Life and death in Iron Age Orkney : an osteoarchaeological examination of the human skeletal remains from the burial ground at Knowe of Skea, Westray
Archaeological excavations were conducted by EASE Archaeology at the Knowe of Skea on the island of Westray between 2000 and 2009 and discovered a multi-phase site with evidence for activity dating from the Neolithic through to the Viking era. Excavations revealed that the site had been used as a burial ground for a prolonged period during the Iron Age. Human remains recovered during the first seasons of excavations were radiocarbon dated to the turn of the first millennium BC/AD. These dates highlighted the significance of this burial ground; burial evidence of Iron Age date is sparse in Atlantic Scotland and often overlooked due to the lack of a recognisable, dominant burial rite. Burials of individuals of all ages, including a very high number of infants, were recovered and represent the largest known collection of burials of this date from Scotland. Iron Age research in Atlantic Scotland has traditionally been dominated by study and discussion of the impressive stone-built architecture of domestic buildings and working places of a population about which very little is actually known. Examination of the burials from this site and comparisons with similar sites in the Orkney Islands is building a greater
Gooney, Dawn
Neolithic ; Viking ; Iron Age
Life and death in Iron Age Orkney : an osteoarchaeological examination of the human skeletal remains from the burial ground at Knowe of Skea, Westray. Archaeological excavations were conducted by EASE Archaeology at the Knowe of Skea on the island of Westray between 2000 and 2009 and discovered a multi-phase site with evidence for activity dating from the Neolithic through to the Viking era. Excavations revealed that the site had been used as a burial ground for a prolonged period during the Iron Age. Human remains recovered during the first seasons of excavations were radiocarbon dated to the turn of the first millennium BC/AD. These dates highlighted the significance of this burial ground; burial evidence of Iron Age date is sparse in Atlantic Scotland and often overlooked due to the lack of a recognisable, dominant burial rite. Burials of individuals of all ages, including a very high number of infants, were recovered and represent the largest known collection of burials of this date from Scotland. Iron Age research in Atlantic Scotland has traditionally been dominated by study and discussion of the impressive stone-built architecture of domestic buildings and working places of a population about which very little is actually known. Examination of the burials from this site and comparisons with similar sites in the Orkney Islands is building a greater
life_death iron_age orkney osteoarchaeological examination human_skeletal_remain burial ground westray archaeological_excavation conduct ease archaeology island westray discover multi phase site evidence activity date neolithic viking era excavations reveal site use burial ground prolong period iron_age human_remain recover first season excavation radiocarbon dated turn first_millennium date highlight_significance burial ground burial_evidence iron_age date sparse atlantic_scotland often_overlook due_lack recognisable dominant burial_rite burials individual age include high number infant recover represent large know collection burial date scotland iron age atlantic_scotland traditionally dominate study discussion impressive stone built architecture domestic building work place population little actually know examination burial_site comparison similar site orkney islands building great