Re: Arriving at a site. | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

Megalithics Aug 5, 2010 11:31:46

Replying to Rupert Soskin

Rupert Soskin wrote:

The biggest WOW was Skara Brae - so personal and with no mumbo-jumbo. You could say with absolute certainty that someone stood 'here', or went to sleep 'here... amazing.

When "visited" Skara Brae a couple of years ago and we were very disappointed. There was NO access to any of the houses and the best preserved house had an opaque roof fitted so that the interior was completely hidden. The internal access passages and doorways are also completely off limits and largely invisible, as for the rock art we were keen to see, absolutely impossible.
You travel all that way, get within a few metres and you are not allowed into even one house, pure torture. It's the fab "Stonehenge" experience all over again.
At the visitor centre there was replica of a house that you could enter, complete with fictional roof, yeah, we definitely travelled all that way to "experience" a replica.
In contrast, if you hop over to the Knap of Howar houses on Papa Westray you CAN stand where they stood and even have a rummage in their cupboards. We got a really warm "good stoney experience" glow after visiting Howar instead of the simmering frustration produced at Skaraworld.

Maggie & Keith

suave harv Aug 5, 2010 10:41:42

Replying to Megalithics

Megalithics wrote:

In contrast, if you hop over to the Knap of Howar houses on Papa Westray you CAN stand where they stood and even have a rummage in their cupboards. We got a really warm "good stoney experience" glow after visiting Howar instead of the simmering frustration produced at Skaraworld.

Maggie & Keith

I wish I'd have gone there.

I was a bit "hmmmmmm" at Skara Brea too. We were only allowed to look into the houses and there were soooo many signs warning us not to go near them. It was teaming with schoolkids and it was raining. So y'know.

Being inside the houses must be amazing.

Cuween Hill on the other hand. . . wow!

tomwatts Aug 5, 2010 10:56:00

Replying to Megalithics

........ The very first site I visited was Capel Garmon, in the 1970s.

Four of us went, and had the place to ourselves. Time to dwell on the history and age in the place.

......... About ten years ago two of us "Did" Mainland, Orkney. Wonderful place, but in order to fit as much in as possible, (I'd have to call it sightseeing, to be honest), we missed out a lot on experiencing the ambiance of the sights.