Scheduled MonumentsScotlandSkara Brae, settlement, mounds and other remains
Settlement, mounds and other remains

Skara Brae, settlement, mounds and other remains

Scotland
HES SM90276
Site type
Settlement, mounds and other remains
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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Overview

History & significance

Skara Brae is a Neolithic settlement located on the Orkney mainland, Scotland, comprising a cluster of stone-built domestic structures dating to approximately 3100 to 2500 BCE. The settlement consists of eight houses constructed partly below ground level, with walls and internal fittings fashioned from stone, representing one of the most comprehensively preserved prehistoric village sites in northern Europe. The dwellings contain hearths, beds, and storage facilities demonstrating the domestic arrangements of Neolithic Orkney communities, and the site has yielded substantial assemblages of pottery, tools, and other artefacts that illuminate daily life during the third millennium BCE. Skara Brae was buried by sand and storm activity in antiquity and lay concealed until its rediscovery in the 19th century, subsequently becoming a site of major archaeological importance for understanding early agricultural settlement patterns in prehistoric Britain.

Skara Brae, settlement, mounds and other remains is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90276. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Skara Brae, settlement, mounds and other remains?

Skara Brae is a Neolithic settlement located on the Orkney mainland, Scotland, comprising a cluster of stone-built domestic structures dating to approximately 3100 to 2500 BCE. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90276.

Who is responsible for protecting Skara Brae, settlement, mounds and other remains?

Skara Brae, settlement, mounds and other remains is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM90276.

What other scheduled monuments are near Skara Brae, settlement, mounds and other remains?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Brough of Bigging, promontory fort, Yesnaby (3.2 km), East Bigging, burnt mound 390m S of (3.8 km), Billia Fiold, enclosures, platforms and banks (3.9 km).

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