The best preserved Neolithic settlement in Europe: the ruins show how to set up 5,000 years ago. In 1850, a storm cleared the eight houses that had been blown away by the sand.

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Gerald Friedrich

May 7, 2025

Very well preserved houses from the Stone Age, an original manor house, black cattle, the sea and lush green of a barren landscape.

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Xray2307

March 20, 2017

Skara Brae is a Neolithic settlement, which lies directly on the west coast of the main island Mainland on the Orkney Islands. It is based on the period between 3,100 and 2,500 BC. Dated.
Skara Brae is considered the best preserved Neolithic settlement in Europe. The shape of their eight houses is also known from the localities Rinyo and Barnhouse. The houses are built of stone, since wood (the normal building material of the Neolithic period) was rare on the Orkneys.
After a massive storm that had over 200 deaths in 1850, some buildings were discovered under a dune. Initially, quite amateurish investigations began on four houses, but were set in 1868. Further investigations took place in the years between 1928 and 1930. An age determination according to the radiocarbon method was carried out in the early 1970s. In 1999, Skara Brae was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

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Elevation 10 m

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Today

Tuesday 23 December

9°C

7°C

52 %

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Max wind speed: 30.0 km/h

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Location: Harray And Sandwick, Orkney islands, Scotland, United Kingdom

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1. Skara Brae Neolithic Village – Skaill House loop from Dounby

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