2011 exhibition

This is the image that we have used to promote the 2011-2012 exhibition.

It shows two of the archaeological diggers at the Links of Noltland site.

The exhibition design started in October 2010 in Pierowall Junior High School.

The photo below shows teacher Sarah Cable at the back and John Cable (retired teacher) with six of the students.

Over the following six months, including a very snowy winter, the students (under the direction of John and Sarah) liaised with Historic Scotland and the archaeologists Hazel Moore and Graeme Wilson, and with lots of hard work they produced all the content for the exhibition.

This includes: 15 exhibition panels, a 36 page book to accompany the exhibition, illustrations, photographs, advertising leaflets, 5 pop-up display panels (2 appearing in the Tourist Information Centres in Kirkwall and Stromness, a 1 metre floor jigsaw, a 77 piece jigsaw and a 520 piece jigsaw (both for sale in the Heritage Centre). John and Sarah worked together to collate and edit all the information for the book which was then approved by the students. The artwork for the exhibition, book and ancillaries was then produced by retired commercial artist Peter Needham, a director of the Westray Heritage Trust.

The Links of Noltland site was backfilled at the end of the digging season early winter 2010.

Following the Interim Report publication in 2010, the short 2011 season was spent completing excavation on some of the Bronze Age structures and post-excavation work.

Though this may at first appear to be the less glamorous side of archaeology, it is vital in order to build a complete picture of life during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, some 5,000 - 3,000 years ago.

The archaeologists welcome the public to the site and are always ready to explain what they are working on.

To get to there, just follow the signs from the village to the car park, passing Noltland Castle on your left hand side.

The interim Report on the dig is available from the Heritage Centre and Historic Scotland.

The 2012 season started in late February and it will see the completion of excavations of the Bronze Age houses.

The archaeological team, led by Ease Archaeology, will now return to "Area 5", the westernmost concentration of the Neolithic Settlement, working on structures 8, 10 and 11, and to complete the assessment of the adjacent field system.

Over the next two years, all of the known structures will be excavated as part of a larger management programme of the site. Consolidation works, led by Historic Scotland's Conservation Group North Team will begin with the planting of coastal grasses to help conserve and stabilise the dune sustem and to help preserve the site for the future.

Below are some photographs of the exhibition. If you have the opportunity, do please come and visit us.