Knap of Howar, Neolithic Farmstead, Papa Westray, Orkney. Interior of the southern building, showing west doorway and upright slab divisions
Knap of Howar, Neolithic Farmstead, Papa Westray, Orkney. Interior of the southern building, showing west doorway, upright slab divisions, and a stone water basin or quern in the foreground. The buildings are now situated immediately above the beach but they were originally built in open grassland behind a protective line of sand dunes. Excavation removed 4m of windblown sand to reveal 2 oblong drystone-walled structures built side by side, with individual doorways at the W ends, but linked by a short passage. The southern house is divided by upright slabs into 2 rooms, one with hearth & benches for living/cooking, the other for sleeping. The northern and smaller structure may have been a workshop, store and/or barn. It was divided by slabs into 3 areas: an entrance area, hearth in the middle area, and ‘keeping-places’ built into the wall of the inner one. Historic Scotland calls them “probably the oldest standing stone houses in Europe”.
Size: 3780px × 2636px
Location: Knap of Howar, Papa Westray, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK
Photo credit: © Jean Williamson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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