NEN Gallery

The houses at Skara Brae built into mounds of pre-existing earth middens, to act as insulation against Orkney's harsh winter climate. The houses measure around 40 square metres in size with a large square room containing a hearth for heating and cooking. As few trees grow on the island, the people of Skara Brae used driftwood and whalebone, with turf thatch, to roof their dwellings. There are items of stone built furniture, including cupboards, dressers, seats, and storage boxes. The village's design even includes a drainage system and a primitive form of toilet in each dwelling. Seven of the houses have similar furniture, with the beds and dresser in the same places in each house. The eighth house has no storage boxes or dresser, but has been divided into small areas or cubicles. Fragments of stone, bone and antler found suggest that it may have been a workshop to make simple tools.

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