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Skara Bra
Skara Brae 12.jpg
Skara Brae, looking north
Skara Brae is located in Orkney Islands
Skara Brae
Location in Orkney Islands
Location Mainland, Orkney, Scotland, UK
Coordinates 59°02′55″N 3°20′35″W / 59.048611°N 3.343056°W / 59.048611; -3.343056
Type Neolithic settlement
History
Periods Neolithic
Site notes
Ownership Historic Scotland
Public access Yes
Type Cultural
Criteria i, ii, iii, iv
Designated 1999 (23rd session)
Part of Heart of Neolithic Orkney
Reference no. 514
State Party Scotland
Region Europe and North America

Skara Brae (pronounced /ˈskɑrə ˈbreɪ/) is a large stone-built Neolithic settlement on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of mainland Orkney, Scotland. It consists of ten houses, and was occupied from roughly 3100–2500BC. It is Europe's most complete Neolithic village. The level of preservation is such that it is a main part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. This is one of four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Scotland, the others being the Old Town and New Town of Edinburgh; New Lanark in South Lanarkshire; and St Kilda in the Western Isles.

Discovery and features

Until 1850, Skara Brae lay under years of soil sediment when in the winter of that year a large storm stripped the grass from the large mound known as Skerrabra.

The outline of several of stone buildings was revealed and initial excavations were undertaken by William Watt, the laird of Skaill. It was fully excavated between 1928 and 1930 by Vere Gordon Childe following another storm in 1926.

Related pages

Coordinates: 59°02′55″N, 3°20′35″W


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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Skara Brae para niños

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