Race with the sea to reveal
secrets of Westray tomb
By Myles Hodnett
(from The Orcadian dated 14 September 2000)

The massive Knowe of Skea on Westray. (Picture: Orkney Photographic)

The discovery of a Stone Age tomb on Westray complete with human remains has taken archaeologists by complete surprise.

The site at the Knowe of Skea, Westside, believed to be a prehistoric settlement, was being investigated by a team of archaeologists from Edinburgh because it is threatened by coastal erosion.

But when the archaeologists started excavating the site they were startled to find a 5,000 year-old burial chamber being unearthed beneath their feet.

The archaeologists, led by Graeme Wilson and Hazel Moore from Edinburgh-based EASE Archaeology, came across more finds pointing to the site being a major prehistoric funerary complex in use for more than 1,000 years.

Human finger and toe bones were scattered around the 23 by 15 foot chamber – the first direct evidence of excarnation according to Orkney county archaeologist Julie Gibson.

The burial rite involved leaving the body to decay outside the tomb and the archaeologists believe the bigger human bones were then deposited inside the tomb while the smaller unwanted bones were left behind outside.

Mr Wilson said the shape of the tomb resembled the plan of the Neolithic house at the Knap of Howar on Papa Westray. He was also impressed with the standard of the stonework within the chamber as well as its size, which raised questions as to how it was roofed.

The skull unearthed by the archaeologists. (Picture: Orkney Photographic)

“The chamber appears to have been deliberately filled in with deposits containing large amounts of fish bone, shell and animal bone. A few sherds of pottery and some worked bone objects have also been found,” he said.

At least two later Bronze Age burials had been inserted into the outside of the cairn, added Mr Wilson, possibly more than a thousand years after its construction.

“In one case, the crouched skeleton of a young adult was found in a shallow pit cut into the surface of the cairn. Towards the periphery of the cairn, a stone-lined grave, known a cist, was found set into the cairn.”

Julie Gibson added: “The archaeological record had it down as probably a settlement so as it was being eroded, the job was to check what sort of settlement it was. We were very surprised to see a chambered cairn come out like that, especially one of that size and beauty.”

The team from EASE are currently continuing with their work on Westray, funded by Historic Scotland, which aims to shed light on remains that are at risk from coastal erosion.

At Peterkirk near Rapness, further excavations uncovered the remains of an Iron Age village clustered around the remains of a broch. A polished stone axe of probably dating from the Neolithic period was found in the rubble which may indicate the presence of much earlier remains in the surrounding area.