Skara Brae

Skara Brae is a very important archeological site located on the Western coast of the principal island of the the Orkneys (archipelago located at the north of the Scotland).

It includes/understands the remainders of a Neolithic village which thanks to their hiding in sand spent the centuries without suffering important damage. The state of conservation is so exceptional that this site was registered on the Liste of the world heritage by UNESCO. It is one of the four sites registered in Scotland, the others being located at Edinburgh, New Larnak and Saint-Kilda.

History

Until 1850, Skara Brae remains hidden under dunes not far from the beach. This year, a particularly agitated sea and strong winds tore off grass and released several constructions; in 1924 of the similar weather conditions completed to update the vestiges of the village. Although the site knew several periods of occupation and dwelling, which in is visible today goes back to most recent of them.

The similar foundations of eight residences, joined together by a series of low alleys, were completely discovered between 1928 and 1930 by Vere Gordon Childe.

The number of inhabitants of Skara Brae probably never exceeded 50 to 100 units for the same period. Apparently these inhabitants manufactured and used potteries of the " type; Grooved Ware". The walls and the roof of the houses were covered with ground but, rather than to be hidden in the ground, they were built starting from monticules of preexistent waste called " Midden s" who are made up various elements (refuse, broken potteries, bone, shells and remainders of animals…). Although this " midden" get only one low stability with constructions, its utility principal was to provide a good insulation to the dwellings subjected to the hard winter climate of the the Orkneys.

The houses, of an average surface of 40 square meters, had a broad square room containing a large hearth which was to be used to make the kitchen and to heat itself. As there were few trees on the island, the people of Skara Brae used wood brought by the ocean, of the pennons of Baleine and the Chaume of grass to cover their houses.

The residences contain a certain number of pieces of furniture built out of stone such as cupboards, the convenient ones, seats and beds closed (bordered of broad stones). The village profited even from a sophisticated system of drains which included can be the primitive shape of toilets in each housing.

It is thought that the site of Skara Brae was occupied during roughly 600 years from -3100 and to the surroundings of -2500. At that time the climate east cools and became wetter, involving the abandonment of the site by its inhabitants.

The site of Skara Brae constitutes one of the jewels of the Neolithic Cœur of the Orkneys.

The name " Skara Brae" in the contemporary culture

Skara Brae is the name of a group of Irish traditional music which, the first, created and recorded a harmony on traditional airs. After its dissolution in 1972, the members set up various groups with world notoriety in this kind of music (Planxty, The Bothy Band, Altan). The musical adventure of this group constituted a revival of the Irish traditional music.

the roleplays The Bard' S Bruises and Ultima has cities which are called Skara Brae.

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