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Knowes of Trotty

Cairn(s)

<b>Knowes of Trotty</b>Posted by widefordImage © wideford
Also known as:
  • Huntiscarth

Nearest Town:Stromness (12km SW)
OS Ref (GB):   HY341175 / Sheet: 6
Latitude:59° 2' 22.74" N
Longitude:   3° 8' 54.63" W

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Uncovering the burial mounds of Bronze Age Scots


Extract taken from The Scotsman's Website
Four thousand years ago work began to erect the great earthen burial mounds that comprise the Bronze Age barrow cemetery at the Knowes of Trotty, in Harray, Orkney... continues...
Hob Posted by Hob
30th August 2006ce
Edited 30th August 2006ce

3500BCE house/s preceded BA cemetery

Sigurd's report on the latest doings (including a house contemporary with the Knap of Howar) with twa photos http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/knowes2006.htm
wideford Posted by wideford
3rd August 2006ce

Knowes of Trotty Open day

(For those with transport) Sunday July 30th there are guided tours from one o'clock till five, including the ongoing excavation of an 'early' Neolithic structure with central hearth.
wideford Posted by wideford
28th July 2006ce
Edited 28th July 2006ce

Latest Report

http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/trotty2005finds.htm has the newspaper report from last week after the re-discovery of the amber beads. The image of the cist area shows the pair of standing stones that hem the cist itself.
wideford Posted by wideford
22nd July 2005ce
Edited 22nd July 2005ce

Future to the back

On Radio Orkney this morning (first few minutes at http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/radioscotland/console/index.shtml?listen=/scotland/radioscotland/media/news/orkney ) a report on the re-discovery of the amber beads (not disintegrated as feared) dropped back into the famous cist at the time of the original dig, so they are finally back to start.
wideford Posted by wideford
11th July 2005ce
Edited 11th July 2005ce

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<b>Knowes of Trotty</b>Posted by wideford <b>Knowes of Trotty</b>Posted by wideford <b>Knowes of Trotty</b>Posted by wideford <b>Knowes of Trotty</b>Posted by wideford <b>Knowes of Trotty</b>Posted by wideford <b>Knowes of Trotty</b>Posted by wideford

Fieldnotes

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In the height of summer you'll need waterproofs if it has been damp - before you reach the mounds the rutted farmtrack finally gives out and you have no choice but to wade through sodden knee-high grass (even went through waterproof shoes to leave squelchy feet). wideford Posted by wideford
10th July 2005ce

Surprised these aren't already on. But it is a bit of a yomp. Went on a guided walk with the Orkney Archaeological Trust. Because the area covered by these 11 cairns is now under management (hence the falling through of funding for further excavations this year) you can no longer reach here through Netherhouse byre but have to go the long way around via the Howe Road. The way through the heath is a ways past the Howe Farm turnoff and on your right. The rough and intermittent path leading to the 'cemetery' isn't signposted so it is fortunate that they stand out. Owing to all the moss and heather it is a very bouncy walk -thankfully duckboards have been placed along the worst patches of the swampy bits now.

They aren't much to look at - I would have been content to take a group picture at the first suitable place and gone back, myself. The cairns were constructed using natural drumlins as platforms. Though many were excavated by 'barrow-diggers' only the one with the golden discs was in any sense recorded. The 2002 excavation by Jane Downes, our guide, besides numerous cists in one of the cairns revealed in a flat area between two of the cairns some kind of building - perhaps a mortuary structure. In the Bronze Age the settlements were tiny and usually within a kilometre or two (so look about you if you visit). I think that from here you can make out the Knowes of Trinnawin tumuli on the west side of Hindera Fiold. From the cairn nearest Netherhouse at one spot two of the hills almost form a continuous flat skyline.
wideford Posted by wideford
10th July 2004ce

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Orkneyjar: Knowes of Trotty


Sigurd's take on them with photos.
wideford Posted by wideford
10th July 2004ce
Edited 11th July 2004ce