Temples existed in Stone Age village 5000 years ago

A complex system of temples and dwellings in two fields spread over 2.5 hectares has been discovered by archaeologists in and around Skara Brae village, a World Heritage Stone Age site in Scotland.

London, Aug.14 : A complex system of temples and dwellings in two fields spread over 2.5 hectares has been discovered by archaeologists in and around Skara Brae village, a World Heritage Stone Age site in Scotland.

According to Nick Card, the project manager, the latest find will enhance the area's reputation as home to some of the most remarkable archaeological monuments in Europe.

The Times quoted Card as saying that a team from Orkney College and Orkney Archaeological Trust began the excavations two months ago.

"The discovery has the potential to illuminate how these different sites interacted and how people lived. We are hopeful that every aspect of life 5,000 years ago will be clarified by our discoveries. This is not just about Neolithic life in the north of Scotland; it could have ramifications for the study of the Stone Age throughout Britain," said Card

Only a small part of the settlement has so far been unearthed, but it includes large oval stone buildings subdivided into small chambers, almost certainly temples. Other buildings are believed to be domestic.

Julie Gibson, one of the archaeologists involved, said that the find would help researchers to understand the relationship between neighbouring Neolithic sites, including stone circles on the Ring of Brodgar, a promontory between two lochs, the Maeshowe chambered tomb and the Stones of Stenness.

Thousands of tourists visit Orkney each year to view its Neolithic monuments, widely considered to be among the finest in Europe.

Archaeologists believe that it could be many years before the full extent of the dig is uncovered.

ANI