I went to cuween in may 2000 and was completey blown away. This seems to be the most genuine and untouched of the orkney sites (that isn’t to detract from the enourmous awe inspiring nature of the whole orkney landscape).
Whilst in the chamber, I was crawling on my knees, feeling around and my hand came across what felt like small twig wedged between the lower slabs of stone and the floor. Without thought, I picked it up and continued to experience the mood.
Once outside, I looked at the twig and saw that it was a thin small bone with a sharpened end opposite a knuckle end- “probably from somebody’s piece of cold chicken” I thought and chucked it away feeling annoyed that someone could have left litter in such an amazing place.
the next day I was in the Skara Brae visitors centre and saw the bone awls found there – thin bones with one sharp end opposite a knuckle end probably used to make holes in hides and leather ................... doh.