Mysterious 5,000-year-old structure found on Orkney Islands

Posted On: Oct 18th, 2016 at 09:45

Scotland
The now well-known Ness of Brodgar site on the Orkney Islands has produced yet another mystery.
Below a “rubbish dump”, archaeologists have found a large structure, 33ft (10m) long and 13ft (4m) wide, and suspect it may be a burial chamber. That is, at this point however, just speculation. Personally I have never come across a burial chamber buried under a midden, and that would certainly be a first, but it would also raise serious questions because the perceived way the Neolithic people cared for their dead would be brought into question.
The Ness of Brodgar is one of the most important Neolithic sites in the whole of Britain, and it has improved our understanding of our ancestors to a great degree.
So, a 33ft long, 13ft wide structure buried under a midden? My guess is it’s probably an earlier building (i.e. house or ritual building) that was discarded for a new structure. Hopefully in the next couple of years the answers will be provided.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-37154410