Today we visited the islands of Orkney, another archipelago at the northern tip of Scotland. It is an amalgam of about 70 islands, some 20 of which are inhabited by about 22,000 people. The islands were inhabited by Viking raiders in the 13th Century, who used it as a staging ground for their forays into the Scottish mainland.
Orkney houses many Neolithic artifacts, including the ancient site of Brodgar. The Ring of Brodgar is a Stonehenge-like arrangement of standing stones that actually predate Stonehenge. It is the centerpiece of three Neolithic sites that are thought to be connected, and used for various public gatherings, festivals, and religious services.
