Old Scatness
Encyclopedia
Old Scatness is an archeological site in the South Mainland of Shetland, near Sumburgh Airport
consisting of mediaeval, Viking
, Pictish
, and Bronze Age
remains. It has been a settlement for thousands of years, each new generation adding buildings, and leveling off old ones. A broch
was discovered in 1975 and has been dated to 400 - 200BC.
The site was first unearthed during construction work for airport improvements in the late 70's. Since 1995, University of Bradford
staff and students, professional archaeologists and local volunteers have been excavating the site and cataloguing the finds.
The site is managed by the Shetland Amenity Trust
. In the summer, costumed guides provide tours of the site and the replica Iron Age and Pictish buildings. The visitor centre also includes exhibits, and there are demonstrations of ancient crafts.
Sumburgh Airport
-Other tenants:*Maritime and Coastguard Agency *Bristow Helicopters*Bond Helicopters -Incidents and accidents:...
consisting of mediaeval, Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
, Pictish
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
, and Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
remains. It has been a settlement for thousands of years, each new generation adding buildings, and leveling off old ones. A broch
Broch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Brochs include some of the most sophisticated examples of drystone architecture ever created, and belong to the classification "complex Atlantic Roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s....
was discovered in 1975 and has been dated to 400 - 200BC.
The site was first unearthed during construction work for airport improvements in the late 70's. Since 1995, University of Bradford
University of Bradford
The University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...
staff and students, professional archaeologists and local volunteers have been excavating the site and cataloguing the finds.
The site is managed by the Shetland Amenity Trust
Shetland Amenity Trust
The Shetland Amenity Trust is a charitable trust based in Shetland, Scotland. It was formed in 1983.Among the Trust's aims are to preserve and protect the architectural heritage of Shetland and it owns and operates many historical buildings...
. In the summer, costumed guides provide tours of the site and the replica Iron Age and Pictish buildings. The visitor centre also includes exhibits, and there are demonstrations of ancient crafts.