What's up at Orkney

[back to earth]

Stennes

Then out along the isthmus ...

Ring of Brodgar.

To ...

and Skara Brae

All seeming to be part of a complex (with remains of 600 cattle slaughtered, that appears to have been done at the same time for a giant feast ) linked together

At a time that predates the Great Pyramids and Stonehenge ( some say things seem to have spread from this site south into the mainland, and Stonehenge is a latter development.

IT seems like the very tip of western Europe, the last bastion ? The sites are in a huge bowl, surrounded by hills and mountains in a giant ring, the central portion is surrounded by water, like an island with a drawbridge in and out. They dont think it is military or fortifications. It seems a place, a sacred place that was at the end of ... or at the top of, the 'world' . A type of 'mystical Avalon ' .

The size of the feast seems to indicate similar conclusions about people and lifestyles 'pre-agriculture' , as in Gobekli Tepe ?

And then it all got filled in by people of that ... at a massive expense of labour and effort and abandoned ... again like Gobleki Tepe.

? ? ? ? ?

Is anyone up on the latest ideas about this, or know good sources ?

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

IIRC there is a line (yes, stop rolling your eyes at the back, I saw you) of sites from the Orkney a Islands to Stonehnge.

[Mark One]

Id love to visit Orkney for a holiday, it looks so wonderful.

[Hanslune]

Its a great place but don't go in the winter - late spring and late summer - September October are best to avoid the hordes of Europeans - don't go in the summer months limited infrastructure and too many tourist but glorious weather.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Is anyone up on the latest ideas about this, or know good sources ?

Phil Copens did some work on the megalithic sites of Britain in "Lost Civilisation" and Peter Ackroyd touched on them in the opening chapters of "Foundation".

[She-ra]

I don't know anything about this place but it looks really cool. I'd love to visit for sure Thanks for this. Beautiful!

[Kenemet]

Hadn't heard of Stenness before - here's Wikipedia on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_Stones_of_Stenness

And it's a world heritage site (cool!) http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertydetail.htm?PropID=PL_280

5400 years old, so.... 3600 BC? About the time of the height of the pre-dynastic culture groups in Egypt.

[Podo]

I've not heard of this place, but it looks phenomenal. Even more reason for me to hop the pond and make it to Europe.

[Swede]

Is anyone up on the latest ideas about this, or know good sources ?

Your present focus is admittedly rather out of my realm of expertise. However, the following lay-oriented references will hopefully provide you with a bit of background and resources to utilize for follow-up research. More technical references can be sourced.

http://www.orkneyarc...d-social-events

http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/

http://www.historic-...genda-part1.pdf

Edit: Punctuation.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Swede

[back to earth]

Hadn't heard of Stenness before

Unusual 'stones' there !

Aha ! Thats how they did it ... (that is one fearsome butt ! )

(Edit : Doh! It did it again ... click on 'quote' to see pic )

.... thanks for the refs you guys

Edited May 22, 2015 by back to earth

[back to earth]

....

(ooops)

Edited May 22, 2015 by back to earth

[Emma_Acid]

Id love to visit Orkney for a holiday, it looks so wonderful.

It's pretty cool actually.

[back to earth]

The Dwarfie Stane