From Bone to Bead: Shaping Identity in the Neolithic at Skara Brae
Updated: Sep 4
We’re excited to announce the launch of a new research project exploring one of the most intriguing and often overlooked craft traditions of Neolithic Orkney: the making of bone beads and pendants at Skara Brae.
Skara Brae is famous for its beautifully preserved stone houses and its remarkably rich material culture. During the several phases of antiquarian investigation and modern excavations, small, carefully worked bone beads were found from across the site that hint at technology, identity, and creativity more than 4,500 years ago. Almost a century has passed since the beads were discovered, yet we still know surprisingly little about how these beads were made, who made them, and what they meant to the people who wore them. This research project aims to change that.
Through close analysis of archaeological collections and experimental reconstruction of bead-making techniques, we’ll be piecing together the full story behind these miniature masterpieces. This project will be the focus for Emma's MScR at the University of York, supervised by Dr Aimée Little and Mark Edmonds
By understanding the skill, time, and choices involved in producing bone beads, we hope to shed new light on craft traditions in the Orcadian Neolithic and the roles that ornaments may have played in daily life at Skara Brae.
Over the coming months we’ll be sharing updates from the workshop and the lab, so if you’re curious about ancient crafts, prehistoric technology, and the people who shaped their Neolithic world through tiny details, we look forward to you following along and are excited to see where the journey takes us!
