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The Ness of Brodgar 2022

by Bernie Bell - 17:10 on 26 July 2022

The Ness of Brodgar 2022

I’ve written of the dig at the Ness of Brodgar many times before…… https://theorkneynews.scot/page/2/?s=Ness+of+Brodgar+Bernie+Bell and now I’ll take you for a walk around this year’s excavation…..

We arrived, and turned to our left to Trench J….

…where, on Monday a very happy digger found this…… https://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/dig-diary-curvilinear-decoration-in-structure-five-and-a-structure-twenty-seven-revelation/….which caused some raised eyebrows – geddit?

Then to the central area of the site, some of which is still under tyres - this is Orkney and dockens get everywhere

It can be hard to picture what the structures looked like when first built, and this illustration helps to give some idea of the general internal ‘lay out’of Structure Eight which was....impressive…..

https://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/about/the-structures/structure eight/#:~:text=Structure%20Eight%20was%20the%20first,deposits%20in%20the%20northern%20end.

I mentioned triangular stones here….. http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=15833 , and now the first large carved triangle that was found has returned from the British Museum Exhibition in London and was on display at the Ness next to the more recently discovered triangle…..

Individual images show the ‘pecking’ more clearly…..

Walking round by Structure 12 and down-hill to Trench T …

With its spladongas….. https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/12/11/jeanne-jim-confusabear-in-a-good-way/

….and intriguingly placed orthostats….

Then, we had intended to eat our sandwiches at one of the picnic benches by the shop and feel that we were having lunch with the people of the Ness, much as I felt when we had a cuppa tea sitting by Nether Largie South cairn in Kilmartin Glen. https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/10/02/bernie-bell-bernie-mikes-road-trip-spring-2017-4/ - taking tea with my Irish relations.

But - I’m pleased to say that the area around the shop was busy…….potential funds for the dig – and just as important – for follow-up work when the diggin’s done ……so, after posting a donation in the big red barrel, we got back in the car and went to Lochside Viewpoint for a picnic – which seemed fitting….. https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/11/16/lochside-viewpoint-exactly-what-it-says-it-is/ And from where we could see the Ness across the water…

And in the vegetation by the board-walk - an Emperor Moth Caterpillar - another bit of LIFE….

Then home, and raising a glass to the Ness and the People of the Ness, past and present.

******************************************************************

PS....look what they've just found in Structure Eight........

https://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/dig-diary-suspected-human-bone-in-structure-eight-and-another-maybe-not-new-incised-stone/

PPS...if anyone is wondering what an Emperor Moth looks like - last summer this was by the track near where we live...

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