Many of the intriguing findings made by those curious about what life was like back then leave us dumbfounded. If you think the Egyptian pyramids are hiding anything, take a look at this wonderfully preserved city, which was discovered by chance in 1850 when a storm blew through the Orkney Islands. For so long, the location remained concealed under the earth, but now people can view it and appreciate its distinctive construction.
The town, known as Skara Brae, was found by farmers who were astounded by what emerged from under the earth as a consequence of the storm, which inflicted damage and killed around 200 people. Skara Brae, or the Scottish Pompeii, is one of the earliest farming settlements in Britain, with what seems to be a rock entryway leading to eight stone homes that archaeologists say were occupied between 3180 and 2500 BC.
It is one of four UNESCO World Heritage Sites that comprise “The Heart of Neolithic Orkney.” It is thought that this wonderful location formerly housed 50 to 100 people, who were most likely forced to leave due to a storm. The town was eventually buried by a moving sand wall, which kept it hidden for nearly 400 years. Each of the homes has furnishings that has been kept. There are also lockers, bureaus, chairs, and weatherproof storage boxes.
Some assume the residents stored live fish in such storage bins to devour later. One of the homes, which has no furnishings, is thought to have been used as a workshop. The fact that the town has a sewage system with miniature toilets in each home is amazing. Many of the discoveries baffle archaeologists, such as the carved stone ball in the picture below.
The Scottish government has erected a concrete wall around the dwellings in the hopes of safeguarding Skara Brae and maintaining it as it is, since the sea waves pose a severe danger to it, as do the amount of visitors anxious to see the ancient site. Skara Brae is a wonderful aspect of human history, and we should do all we can to keep such locations safe.