Rennibister Earth House: Difference between revisions
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'''Rennibister Earth House'' is located on the main island in the [[Orkney islands]].<ref>http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/earth-houses/rennibister.htm</ref> It is located by the south eastern shore of the Bay o' Firth, in a farm yard and is accessed by a hatch in the roof of the earth house and by a ladder. Its location is more picturesque than that of its counterpart, [[Grain Earth House]]. |
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[[File:Rennibister_Earth-House-CPark.jpg|thumb|Inside Rennbister Earth House]] |
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'''Rennibister Earth House''' is an [[British Iron Age|Iron Age]] underground structure known as a [[souterrain]]. It is located on the [[Mainland, Orkney|Mainland]] of [[Orkney]], in [[Scotland]]. The monument was discovered in 1926 when a [[threshing machine]] caused the roof to collapse. During excavation, the skeletal remains of six adults and twelve children were uncovered. [[Historic Environment Scotland]] established the site as a [[scheduled monument]] in 1928. |
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The house was discovered when a [[threshing machine]] caused the roof to collapse in November 1926 and seems to date from circa 1,000BC. Acess was originally by a passage that was low, with a small drop into the chamber. The chamber itself has 4 pillars supporting the roof, and 5 alcoves in the walls. Unusually, the chamber had the remains of 6 adults and 12 children. |
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==Description== |
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The Site is currently in the care of [[Historic Scotland]] |
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[[File:Rennibister souterrain - geograph.org.uk - 54209.jpg|thumb|left|Entrance to the site.]] |
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The earth house is located in a farmyard near the southeastern shore of the Bay o' Firth, on the [[Mainland, Orkney|Mainland]] of [[Orkney]], in Scotland. Access to the underground monument is by ladder to a hatch in the roof.<ref name="OrkneyJar">{{Cite web|url=http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/earth-houses/rennibister.htm|title=The Rennibister Earth House, Firth|website=www.orkneyjar.com}}</ref> The souterrain has an entrance passage which is {{convert|3.5|m|abbr=on}} long with a drop of around {{convert|0.7|m|abbr=on}} to the floor of the chamber. The chamber is hexagonal in shape and measures {{convert|3.3|m|abbr=on}}, and is {{convert|2.5|m|abbr=on}} in width. The walls were built with a combination of slabs laid on edge and rough masonry. The {{convert|1.5|m|abbr=on}} corbelled roof is supported by four stone pillars.The walls are lined with five small alcoves.<ref name="Canmore">{{cite web |title=Rennibister |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/2081/rennibister |website=Canmore: National Record of the Historic Environment |access-date=8 November 2022}}</ref><ref name="Historic Env Scotland">{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM90245|desc=Rennibister, souterrain|access-date=22 February 2019}}</ref> |
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==History== |
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The Iron Age monument was discovered when a [[threshing machine]] caused the roof to collapse on 12 November 1926. During the initial examination of the structure, the chamber floor was covered with a large number of skeletal remains, and an ox-scapula, which was probably used as a spade. In all, the disarticulated skeletal remains were determined to be six adults and twelve children, probably belonging to two or three family groups.<ref name="Canmore" /><ref name="Historic Env Scotland" /> The remains have been dated from the middle to late Iron Age, several hundred years after the earth house was initially constructed.<ref name="Hist Env Scotland 2" /> |
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Rennibister lies close to the shore of the Bay of Firth, a fertile area of land which has been in continual use as a settlement since the [[Neolithic]] era. Nearby, are three Neolithic chambered cairns, including [[Wideford Hill chambered cairn]] and the [[Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn]]. Another earth house, the [[Kirkwall#History|Grain Earth House]] was discovered in the 19th century between Rennibister and Grain. Both earth houses are dated to the first millennium, probably around 400 BC.<ref name="Canmore" /><ref name="Hist Env Scotland 2">{{cite web |title=Rennibister Earth House |url=https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/rennibister-earth-house/history/ |website=Historic Environment Scotland |access-date=8 November 2022}}</ref> |
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The site has been in the care of [[Historic Environment Scotland]] as a [[scheduled monument]] since 1928.<ref name="Historic Env Scotland" /> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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== External links == |
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* [http://www.ancient-scotland.co.uk/site.php?a=130 Ancient Scotland] |
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* [http://www.stonepages.com/scotland/rennibister.html Stones of Scotland] |
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{{coord |58|59|48|N|3|2|59|W|type:landmark_region:GB-ORK|display=title}} |
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{{Prehistoric Orkney}} |
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[[Category:Archaeological sites in Orkney]] |
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{{Orkney-stub}} |
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[[Category:Subterranea of the United Kingdom]] |
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[[Category:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Orkney]] |
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[[Category:Prehistoric Orkney]] |
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[[Category:Mainland, Orkney]] |
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Revision as of 15:42, 3 May 2023
Rennibister Earth House is an Iron Age underground structure known as a souterrain. It is located on the Mainland of Orkney, in Scotland. The monument was discovered in 1926 when a threshing machine caused the roof to collapse. During excavation, the skeletal remains of six adults and twelve children were uncovered. Historic Environment Scotland established the site as a scheduled monument in 1928.
Description
The earth house is located in a farmyard near the southeastern shore of the Bay o' Firth, on the Mainland of Orkney, in Scotland. Access to the underground monument is by ladder to a hatch in the roof.[1] The souterrain has an entrance passage which is 3.5 m (11 ft) long with a drop of around 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in) to the floor of the chamber. The chamber is hexagonal in shape and measures 3.3 m (11 ft), and is 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) in width. The walls were built with a combination of slabs laid on edge and rough masonry. The 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) corbelled roof is supported by four stone pillars.The walls are lined with five small alcoves.[2][3]
History
The Iron Age monument was discovered when a threshing machine caused the roof to collapse on 12 November 1926. During the initial examination of the structure, the chamber floor was covered with a large number of skeletal remains, and an ox-scapula, which was probably used as a spade. In all, the disarticulated skeletal remains were determined to be six adults and twelve children, probably belonging to two or three family groups.[2][3] The remains have been dated from the middle to late Iron Age, several hundred years after the earth house was initially constructed.[4]
Rennibister lies close to the shore of the Bay of Firth, a fertile area of land which has been in continual use as a settlement since the Neolithic era. Nearby, are three Neolithic chambered cairns, including Wideford Hill chambered cairn and the Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn. Another earth house, the Grain Earth House was discovered in the 19th century between Rennibister and Grain. Both earth houses are dated to the first millennium, probably around 400 BC.[2][4]
The site has been in the care of Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument since 1928.[3]
References
- ^ "The Rennibister Earth House, Firth". www.orkneyjar.com.
- ^ a b c "Rennibister". Canmore: National Record of the Historic Environment. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ a b c Historic Environment Scotland. "Rennibister, souterrain (SM90245)". Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- ^ a b "Rennibister Earth House". Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 8 November 2022.