Scottish Blog

Skara Brae is an ancient Neolithic settlement that was preserved in Scotland.

Skara Brae is a glimpse into the past of Scotland. Much like the symbols on our clan Scottish jewelry, Skara Brae can remind us of the past from which modern day Scots are descendant.

Skara Brae was a small beach site in Orkney, Scotland. It is estimated that it was settled by humans in 3100BC and abandoned in 2500BC. Further it is believed that the site of Skara Brae was inhabited and abandoned a further 6 times. Since every occupation of the site was built over the previous foundations and houses, it is hard to determine the dates of the inhabitations. Because of this method of construction, there is nothing left on the site but the remains of the last inhabitants.

The Skara Brae site and the constructions of its last inhabitants are currently the most complete and best preserved Neolithic site in all of Europe. The quality displayed there has awarded it a UNESCO World Heritage Site status. In affect this means that it is now a partial responsibility of the international community to help preserve the Skara Brae site for future generations. This status has also raised awareness of the site to popular culture, with a number of bands being named Skara Brae and it also appearing in works of fiction especially those of a fantasy theme.

The first tangible signs of Skara Brae became seen in 1850, when strong winds and harsh weather stripped away the sand and grass that was covering the site. In 1924, the remaining cover was also removed by similarly strong weather. In 1928 a project was started by Vara Gordon Childe, it was completed in 1930.

The team discovered the completeness of the Skara Brae site and the immaculate condition in which it had been miraculously preserved.

Further amazing things about Skara Brae besides its condition were the relative comfort which the site afforded its residence. It is believed that no more than 100 people lived there at one time, spread over eight small dwellings. Each “house” featured multiple rooms, stone furniture like tables and shelves and a primitive form of a toilet. In fact the whole site featured an early sewer system in its planning. There also seems to be a building devoted to the construction of tools and building material, much akin to a modern day “tool shed”.