Welcome to Orkneyjar - a website
dedicated to the preserving, exploring and documenting the ancient history, folklore
and traditions of Orkney - a group of islands lying off the northern tip of Scotland,
where the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet.
Site
Spotlight A brief selection of topics covered
in Orkneyjar...
Archaeology on the Ness
Although the megaliths on the Ness o' Brodgar are the most striking remains of Orkney's ancient past, they are but the tip of the iceberg.
The landscape surrounding the Ring o' Brodgar and the Standing Stones o' Stenness is littered with archaeological sites - many of which go unnoticed by visitor, and local, alike.
The Brodgar ring, for example, is surrounded by a complex of Bronze Age burial barrows, mounds, cairns and prehistoric earthworks. The four large mounds - Salt Knowe, Fresh Knowe, South Knowe and Plumcake Knowe - were excavated in the early 19th century.
The Battle of Summerdale, in 1529, as any Orcadian should be able to tell you, was the last pitched battle fought on Orkney soil.
Although history and local tradition now treats this confrontation as a battle, it is likely that it was little more than brief, but bloody, skirmish on the boundary of the parishes of Orphir and Stenness.
Earl Robert Stewart built the Earl's Palace, in Birsay, between 1569 and 1579.
An illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland, the palace stands monument to Robert's royal pretensions and to his oppression of the people of Orkney.
Standing by the shore of Birsay Bay, and dominating the village, the two-storey palace was built around a central courtyard and well, with large stone towers at all corners, except the north-western one.
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Update Schedule
Orkneyjar is generally updated at least once a month - more over the summer excavation season - incorporating new
content with relevant news and information relating to Orkney's rich archaeology, heritage and history.
Quicklinks
Why Orkneyjar? Find out what
the site's name means here.
Got a question? Check out the FAQ or visit the About
Orkney Pages.
Although the megaliths on the Ness o' Brodgar are the most striking remains of Orkney's ancient past, they are but the tip of the iceberg.
The Battle of Summerdale, in 1529, as any Orcadian should be able to tell you, was the last pitched battle fought on Orkney soil. 
Earl Robert Stewart built the Earl's Palace, in 
To
contact the author, about any element of this site, 
