Barnhouse Settlement facts for kids
House 3, remains of one of the houses in the Barnhouse Settlement, looking out over the Loch of Harray
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 Location in Orkney Islands
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| Location | Mainland, Orkney |
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| Region | Scotland |
| Coordinates | 58°59′45″N 3°12′25″W / 58.9958326°N 3.2068352°W |
| Type | Neolithic settlement |
| History | |
| Periods | Neolithic |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | Orkney Islands Council |
| Public access | Yes |
| Reference no. | SM90352 |
The Barnhouse Settlement is an ancient village from the Neolithic period. This means it was built a very long time ago, around 5,000 years ago! It sits by the Loch of Harray on Mainland, Orkney, in Scotland.
This special place is not far from the famous Stones of Stenness. It's about 5 miles north-east of Stromness, another important town in Orkney.
Contents
Discovering Barnhouse
The Barnhouse Settlement was found quite recently, in 1984. An archaeologist named Colin Richards made this exciting discovery. After it was found, archaeologists started digging carefully. They worked on the site between 1986 and 1991.
These digs slowly uncovered the remains of at least 15 ancient houses. Imagine finding a whole village hidden underground!
Life in a Neolithic Home
The houses at Barnhouse were built around 3000 BC. They share some features with homes found at Skara Brae, another famous Neolithic settlement. Each house had a central fireplace, which was important for cooking and warmth. They also had stone beds built into the walls. Stone dressers were used for storage, and some houses even had internal drains.
However, the houses at Barnhouse were a bit different from those at Skara Brae. They seemed to be free-standing, not built into mounds of rubbish like some other ancient homes. This suggests a different way of building and living.
Tools and Pottery
Archaeologists found many interesting items at Barnhouse. They discovered pottery that belongs to a style called "grooved ware." This type of pottery was also found at the Stones of Stenness and Skara Brae.
They also found tools made from flint and other stones. One special piece was pitchstone, a type of volcanic glass. Experts think this pitchstone might have come all the way from the Isle of Arran, which is quite a distance away! This shows that people in the Neolithic period traded materials over long distances.
The Main House and Village Life
The biggest building in the settlement was called House 2. It was twice the size of the other houses. It was also built to a higher standard, meaning it was stronger and better made. Unlike the other houses, which were rebuilt up to five times, House 2 stayed in use for the entire time the settlement was lived in.
The houses were grouped around a central open area. This area was like the village square. It was divided into different zones for daily activities. People made pottery there, and they also worked with flint, bones, and animal hides. This shows that the people of Barnhouse were skilled craftspeople.
Evidence suggests that the Barnhouse Settlement was abandoned around 2600 BC. People simply stopped living there.
The Mysterious Structure 8
After the village was no longer lived in, something new was built. This new building is known as Structure 8. It was built partly on top of where the old houses used to be.
Structure 8 had a large room, about 7 meters (23 feet) square. Its walls were very thick, about 3 meters (10 feet) thick! The entrance faced towards the north-west. This was special because the midsummer sunset would shine right along the passageway. This design is similar to some ancient burial sites called chambered cairns.
A clay platform surrounded Structure 8. The entrance through this platform was lined up with Maeshowe, another famous ancient site. Because of its special design and alignment, experts believe Structure 8 was not a home. Instead, it was likely used for ceremonies or important gatherings. It is thought to be closely connected to the nearby Stones of Stenness. Some stone slabs from Structure 8's fireplace might even have been moved to the Stones.
Visiting Barnhouse
Today, you can visit the Barnhouse Settlement. There's a footpath that leads to it from the Standing Stones of Stenness. It's a great way to imagine what life was like thousands of years ago!
Images for kids
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Main building
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Main building
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Main building
See also
In Spanish: Barnhouse para niños
