Time Team man's deeper look at Minehowe mystery
By Myles Hodnett
(From The Orcadian dated August 23, 2001)

John Gater working around Minehowe

Geophysics expert and Time Team regular John Gater was back in Orkney this week surveying land around the mysterious underground chamber at Minehowe, Tankerness.

The deep chamber containing 29 steps has continued to perplex archaeologists since its discovery and was the subject of a one-hour Time Team special shown on Channel Four last Christmas, watched by three million viewers.

Mr Gater tracks underground remains and structures without disturbing the surface using a magnetometer and he was in Orkney this week at the invitation of Orkney Archaeological Trust.

The Trust have commissioned him to survey a broch at Minehowe and the nearby site of what is believed to be a chapel.

Helped by geophysics student Cristina Ruiz from Barcelona, Mr Gater told The Orcadian that his results should give more of an insight into the broch's use.

"The thought was it is the site of an Iron Age broch and that Minehowe was associated with it somehow," he said. "This was probably the settlement site and Minehowe they believe is ritual but nobody is quite sure.

He continued: "Because Minehowe has turned out to be quite spectacular, this is an opportunity to look at it while we have got the equipment here."

"My understanding is it has always been talked of as a broch. It looks like it from the air.

"It is another chance to look at what is such an amazing landscape here. There is every likelihood there is going to be something more of archaeological interest."

The magnetometer works with magnetic fields, pinpointing features from ditches and pits to burnt remains and metal working areas.

At the chapel site Mr Gater said he found plenty of archaeology lying underneath the surface.

"I can't identify a building, but definitely things of interest," he said. "Basically it is going to need excavating to understand what is exactly going on."

Mr Gater runs a consultancy in Yorkshire, and when not appearing on Time Team, spends time checking out sites for developers.

The Time Team headed by Tony Robinson have been to Orkney twice - investigating the Ness of Brough on Sanday before their Minehowe visit - but there are currently no plans to return.

"Time Team tend to have a policy of not coming back to the same site," added Mr Gater. "The archaeology of Orkney is so rich, but it is a case of they have been here twice now and they like to have a good geographical spread of sites."

Orkney archaeologist Julie Gibson said the geophysics results would provide clues as to the use of the alleged chapel site, and also enable them to draw comparisons between the broch and other Orkney sites.

"All these things are interesting and all help us plan the future and help us throw more light on this most extraordinary underground structure that is not understood," she said.