Between the Wind and the Water: World Heritage Orkney

by Caroline Wickham-Jones

The Archaeological sites of Orkney give us an unparalleled glimpse into prehistory. Inscribed as the 'Heart of Neolithic Orkney' World Heritage Site in 1999, four great monuments - the village of Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and the burial mound of Maeshowe - are also at the centre of the archipelago's story. This book looks at what makes these monuments so special. Caroline Wickham-Jones explores the Neolithic world in which they were built, how they caome to be a focus through the ages, and what they mean today. Picts, saints, Vikings, antiquarians and tourists populate Orkney's past: a history which is channelled through these 'dances of stones'.

Genres: Archaeology, Scotland, Nonfiction, History

178 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2006

Reviews

[Fred Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this after traveling to Orkney. It's an good accessible story of the Orkney archaeological sites. It is nice it also covers more than just the World Heritage sites, as there are many interesting places on Orkney. Personally I would have been happy with even more depth but there are many references in the end for further digging. I was amazed when we were there at the accessibility of many of the sites and that there were not many people at many of them. We went to the Stones of Stenness one evening and we were the only ones there. You can walk right up to the stones. Like the ranger giving the tour at Brodgar said, if you scratch Orkney, it bleeds archaeology.

[Natalia Waaijer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and comprehensive overview of the archaeology done on various sites in Orkney. I read this in preparation for a weekend course on Neolithic monuments.
Apart from detailed discussions of the different sites through the different ages up to the Vikings and the Middle Ages, I particularly enjoyed reading about the development of the environment through the same ages. I speak of falling and rising sea levels, deforestation etc. I also enjoyed reading about the development of the field of archaeology itself in terms of methodology and theory.

[Ruth Brumby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clear and simple overview of archaeology in Orkney. It explains very clearly and is easily accessible. There are good references for more in depth study.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author comprehensively covers the archaeological wonders of Orkney, going in a chronological fashion, and also brings Orkney history up to date and covers the designation of some sites as World Heritage sites, and also various digs and the impact of the designation. While the best-known sites are Neolithic, like Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar, the author also talks about the earlier Mesolithic, the Bronze and Iron ages, and more recent historical artifacts and finds. The book is lavishly illustrated with glorious photos of the sites, most of them multiple times, but could have used more maps.

I read this prior to a visit to Orkney, and found it enlightening and interesting, though confusing as well; I had trouble sorting out the organization as I was reading, and several sites were covered twice, sometimes with the same information, which makes me think the book was not designed to be read straight through. The text is not scholarly and is very readable, though I often felt overwhelmed with place names and the names of towns/archaeologists/etc. I would rather have heard more about just the types of sites, and leave out the flood of place names unless one place, like the Brodgar Peninsula, is particularly significant. Overall, though, an informative read.