Humanities & social sciences research - Archaeology
Geophysics (magnetometry, resistivity and ground-penetrating radar) has been used to map sub-surface deposits and identify targets for further investigation. Part of our purpose is to discover the precise character of deposits causing the geophysical signals.
Up to seven large mounds lie across the north of the Bay, few of which have been previously recognised as having archaeological significance.
The largest mound, at the centre of the group, is the only one which has a name – the Castle of Snusgar.
Somewhere on or near the Snusgar Mound was discovered the Skaill Viking Hoard in 1858, still the largest known Viking silver hoard from Scotland (now in National Museum, Edinburgh)
Excavations in 2004 -2006 proved that the top of the Snusgar Mound is a mass of Archaeology, with strong evidence for Viking period middens and walls. These were built on top of a thick layer of windblown sand, which may overlie an earlier site or mound.
Snusgar from N (looking S), with Bay of Skaill and Skara Brae behind.
A wide swathe of geophysics has now been undertaken in s survey area covering the central group of mounds on the north side of the Bay of Skaill. The mounds are beginning to stand out very dramatically as concentrations of archaeological interest.
Excavations in 2007 concentrated on continuing an area (Trenches 5-7) begun in 2005 on another mound to the East, where the top of a stone building was revealed and further explored in 2006.
A team of people from Universities of Oxford, UC Dublin, and Orkney College UHI worked here for three weeks in August 2007. We also worked very closely with Dr Sue Ovenden and the Orkney College Geophysics Unit, here shown operating GPR.
