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Skara Brae

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Skara Brae is a Neolithic village. It is a prehistoric settlement where a farming community lived around 5,000 years ago.

It is a .

Skara Brae from above
Image caption,
A birds eye view of Skara Brae, showing how close it is now to the sandy Bay of Skaill.
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Watch: Discover Skara Brae

Pupils from Stenness Community School in Orkney visited Skara Brae to learn about its history.

Watch below to find out what they discovered.

This film is a collaboration between the L.A.B Scotland and .

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Where is Skara Brae?

Skara Brae is by the sea in the Orkney Islands which are off the north coast of Scotland.

It was discovered in 1850 when a big storm blew away some of the sand covering the Stone Age houses.

Map of Scotland showing Skara Brae location in the Orkney Isles
Image caption,
Skara Brae is on the Orkney Isles which are off the north coast of the Scottish mainland.
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What are the houses like?

Take a tour through a house at Skara Brae.

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Who lived at Skara Brae?

A reconstruction drawing of villagers at Skara Brae.Image source, Historic Environment Scotland
Image caption,
A reconstruction drawing of villagers at Skara Brae.

Skara Brae was the home of a Neolithic farming community.

The people who lived here were able to grow some crops.

They kept cows, sheep and pigs. These animals were their main sources of food, providing meat, milk and cheese.

They gathered natural resources from nearby, such as birds eggs, wild herbs and plants.

A reconstruction drawing of villagers at Skara Brae.Image source, Historic Environment Scotland
Image caption,
A reconstruction drawing of villagers at Skara Brae.
A reconstruction drawing of villagers at Skara Brae with a catch of eels.Image source, Historic Environment Scotland
Image caption,
A reconstruction drawing of villagers at Skara Brae with a catch of eels.

Being near the sea meant the Neolithic people would have been able to catch fish to eat.

They could collect shellfish like winkles and limpets.

Behind Skara Brae is the Loch of Skaill. It's a freshwater loch where the people of Skara Brae could have caught trout and eels.

The Neolithic people hunted. They used the antlers from deer for making tools and jewellery.

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Activity 1: Skara Brae quiz

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