Westray & Papa Westray Tourist Association

Knap of Howar is a Neolithic Farmstead. Older than Skara Brea by at least 1000 years. The Neolithic site of Knap of Howar (which means “mound of mounds”) consists of two stone built structures, side by side, linked by a passage. It was first excavated in 1929. In places the walls were preserved to full height, with lintels still in place over the doorways.

Excavation by Anna Ritchie in the 1970′s revealed sherds of Unstan Ware (identical to that found in the many chambered cairns on Orkney) and material giving radiocarbon dates of between 3600 to 3100 BC.

The two structures face the sea to the west. The west wall is thick to create an entrance passage that would help reduce draughts. The doors would have been against the inner end of this passage.

The structures are divided within by vertical stone partitions similar to those found in the contemporary chambered cairns (see photo of Midhowe chambered cairn). As with Skara brae, there are stone shelves and cupboards built into the walls.

The larger, Northern building is thought to have been built first, and served as the main living place. The smaller, southern structure was added later, and thought to have been a workshop. The structures were surrounded by a midden that had been spread thin so as to provide an area for small scale cultivation.

Animal bones found were of domesticated sheep and cattle, with evidence also of a few pigs being kept. The size of some of the fish bones found suggests some offshore fishing up to 5 miles out to sea using hook and line. There are a very large number of limpet shells on the site. Limpets are apparently too rubbery, even when cooked, and poor in calories to be useful as human food. They were probably used as bait for fishing. A quern was found in the main house.

Source: Anna Ritchie, “Prehistoric Orkney”, Batsford/Historic Scotland 1995