Landscapes for Neolithic People in Mainland, Orkney

A significant shift in land use during the Neolithic period on Mainland, Orkney, is marked by a dramatic increase in disturbed land from 3% to 30%, coinciding with the rise of settlements like Skara Brae and Ness of Brodgar. This change, occurring between 3400–3200 cal BC, suggests intensified pastoral activities, aligning with archaeological evidence pointing to cattle-based subsistence economies. The study used the Multiple Scenario Approach (MSA) on Neolithic pollen records, combined with Bayesian chronological modeling and radiocarbon dating, to reconstruct spatio-temporal patterns of human activity and environmental changes. By 2800 cal BC, settlements declined, indicating societal exhaustion rather than resource depletion, as disturbed land persisted elsewhere in the landscape.

Bunting, M. J., Farrell, M., Dunbar, E., Reimer, P., Bayliss, A., Marshall, P., & Whittle, A. (2022). Landscapes for Neolithic People in Mainland, Orkney. Journal of World Prehistory, 35(1), 87–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10963-022-09166-y