Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Brodgar Farm

Carved Stone (Early Bronze Age), Cist(S) (Early Bronze Age), Inhumation(S) (Early Bronze Age), Rune Inscribed Stone (Norse)

Site Name Brodgar Farm

Classification Carved Stone (Early Bronze Age), Cist(S) (Early Bronze Age), Inhumation(S) (Early Bronze Age), Rune Inscribed Stone (Norse)

Alternative Name(s) House Of Brogar

Canmore ID 2111

Site Number HY31SW 25

NGR HY 302 129

NGR Description HY c. 302 129

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/2111

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

Toggle Aerial | View on large map

Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Orkney Islands
  • Parish Stenness
  • Former Region Orkney Islands Area
  • Former District Orkney
  • Former County Orkney

Early Medieval Carved Stones Project

Ness of Brodgar, Orkney, runic inscription fragment

Measurements: L 0.41m, W 0.15m, H 0.10m

Stone type: sandstone

Place of discovery: HY c 302 129

Present location: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh (X.IB.211).

Evidence for discovery: found reused in a field wall on Brodgar Farm in or before 1927 when it was presented to NMAS.

Present condition: broken and worn.

Description

This irregular fragment bears incised twig runes but the inscription is difficult to interpret.

Date: uncertain.

References: Barnes & Page 2006, OR 7, 172-4.

Compiled by A Ritchie 2017

Archaeology Notes

HY31SW 25 c. 302 129.

Six short cists and a sculptured stone were found in February 1925 in the field immediately to the SE of the house of Brogar, on Brodgar farm. Five of the cists, including three joined end-to-end and separated only by single slabs, and one 6 ins square and 1 ft deep, were found during ploughing, about 6 ins below the surface. Three of the larger cists each contained unburnt bones and waterworn stone.

'Outside, but overlapping the E. ends of the two large cists in the centre, was a flat stone of triangular shape, 2 ft 6 ins in length along the front, tapering to 2 3/4 ins at the back, and 3 3/4 ins thick, on the longest side of which were eight bands of chevrons, lozenges, and oblique lines, resembling some of the designs on Bronze Age pottery. This last stone is now in the National Museum.' (J G Marwick 1926; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1928; H Marwick 1925). A saddle-quern is also said to have been found. (Accession no. of Stone - IA 44)

A sixth cist was later found, five ft beneath the others, containing only reddish ashes. 'Many stones had to be removed before it was reached.'

H Marwick 1925; J G Marwick 1926; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1928; RCAHMS 1946.

The present farmer at Brodgar could only verify the siting to the field centred at HY 302 129.

No further information.

Visited by OS (NKB) 11 May 1966.

Activities

Orkney Smr Note (February 2006)

Excavations started in this area in 2004 and are continuing. Check detailed records.

Information from Orkney SMR

Note (2020)

Brodgar Farm

This burial site in Orkney Islands was a focus for funerary practices in the Bronze Age period, between 2200 BC and 1501 BC.

Prehistoric Grave Goods project site ID: 60066

CANMORE ID: 2111

Total no. graves with grave goods: 3

Total no. people with grave goods: 3

Total no. grave goods: 3

Prehistoric Grave Goods project Grave ID: 60033

Grave type: Cist

Burial type(s): Inhumation

Grave good: Pebble

Materials used: Stone (Uncertain/Unspecified)

Current museum location: Unknown

Prehistoric Grave Goods project Grave ID: 72329

Grave type: Cist

Burial type(s): Inhumation

Grave good: Pebble

Materials used: Stone (Uncertain/Unspecified)

Current museum location: Unknown

Prehistoric Grave Goods project Grave ID: 72330

Grave type: Cist

Burial type(s): Inhumation

Grave good: Pebble

Materials used: Stone (Uncertain/Unspecified)

Current museum location: Unknown

Further details, the full project database and downloads of project publications can be found here: https://doi.org/10.5284/1052206

An accessible visualisation of the database can be found here: http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/grave-goods/map/

References

MyCanmore Image Contributions


Contribute an Image

MyCanmore Text Contributions