Orkney councillors to decide how cash should be divided up between local archaeology projects

£40,000 budget to be split between six projects.

By Andrew Stewart, Local Democracy Reporter

March 24 2023, 6:00 am

Ness of Brodgar archaeology dig. Excavation display at museum Orkney Museum is showing a display of finds from the world famous Ness of Brodgar ecavations. A downstairs room at the museum is currently home to some of the star discoveries at the Ness of Brodgar, including mace heads, polished stone axes and a carved stone ball that was uncovered last year.

Councillors in Orkney are to decide how £40,000 should be divided between six archaeological sites across the county – including the world-famous Ness of Brodgar and two projects on Rousay.

Each year, Orkney council awards grants for archaeological investigations in the county.

For 2023, the council has an available budget of £40,000 and received six applications for financial assistance.

A report to the council’s Development and Infrastructure committee, which meets next Tuesday, proposes how the money should be shared out.

The report says, on the Orkney mainland:

£9,500 should go to Stenness’s world-renowned Ness of Brodgar excavations which will enter their penultimate season this year.
£9,500 should also go to The Cairns – Windwick Bay Field Project, in South Ronaldsay.
£1,000 should go to the project “In search of a lost passage tomb: excavations at Blomar, Holm.

If councillors follow the recommendations in the report, two projects on the island of Rousay would also be awarded grants.

These are:

The excavation at the Knowe of Swandro in Rousay, which would be awarded £4,000.
A project called “Landscapes of Change: Archaeologies of the Rousay Clearances and the Westness estate” which officers say should get £10,254.

Finally, a project titled “Improving access to Orkney Sites and Monuments Record: Ariel Photographs, would be awarded £5,746. This project is set to take place in both the Orkney mainland and the South Isles.

Support for Orkney archaeology projects presents ‘excellent value for money’ says council report

Each of these projects – aside from the excavations at Blomar – asked for more than is being recommended.

However, when tallied up the cumulative asks from the projects would have been £80,319 – more than double the council’s budget.

With £40,000 in grants being doled out by the council every year, half of the money is set aside for projects benefitting the islands away from the Orkney mainland.

The local authority says that the “marketing value” produced for Orkney from supporting the projects is excellent value for money.

It also helps disperse tourism throughout the county.

A 2019 visitor survey found that 87% of tourists were motivated to visit Orkney by its history and culture including archaeology.

The report will be discussed during a meeting of Orkney council’s Development and Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday, March 28.