Unlocking the Secrets of Ancient Worship : The Ness of Brodgar

Ten or more years ago, my imagination was captured by the mind-blowing discoveries at the Ness of Brodgar in Orkney, where the archaeological dig had unlocked some amazing  secrets.

https://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk
Investigating a prehistoric complex in the heart of Neolithic Orkney

Archaeologists started uncovering this new discovery in a 2010 dig. Brick by brick, bone by bone, they are revealing a 5500-year-old temple complex with more than 100 buildings, surrounded by a 10ft wall. Some of this complex is possible more than 800 years earlier than Stonehenge and could be as, if not more, important than the Wiltshire site.

An artist's impression of what archeologists are uncovering

The full era of the various temples was as long as the whole of the middle ages at least - some were pulled down and new ones built. The doorways into the buildings were twisted and concealed...all of this does suggest that magic was a major part of the world-view of the Neolithic communities, as the sort of worship that might have gone on in the temples suggest a certain ritual element. This only confirms for me personally, that working with ritual magic nowadays is something that is locked into our DNA and only needs to be re-discovered.

The Ness of Brodgar, the thin spit of land where the dig is taking place, links two of the stone circles we saw when we were in Orkney. In the centre of the Stones of Stenness is a square defined by kerbstones. To the east side of the circle is a small ‘cove’ – three waist-high stones. I had no idea what these inclusions are, but then neither did the guide, pontificating to the little crowd of people he’d brought to the site. But he told them (I was lying on my back in the centre square at the time, looking up at the intense blue of the sky), that one night, unable to sleep, he’d come here in heavy mist. He’d got out of the car and become quite disorientated in the mist, not even able to see the stones until up close to them. But when he lay in the square in the centre and gazed up, the stars were clearly visible above him. 

At the other end of the Ness is the Ring of Brodgar. Originally, 60 massive sandstone monoliths stood in a vast circle between two lochs, surrounded by tumuli. There are still enough standing stones to make the heart skip a beat as one walks slowly round, touching them, listening to them. The centre is filled with the purple of heather and dreamy puffs of cotton grass. Each stone is taller than two men, and have slanting tops as if pointing towards the sky, although this is the natural way the stone breaks, apparently. The sandstone is quarried very thin and has the appearance of wafer biscuits.

The Dig will go on, and every year amazing and exciting artefacts are revealed, and our understanding of early man widens. But excavation on this scale is expensive. Each season in the field costs over £100,000. You can donate here,

and find out more about the dig here

This was a fantastic discovery. The full era of the various temples was as long as the whole of the middle ages at least - some were pulled down and new ones built. the doorways into the buildings were twisted and concealed...all of this does suggest that magic was a major part of the world view of the Neolithic farmers, as the sort of worship that might have gone on in the temples suggest a certain rtual element. This only confirms for me personally, that working with ritual magic nowadays is something that is locked into our DNA and only needs to be re-discovered.

We went to Orkney before the dig began but  it was quite apparent to us  that Orkney was a hub of society at that time, rather than an 'outback'.

 We loved our first visit - there's a brief account of it HERE - or you can click at the top of the page to read about all our pilgrimages to the sacred sites of the British Isles.