900 year old carved stone head found on Scottish island in 'find of a lifetime'

Daily Record

2 days ago

The artefact is now being preserved along with other finds from the dig and will be cleaned and eventually put on public display
An archaeology student has uncovered what could be a 900-year-old carved sandstone head on the Orkney island of Rousay, in what experts are calling a 'find of a lifetime'.
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Katie Joss, an undergraduate from the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) Archaeology Institute, made the remarkable discovery at Skaill Farm during an excavation of a large wall foundation.
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As she removed a slab, the intricately carved head tumbled into her hands.
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'It was quite a shock,' Joss told the BBC. 'We were removing a slab when the head came rolling out at us and as we turned it around we saw a face looking back at us. It was really exciting.'
The object is believed to be crafted from rich red sandstone, complete with yellow inclusions, and is thought to have originated from the island of Eday.
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According to archaeologists, the stone appears similar to other material used in the nearby St Mary's old parish church.
Dr Sarah Jane Gibbon, co-director of the Skaill Farm excavation and part of the UHI Archaeology Institute, expressed her surprise at the detail and craftsmanship of the carving.
'This is such an exciting find,' she said. 'Over the years excavating at Skaill and The Wirk, the nearby hall tower, we have found several interesting moulded pieces of red sandstone but nothing like this!'
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She described the head as being carved to be viewed from the front at a slight angle, allowing the viewer to appreciate the finely detailed locks of hair on the top of the head.
'The eyes appear closed as there is nothing to indicate pupils,' she said. 'The slight smile and asymmetric eyebrows express real character.'
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Although the head is largely intact, its nose is broken off. Dr Gibbon said it remains unclear whether the damage was intentional. 'Could this have been done deliberately as an act of iconoclasm or was this accidental?' she wondered. 'It's odd that no other part of the head is damaged.'
The style of the eyes has been loosely compared to early phases of the stonework found in St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, though Gibbon noted she 'could find no comparison for the serene expression' captured in the carving.
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The artefact is now being preserved along with other finds from the dig and will be cleaned and eventually put on public display.
The Skaill excavation is now in its tenth year and is located directly over what was once a prominent Norse settlement.
The name Skaill comes from the Old Norse word 'skáli', meaning 'hall', and the site is believed to have belonged to the powerful 12th-century Viking chieftain, Sigurd of Westness.
The discovery adds to a growing collection of artefacts linked to the Norse occupation of Rousay and may offer further insights into life and artistry in medieval Orkney.