FOLLOW THE YELLOW CLAY FLOORS: A RECONSTRUCTION OF THE NEOLITHIC FLOORS AT THE NESS OF BRODGAR

The Neolithic complex of the Ness of Brodgar lies at the center of UNESCO’s Heart of Neolithic Orkney on the western portion of the Orkney archipelago in northern Scotland. The complex, multi-phased site is comprised of multiple monumental structures, each with a sequence of thin yellow clay floor surfaces. Mainland Orkney’s two primary clay types are glacial till and lacustrine deposits from freshwater lochs. Following the assumption that the floors were constructed from local resources, this study investigates the suitability of the two clay types for construction. Samples of till and lacustrine clays were collected from near the Ness of Brodgar. Experimental floor surfaces were made from each clay type using both untreated and treated clays. Treated clays were processed to best match the grit composition commonly found in the excavated floors. The qualitative assessment of these four modern analogue floor types is reported.