World Heritage
Site
The West Mainland includes “The Heart of Neolithic
Orkney”, which is a designated World Heritage Site, including
Maeshowe, the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar
and Skara Brae, as well as parts of the surrounding area.
Much remains to be discovered about the Neolithic archaeology
of Orkney, and every year excavations reveal a little bit more
about the people who built these monuments. Pottery,
carved stone objects, ruined buildings, animal and human bones
all add colour to this period.
There is a strong argument for the whole of Orkney to be a World
Heritage Site in view of its unique natural and cultural heritage. The
West Mainland encompasses in a small and accessible area most
of what is best about the archipelago.
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