site opened to the public
A circular shape! I never thought I’d be writing that either, as circles are not a feature of The Ness – rectangles and rectangles with rounded corners, but no circles.
Also, this feature is outside the Great Wall. Trench T indicated how far South the site extended, Trench TT indicates how far North the site extended – what might be under the nearby houses?
On Tuesday morning I checked the Dig Diary for Monday, and read that
“Based on today’s work across the trench, it wasn’t circular but sub‑rectangular with rounded corners.”
Curiosity now thoroughly whetted, we had to go and see for ourselves.
As the dig is where the car park used to be there’s limited parking space, so we parked in the Ring of Brodgar car park, skirted the Ring, past the Comet Stone, along by Harray Loch, and found ourselves looking at a very different scene to what we’ve been seeing for the last couple of decades. Instead of a huge area with lots of stonework and diggers, there’s a relatively small space with a few diggers containing the mystery structure.
One of the diggers showing loyalty to Time Team
While we were there some pottery was discovered in the central hearth, which drew the attention of Site Director Nick Card, Time Team’s John Gater, and a film crew!
Was this structure contemporary with the other structures? Earlier? Later?
That’s what the excavators hope to be able to find out when they decipher this latest part of the puzzle that is The Ness of Brodgar.
There are information boards to give some idea of the extent of the previous dig
Donations are still much needed for post-excavation work
After the ‘last‘ dig in 2024 I wrote about art-works produced by Jeanne Bouza-Rose, depicting some of the People of the Ness of that year
Small giclee copies of some of these were displayed recently in Northlight Gallery, Stromness
and are available to buy from the shop-in-a-tent at The Ness, and from 59 Victoria Street, Stromness.
Jeanne herself was there, painting by the trench
catching the diggers at work again
The dig will be open to the public until Thursday, July 30, 2026 – weekdays only, from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
There are two free, un-ticketed guided tours every working day, starting at 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM.
And finally….a sign I very much approve of!
PS
I just picked up Tuesday’s Dig Diary…a nice bit o’ flint
And…a drain. Drains…….matter….
Thoughts about the drain, discovered at The Ness
It’s not just Sky-stones,
Carved Balls,
Painted Walls.
It’s the basics of life.
Making, Breaking.
The fragments which can say so much,
To those who pay attention.
Butchery – How?
Placement – Why?
Careful noting of the smallest detail,
Builds the picture.
The beauty matters.
Beauty, simply, does.
“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or
believe to be beautiful.”
The principle works down the ages.
Beauty, mystery, and…..practicality.
LIFE.
BB August 2015