Skara Brae

Skara Brae is one of the best-preserved Neolithic settlements in Europe. It sits on the west coast of Mainland Orkney, overlooking Skaill Bay. People lived there from about 3100 to 2500 BC, making the village older than both Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The site was discovered in 1850 after a storm swept away the sand dunes that had hidden the stone houses for thousands of years.

Today, eight connected homes remain. They are linked by low, covered passageways and still retain many original features, such as stone beds, shelves, and a central hearth in each house.

Skara Brae is part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with other monuments like Maeshowe and the Ring of Brodgar. The houses were built from local sandstone and set in a mound of waste material to help keep them warm.

This shows that people living there over 5,000 years ago planned their community carefully. Items found at the site, such as carved stone balls, tools, and decorated pottery, help us understand what daily life, work, and society were like in prehistoric Scotland.

Skara Brae is an important part of Orkney’s and Scotland’s ancient history and is cared for by Historic Environment Scotland.