Scottish Islands Explorer - November-December 2016

Ages of Man and Tomb of Eagles

Ages of Man

and Tomb of Eagles

T

he leaflet, which showed the head of an eagle

alongside a skull against a dark-sea

background, grabbed my attention in the Kirkwall

tourist office, as did the name on it - Tomb of the

Eagles. e leaflet told me that this Orkney tourist

attraction would offer a chance to see two ancient

sites, as well as the ability to handle Neolithic

artefacts. It quickly convinced me that I needed to

visit it.

A sea mist covered South Ronaldsay and added to

the experience in a strange way. e Tomb of the

Eagles is at Isbister where its Visitor Centre offers the

opportunity to see a 5000-year-old Stone Age tomb

and a 3000-year-old Bronze Age building discovered

by Orcadian farmer, Ronnie Simison. anks to him

and his wife, Morgan, this centre opened.

Aer an introductory talk and handling of relics, we

opted to go via the Liddle Burnt Mound and

Chambered Cairn before returning to the centre. e

leaflet had indicated allowing around two hours to

enjoy the site fully, in fact for us it was probably nearly

three hours. Ronnie’s search for stones to use on a

farm track in the 1970s had led him and Morgan to

develop a long-held passion for archaeology.

Impressive ... Majestic

Archaeologists exposed the building with its stone

trough, water system and hearth. e domestic set-

up was impressive as the Tomb of the Eagles was

majestic, being perched on sea cliffs. e chambered

cairn, within a retaining wall, looks no more than a

mound of grassy earth with some surrounding stones

and rocks. Closer inspection reveals much more.

e entrance to it is in fact 10’ long, but only 34”

high and 28” wide. Stone Age dwellers would have

gained access by scrambling in; today a trolley linked

to a pulley is the method. It’s definitely fun for the

kids and, if truth be told, for adults alike! Once

inside the chamber is actually 6.5’ high with central

and side chambers as well as two end cells.

Like many such sites, subsequent research of it has

revealed much, particularly of the clear alignment to

the rising sun. e purpose of this site was to be a

tomb, but one constructed over many years. Experts

suggest it was used for perhaps a period of 800 years

before its roof was removed and central chamber

filled in. e reason is not clear as the area alongside

it continued to be used as a burial site.

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016 SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER 33

James Hendrievisits the archaeological finds of two people