Lots and lots of slate too

Can I check with you - is the rock of Orkney all sandstone? I have searched the Orkneyjar site and can't find a clear answer there. Thanks Lyn

greetings friends across the great puddle. .. .steve breckenridge here caught the news of a new book on Pictish Artwork at about 45L's in your currency I have enjoyed the history [ that little which exists ] and was fond enough of the Pictish history on Orkney that we used the shield design from the Brough of Birsay replica stone of the original It is the clearest of any of the several shield designs and clearly shows what seems to be rank . . . ..what I am curious about ~~~~~is this an Orkney publication ? has anyone with an interest in this history and its art had a chance to look through this new volume and determine if it is a rework of the same material in other great works already in most of our libraraies or is it a rework of those could you offer an enthusiast an opinion my friends ? thanks in advance friends steve breckenridge --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.583 / Virus Database: 369 - Release Date: 2/10/2004

The white settlement of Australia flowed from the need for England to divest herself of some of her more enthusiastic entrepreneurs (profoundly devoted to private enterprise - and selected by England's finest judges). This is of course very recent, our Aboriginal (Coorie) populations have recently been proved by thermoluminescence techniques etc to have been on this land mass for in excess of 100,000 years (putatively 125,000) and we have some very interesting prehistory being developed by the archaeologists working out of the University of New England. As to the current generation of whites it might interest you to know that we actually have the highest per capita rate of book purchases in the English speaking world and that current statistics show a slightly lower rate of incarceration in the general population than in the UK. Frankly I don't really mind jokes about convicts since most of them are light hearted. If you actually look at the history though you would realize that the majority of convicts were economic victims and far less culpable than the aristocratic types who sent them here. Many of them made good and numbers became prominent citizens and paradoxically the envy of many British officials sent to administer the colony. Enough of that I have roots in Deerness - Orkney and visited my aging relatives there about fifteen years ago, the old farm house overlooks Scapa flow, a very beautiful place, the peace of it seeps into ones consciousness. There are family stories going back for generations. As to the ring of Brodgar I went out to look at it after tea one evening close to midsummer, and, having no sense of time wandered back to the farm as it grew dark. This was about midnight not seven thirty as is the case in a Sydney summer, I was not popular for disturbing peoples rest! Allan Drummond ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wolfgang Schlick" <wfkschlick@compuserve.de> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 9:28 AM Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] An Australian Ring o' Brodgar? > ... well ... does this include that we can send those folks misusing the > Stones of Stennes down under ?!?!? ;-)) > > Wolfgang > http://northernisles.schottlandportal.de > www.schottlandportal.de > Wolfgang.Schlick@schottlandportal.de > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >

Thank-you. Cheers Thompson\ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sigurd Towrie" <sigurd@orkneyjar.com> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 4:26 PM Subject: RE: [<orcadia>] Picts > On 22 February 2004 12:58, Dutch Thompson wrote: > > > I know this has prob. been discussed before, but > > 1/ were the Picts a Celtic tribe (s) ? > > Technically yes. > > > > If they were northern > > ironage people how are they different from southern ironage > > peoples whom I believe were mostly if not all originally > > celts from the continent ? > > Probably only in custom and perhaps language - although this remains > hotly debated. > > 2/ Why are picts not considered > > Britons the way the southern tribes encountered by the Romans > > et al are ? > > It's a question of terminology. The Roman historians labelled the people > of the north as Picts. Over the years this led to them being distinctly > categorised as such, although they were probably very similar to the > southern Britons. > > >3/written accounts of the picts only starts a bit before 300 > > AD- is there other "evidence" of them being in Orkney before then ? > > This is one of the classic problems resulting from the Roman > categorisation of the Picts. It has led to the widespread belief that > they were a new or distinct race. In Orkney they were, in all > probability, simply the descendents of the people who had lived in the > islands for years. > > See http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/picts > > -- > Sigurd Towrie > Blackhall - Kirbister - Stromness - Orkney > Heritage of Orkney: www.orkneyjar.com > Home: sigurd@orkneyjar.com > Work: sigurd.towrie@orcadian.co.uk > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >

I find the actual name "picts" curious. In light of the fact that it applies to our Orcadian Roots, was it true that the romans understood that " Picts" stands for " Photogenic, Intelligent, Colourful, Tenacious and Sincere? " Heck, just a thought. I'll be O.K when the snow melts. Canorky

On 22 February 2004 12:58, Dutch Thompson wrote: > I know this has prob. been discussed before, but > 1/ were the Picts a Celtic tribe (s) ? Technically yes. > If they were northern > ironage people how are they different from southern ironage > peoples whom I believe were mostly if not all originally > celts from the continent ? Probably only in custom and perhaps language - although this remains hotly debated. 2/ Why are picts not considered > Britons the way the southern tribes encountered by the Romans > et al are ? It's a question of terminology. The Roman historians labelled the people of the north as Picts. Over the years this led to them being distinctly categorised as such, although they were probably very similar to the southern Britons. >3/written accounts of the picts only starts a bit before 300 > AD- is there other "evidence" of them being in Orkney before then ? This is one of the classic problems resulting from the Roman categorisation of the Picts. It has led to the widespread belief that they were a new or distinct race. In Orkney they were, in all probability, simply the descendents of the people who had lived in the islands for years. See http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/picts -- Sigurd Towrie Blackhall - Kirbister - Stromness - Orkney Heritage of Orkney: www.orkneyjar.com Home: sigurd@orkneyjar.com Work: sigurd.towrie@orcadian.co.uk

No please - no!!!!!!! Jan At 09:53 AM 22/02/2004, you wrote: >Outstanding idea, Wolfgang! >George > >­­­­­­­­­­­­­ >... well ... does this include that we can send those folks misusing the >Stones of Stennes down under ?!?!? ;-)) > >Wolfgang > > > >==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== >To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word >'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com Jan Nary 31 Leybourne St, Chelmer Queensland 4068 Publicist & Journalist National Folk Festival Publicist <http://www.folkfestival.asn.au/>http://www.folkfestival.asn.au/ Co-host Acoustic Harvest Bay FM 100.3 <http://www.bayfm.org.au/>http://www.bayfm.org.au/ tel. 44 7 3379 4178 fax 447 3278 2360 mob. 0429 898 328 UK 07905 976 173

Hey whoa back! Australia used to be a penal colony but it's moved on! Cheers, Jan Brisbane At 08:28 AM 22/02/2004, you wrote: >... well ... does this include that we can send those folks misusing the >Stones of Stennes down under ?!?!? ;-)) > >Wolfgang >http://northernisles.schottlandportal.de >www.schottlandportal.de >Wolfgang.Schlick@schottlandportal.de > > >==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== >To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word >'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com Jan Nary 31 Leybourne St, Chelmer Queensland 4068 Publicist & Journalist National Folk Festival Publicist <http://www.folkfestival.asn.au/>http://www.folkfestival.asn.au/ Co-host Acoustic Harvest Bay FM 100.3 <http://www.bayfm.org.au/>http://www.bayfm.org.au/ tel. 44 7 3379 4178 fax 447 3278 2360 mob. 0429 898 328 UK 07905 976 173

Hi- Thanks for the link Sigurd-the book looks fascinating. I know this has prob. been discussed before, but 1/ were the Picts a Celtic tribe (s) ? If they were northern ironage people how are they different from southern ironage peoples whom I believe were mostly if not all originally celts from the continent ? 2/ Why are picts not considered Britons the way the southern tribes encountered by the Romans et al are ? I think I'm correct in saying that the Britons wound up for the most part in what is now Cymru or Wales. 3/ written accounts of the picts only starts a bit before 300 AD- is there other "evidence" of them being in Orkney before then ? Cheers Thompson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sigurd Towrie" <sigurd@orkneyjar.com> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2004 6:25 PM Subject: [<orcadia>] New publication explores the art of the Picts > A new book covering the subject of Pictish artwork and symbolism is now > available. > > The sculpture and metalwork of the Picts form one of the great enigmas > of early medieval art. > > Marginalized and dismissed for many years by art historians as inchoate > and provincial, the large surviving Pictish corpus of cross-slabs, > incised stones, and metalwork remained until recently the territory of > archaeologists and those bewitched by the mysterious, unfathomable > symbols found in so much of the art. > > Full story here - http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/pictart.htm > > -- > Sigurd Towrie > Blackhall - Kirbister - Stromness - Orkney > Heritage of Orkney: www.orkneyjar.com > Home: sigurd@orkneyjar.com > Work: sigurd.towrie@orcadian.co.uk > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >

... well ... does this include that we can send those folks misusing the Stones of Stennes down under ?!?!? ;-)) Wolfgang http://northernisles.schottlandportal.de www.schottlandportal.de Wolfgang.Schlick@schottlandportal.de

A new book covering the subject of Pictish artwork and symbolism is now available. The sculpture and metalwork of the Picts form one of the great enigmas of early medieval art. Marginalized and dismissed for many years by art historians as inchoate and provincial, the large surviving Pictish corpus of cross-slabs, incised stones, and metalwork remained until recently the territory of archaeologists and those bewitched by the mysterious, unfathomable symbols found in so much of the art. Full story here - http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/pictart.htm -- Sigurd Towrie Blackhall - Kirbister - Stromness - Orkney Heritage of Orkney: www.orkneyjar.com Home: sigurd@orkneyjar.com Work: sigurd.towrie@orcadian.co.uk

A stone circle, based on the Ring o' Brodgar in Stenness, has become the centre of a guided tour in Australia. The monument, created by Australian Joanne Cause - a self-styled "Celtic Crone" - is built overlooking the town of Glen Innes in New South Wales. The town, 620km north of Sydney, is home to an annual Celtic festival in April. Full story and links at http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/auscircle.htm -- Sigurd Towrie Blackhall - Kirbister - Stromness - Orkney Heritage of Orkney: www.orkneyjar.com Home: sigurd@orkneyjar.com Work: sigurd.towrie@orcadian.co.uk

On 20 February 2004 10:59, marty@ancient-scotland.co.uk wrote: > I looked that up on CANMORE and it also led me to Treb Dyke, > also in North Ronaldsay, which was scheduled the same year. The treb dykes in the North Isles are intriguing. Massive earthworks like mini version of Offa's Dyke. -- Sigurd Towrie Blackhall - Kirbister - Stromness - Orkney Heritage of Orkney: www.orkneyjar.com Home: sigurd@orkneyjar.com Work: sigurd.towrie@orcadian.co.uk

Outstanding idea, Wolfgang! George ––––––––––––– ... well ... does this include that we can send those folks misusing the Stones of Stennes down under ?!?!? ;-)) Wolfgang

On 19/02/04 at 18:07 marty@ancient-scotland.co.uk wrote: >On the Scotstone list, in a concern about the loss of drystane dykes in >Aberdeenshire, it was suggested that a dyke had been recently scheduled in >Orkney or Shetland. > >Does that sound at all familiar to anyone? Anyone got any pointers? If >you have any pointers to not-so-recently scheduled drystane dykes in >Orkney, I'm sure that information would be most welcome also :-). I suspected it's the North Ronaldsay sheep dyke - it was classed as an "A" listed monument in March 2000. See: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/ORCADIA/2000-03/0953546215

On 19/02/04 at 18:03 marty@ancient-scotland.co.uk wrote: >Exciting! How far to the north is this, Sigurd? Is it closer than, or >beyond, the Ring of Bookan? Or is this what the Ring of Bookan actually >is? The settlement is about half-way between Brodgar and Bookan. The house(s) have been known about for a while - but the extent of the surrounding settlement came as a surprise. -- Sigurd Towrie Blackhall - Kirbister - Stromness - Orkney Heritage of Orkney: www.orkneyjar.com

> I suspected it's the North Ronaldsay sheep dyke - it was classed as an "A" > listed monument in March 2000. Excellent! I looked that up on CANMORE and it also led me to Treb Dyke, also in North Ronaldsay, which was scheduled the same year. A busy year for North Ronaldsay walls. Thanks Sigurd! Martin -- Martin McCarthy /</ http://www.non-prophet.org marty@ancient-scotland.co.uk \>\ http://www.ancient-scotland.co.uk /</ http://www.ehabitat.demon.co.uk

The latest set of scans on the Ness of Brodgar continue to shed light on the Ring of Brodgar and the landscape around it - in particular another massive settlement discovered immediately to the north of the stone circle. Full story at: http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/brodgargeophs2.htm -- Sigurd Towrie Blackhall - Kirbister - Stromness - Orkney Heritage of Orkney: www.orkneyjar.com Home: sigurd@orkneyjar.com Work: sigurd.towrie@orcadian.co.uk

Hi Steve, That is the 'one' thing I do not like............whisky! Eugh I did try Highland Park and enjoyed a 'tour' round the distillery some years ago, but got no pleasure from the tasting..............Sorry! Janis ----- Original Message ----- From: "stephen davie" <stephen.davie@sympatico.ca> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2004 3:18 AM Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Hello & an Introduction > It is bottled. Highland Park Single Malt. Breathe it in, savour the > hint of heather and the Firth Peat, and drink it down. Not a joke! > On Wednesday, February 18, 2004, at 01:31 PM, Janis Counsell wrote: > > > Ahhhhhhhhh Welcome to the 'List' Vikram > > Another one 'hooked' on Orkney. Goodness knows what it is that hooks > > people, > > but if it could be bottled it would be a best seller for certain. > > Regards, > > Janis > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Trish mail" <bstover@rogers.com> > > To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Friday, February 13, 2004 6:46 PM > > Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Hello & an Introduction > > > > > >> Welcome to the list, Vikram. I envy you and your wife your trip to > > Orkney. > >> Hope I can report the same adventure someday soon. > >> Trish > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: <VikramR@aol.com> > >> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> > >> Sent: Friday, February 13, 2004 12:40 PM > >> Subject: [<orcadia>] Hello & an Introduction > >> > >> > >>> Friends: > >>> > >>> My name is Vikram Rawal, I reside just north of Pittsburgh > > Pennsylvania - > >>> USA, and am an Engineer/Business Owner (Automation Systems) by > > profession. > >> My > >>> wife and I have had the pleasure of visiting Orkney this past > >>> September > >> (2003), > >>> now that our youngest is in college, we have just begun to test the > >>> new > >> found > >>> "freedom" and pursue our first love - travel & poeple. Orkney became > >>> one > >> of my > >>> "must-visit" destinations, after reading about it in an exclusive > > article > >> in > >>> the National Geographic, several years ago. I was, as they say, > >>> smitten! > >>> > >>> Due to our schedule (we drove from Glasgow counterclockwise to > >>> Edinburgh > >> then > >>> along the coast, then Inverness to Orkney-then on to Skye, Loch > >>> Lomond > > and > >>> back to Glasgow) we were only able to visit the Mainland, and stayed > >>> in > >>> Stromness for 3 days. We ferried our car over and drove > >>> everywhere-all > > day > >> long! I > >>> must say that words escape me, when I try to describe the pristine > > beauty, > >>> history, and the ubiquitious Nature that we encountered. We hope to > >>> take > >> in Hoy, > >>> Flotta, South Ronaldsay, Shapinsay, Stronsay, Sanday, North Ronaldsay > >> (bird > >>> sanctuary), Papa Westray, Eday and Rousay in our next visit to > >>> Orkney. > >>> > >>> (I was tempted to send you our photos of wonderful Orkney, but Sigurd > >>> indicated "no attachments", and ofcourse I'd be sending most of you > >> pictures of your > >>> own "backyard"!) > >>> > >>> So that it for now. > >>> > >>> Vikram Rawal. > >>> > >>> PS: If any of you know Ann Sutherland and Jim Stockan tell them I > >>> said > >>> "hello". > >>> > >>> > >>> ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > >>> To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the > > word > >>> 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >>> > >> > >> > >> ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > >> To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the > >> word > >> 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >> > > > > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the > > word > > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > > > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com >