Quoyness Chambered Cairn, Sanday, Orkney

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Quoyness is a chambered cairn on Sanday, Orkney, used for communal burial in the Neolithic period. The tomb has a long entrance passage leading to a tall central chamber with six symmetrically-arranged side cells. The drystone structure is surrounded by a turf-covered platform.

First investigated by Farrer and Petrie in 1867, the site was further excavated by V. Gordon Childe in the 1950s. It was found to contain human and animal remains, a bone pin, and two enigmatic sculpted stone objects similar to examples from the settlements of Skara Brae and Pool.

The human bone was mixed and distributed within four of the side cells, the passage, and a pit in the floor of the main chamber. A sample was dated to 3098-2907 BC.

The site is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland (HES). It’s open to the public and free to visit. For information on visiting, visit our website. Discover more history of Quoyness in the HES Archives.