Early antiquarian excavation of the Ring of Brodgar's peripheral mounds, those therefore still having no names of their own, found exactly nothing. Being composed simply of the same material as that found within the circle it was [?seemed] obvious that these were spoil heaps from its construction. However modern archaeologists would see the material moved in the construction having contributed instead to the banks and ditches of stone circles. So if the peripheral mounds were simply earth and stones what did they contribute to the grand design (for the moderns believe everything on Brodgar played a part in the whole) ?
Also last night I thought again about the discovery that the Ness of Brodgar consists to quite some depth in 'foreign' soil. To me the great question is to what height the ness rose before this happened. Levelled then brought back to its original height, reduced or heightened ? And secondary to that, was it a green site or a brown site - had there been something here before this ?
I have no idea of the amounts involved, but could material removed in constructing the Ring of Brodgar have provided the ness with its soil dressing ?
 Reply | with quote | Posted by wideford
21st September 2007ce
21:33 |
earth accumulation and deposition (wideford, Sep 21, 2007, 21:33) |
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