The structure is about seven metres wide and even longer in length, but only part of it has so far been exposed. Excavations in the 1980s initially turned up a Neolithic building, but the nature of what was recently found has surprised the contracted team from EASE Archaeology. Further work will be carried out to discover more about what its function in the site might have been.
Noltland is known to have been inhabited at several different times, and finds including polished bone beads, tools and grooved-ware pottery identified the large structure as about 4,000 years old. It is now being backfilled to protect it from winter storms.
“This has been a highly successful programme of excavation and research,” said Mr Yeoman. “We have been able to gather a great deal of information about the Bronze Age houses that had been exposed by storms.”
“At the same time we discovered even more about the Neolithic structure excavated by Dr David Clarke and were delighted to find the measures taken by Historic Scotland to protect it had worked very well and kept it in excellent condition.”
“We monitor the condition of this area very closely and will continue to do all we can to keep it safe as it is of great archaeological importance.”
Post-excavation work will now take place in order to get the fullest understanding of information gathered during the project.
Links of Noltland lies behind Grobust Bay on the north coast of Westray. It is an exceptionally important site, believed to be more extensive than Skara Brae.
