Stone age archaeology in Orkney is found mostly on the Mainland, with the most famous sites being the Ring of Brodgar at Stenness and the village of Skara Brae at Skaill (see www.visitorkney.com for more information).

At the most Westernly point of Hoy, Rora Head, where we walked on our way back from the Old Man of Hoy, there are a number of small mounds, now used as Bonxie nesting sites, which some have suggested are stone age burial sites, although it is perhaps more likely that these are the burial places of 18th century villagers of Rackwick.  The most Southern point of Hoy also shows signs of Stone Age habitation, with a chambered cairn and burnt mound.  These places were good for habitation in the Stone Age because they are low lying, with shelter from surrounding cliffs or other islands. Both the sea and farmland would have provided sustenance for those living in the Rackwick and Brims areas.

The Dwarfie Stane (OS 7 244004) is one of Orkney's most famous neolithic landmarks and one of the most visited sites on Hoy.

There are many theories about the Dwarfie Stane and how it was used.  The name itself comes from Old Norse, Dvargasteinn relating to the viking belief that Dwarves lived in boulders or underground caverns although the leading argument at this time is that this hollowed out stone was used as a burial chamber around 3000BC.  There is a double pillow carved out within one of the two hollows, and this luxury on top of the great achievement of hollowing out the stone, would signify that the person or persons interred within were of some great significance in their community.  Although there are signs that people visited the stone from the 1700's onwards, there has been no record of remains being found in the "tomb" and some people have suggested that the smaller stone on the site which is being called the closing stone" would never have been able to fit the door space of the main stone.  More on the Dwarfie Stane can be found in the Viking history section of this website, although it is probably better to imagine your own conclusions about what it was used for!

Iron Age sites are also prevalent across Orkney, with the most common being Brochs, or defensive stone fortresses.  On the second day of our exploration, after we had visited the Dwarfie Stane, we spent some time on the beach at the Bay of Quoys near to our campsite.  To the east of this bay and our campsite, the remains of such an Iron Age Broch could be seen (OS 7 252029) although could not be reached around the cliffs of the coast.  There is also a large ruined Broch at Braebister close to St. John's Head on Hoy, but this was again not part of our exploration. 

The pictures below show interior and exterior views of a similar Broch on Mainland at Gurness

Although this Broch has been in ruins for many years it can still be seen that the building was in a circular shape and that it rose to a rounded top which sealed the building from the air.  The walls were thick and insulated by a space between the inner and outer sections.  People could move about in this space and use window spaces to look out for attackers or attack them from a safe position.  Brochs are often found on the coast as the first line of defence against sea-borne attacks, and were often in line of sight with other brochs or main buildings so that they could light fire beacons to warn of approaching enemies.  Broch, comes from an Old Norse word, Borg meaning castle so it is clear that the Vikings were aware of these settlements if they did not live in them.  The Broch on the South end of Hoy at Brims is in view of a similar Broch at Osmundwall on South Walls, which would not have been joined to Hoy at that time.  It is interesting that the Broch on the North end of the island, at Quoys is not in line of sight of this Broch, or indeed any others.  It can however, be seen from the Earl's Bu site at Orphir on Mainland, where it was said that Earl Harald of Orkney lived.  This brings us to the next era I investigated, the Viking time in Orkney.