Rousay Archives - Archaeology Orkney

Skaill farm – final week summary and updated info sheet

The 2025 dig at Skaill farm, Rousay, ended on July 25. Here project co-director Dan Lee provides a summary of the third and final week.

Excavation Rousay Skaill Farm

Dig diary – spectacular carved head found in week two at Skaill farm

An unexpected and spectacular find – a carved sandstone head.

Excavation Rousay Skaill Farm

Dig diary – ‘Memento mori’ fragment unearthed in week one at Skaill farm

A round-up of the first week of excavations at Skaill, Rousay, from Dan Lee.

Excavation Rousay Skaill Farm Viking/Norse

Back in Rousay for three-week excavation at Skaill

Our second dig of the season gets under way today with archaeologists, students and volunteers from the UHI Archaeology Institute back at the multi-period settlement site at Skaill, Rousay.

Rousay Skaill Farm

‘Time Travel on Orkney’ – Radio 4 programme now on BBC Sounds

A BBC Radio Four radio programme looking at the history of Rousay is now available on BBC Sounds.

Neolithic Rousay Tombs of the Isles

Tombs of the Isles – Rowiegar updated to include link to new human remains research paper

We’ve updated the entry for Rousay’s Knowe of Rowiegar to include a link to new research suggesting human remains were placed in the Neolithic cairn at different stages of decomposition.

ORCA Rousay

‘Rousay Tales’ gets creative in final episode of the podcast

Rousay has been a creative place for millennia and this is the subject of the final podcast of the series.

ORCA Rousay

Penultimate ‘Rousay Tales’ delves into religion, folklore and superstition

From trows to walking stones…the penultimate episode of the new Rousay Tales podcast – Believing – is available now.

ORCA Rousay

Farming from prehistory onwards is the focus of this week’s ‘Rousay Tales’

Episode Four of Rousay Tales looks at farming in the island – from 5,000 years ago to the present day.

ORCA Rousay

Going fishing in episode three of ‘Rousay Tales’ podcast

‘Fishing’, the third episode of the new Rousay Tales podcast is available now.

ORCA Rousay

Travel on land and sea in second episode of ‘Rousay Tales’ podcast

‘Travelling’, the second episode of the new Rousay Tales podcast is out now.

ORCA Rousay

Sit back and enjoy – new ‘Rousay Tales’ podcast series launches with a look at ‘Dwelling’

The first episode of a new podcast looking at life in Rousay, past and present, is now live.

Outreach Rousay

A date for your diary – Rousay Archaeology Day this weekend

Head to Rousay on November 19, and join the archaeologists from the UHI Archaeology Institute for a day of activities and talks – including the launch of a new podcast.