Skara Brae
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Skara Brae is a Neolithic village. It is a prehistoric settlement where a farming community lived around 5,000 years ago.
It is a Recognised locations or landmarks of cultural, historical or scientific significance..
Watch: Discover Skara Brae
Pupils from Stenness Community School in Orkney visited Skara Brae to learn about its history.
Watch below to find out what they discovered.
This film is a collaboration between the L.A.B Scotland and .
Where is Skara Brae?
Skara Brae is by the sea in the Orkney Islands which are off the north coast of Scotland.
It was discovered in 1850 when a big storm blew away some of the sand covering the Stone Age houses.
What are the houses like?
Take a tour through a house at Skara Brae.
What was inside a Neolithic home?
The dresser would have been the first thing you would see when you came through the door. It was clearly important. What kind of things would they have placed on it?
Well, think of what people display today in their homes - things important to them, things that make statements about them.
Though 5,000 years ago, there weren’t any clocks or picture frames. These beautiful objects are the kind of things that would have been displayed there.
As you sat on the large stone seat directly in front of the dresser, you'd have a clear view of the door and be able to see whoever crawled in.
As they entered, they'd have to look up at you. The door itself is only lockable from the inside. So when you came in here, you’d be able to shut the outside world out, have privacy.
We think a bone, or a piece of wood, could have been used to hold the door in place. But today all that remains are the holes in the stone which held the bar.
Once your guest had arrived and the door was closed, you could offer fresh fish and meat cooked on the fire. And in winter, smoked meat stored in the smoky roof space would be available.
Huge storage jars, too big to be brought in through the door, were buried in the corner of the house. The top of these pots were beautifully decorated and the area where they sat was surrounded by stone to protect them from being bumped and broken.
Who lived at Skara Brae?
Image source, Historic Environment ScotlandSkara Brae was the home of a Neolithic farming community.
The people who lived here were able to grow some crops.
They kept cows, sheep and pigs. These animals were their main sources of food, providing meat, milk and cheese.
They gathered natural resources from nearby, such as birds eggs, wild herbs and plants.
Image source, Historic Environment Scotland
Image source, Historic Environment ScotlandBeing near the sea meant the Neolithic people would have been able to catch fish to eat.
They could collect shellfish like winkles and limpets.
Behind Skara Brae is the Loch of Skaill. It's a freshwater loch where the people of Skara Brae could have caught trout and eels.
The Neolithic people hunted. They used the antlers from deer for making tools and jewellery.
Activity 1: Skara Brae quiz
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