At dawn of day
Bears, brochs and buildings
Shetland - Bears, brochs and buildings
Shetland is an archaeological treasure trove for every era from the Iron Age, Bronze Age and even further back. From the Vikings to the Picts and Celts, all have left their mark on these islands.
Treasure islands
St Ninian's Isle is linked to the southwest coast of Mainland Shetland by a tombola of pure white sand. The island rose to fame in 1958 when schoolboy Douglas Coutts discovered an important hoard of silver bowls and ornaments when helping at an archaeological dig in the ruins of the island’s tiny Celtic chapel. The treasure, believed to date from around 800 AD, is kept in the National Museum of Scotland, but a campaign is now under way to bring it home to the new Shetland Museum.
Living history
Further south, the Shetland Amenity Trust and the University of Bradford have, for the past 12 years, been excavating a site in the south of Shetland known as Old Scatness. The Old Scatness dig, next to Sumburgh Airport, has revealed one of Britain's most exciting Iron Age villages, with many buildings standing up to two metres high and some still even 'decorated' with yellow clay. Buried for nearly 2,000 years, the site is rich in artefacts and remarkably well preserved - a unique opportunity to see how our ancestors lived.
Among the more unusual finds from Scatness is a Pictish carving of a bear, incised on a slab of stone found on the floor of a wheelhouse close to the broch, and dating to around 600-800 AD. Other finds include a whalebone weaving comb, and the earliest black-painted Pictish pebbles yet found, dating to about 100 BC.
The focal point of the site is an impressive four metre high broch, or tower, which is surrounded by the remains of the Iron Age village. Brochs were built as status symbols and defensive outposts and were also used for storage. Carbon dating points to the broch having been built around 400 BC. Pottery found at the site suggests that it was still in use during the Bronze Age. Later the site was used by the Picts and the Vikings.
Visit Old Scatness for a real insight into life in this settlement, with knowledgeable local guides who will enthuse about the latest developments and finds from the excavation.
Shetland boasts a wealth of fascinating archaeological sites. From the Bronze Age to the present day, the remains tell a fascinating tale of human history.
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