Shepherd, A. N. and Ralston, I., eds. (1986). Rescue excavations on the Brough of Birsay 1974-82. Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

The Brough of Birsay is a small tidal island approximately 21 hectares in area lying to the NW of Mainland Orkney. Excavations commenced in the summer of 1974 and, with the exception of the 1978 season, continued annually until 1982. The work has provided an important stimulus to 7th-12th century Orkney studies, especially for the pre-Norse and Norse buildings. The Brough is not yet proved as monastic, though was a site of local political or ecclesiastical importance.

This chapter considers the Iron Age and Pictish activity before the Norse settlement. The difficulties in interpreting the native background are considered. This is followed by archaeological description and interpretation of the earliest settlement features on three separate sites. The chapter concludes with sections on the nature of the occupation and the economy and environment. It is stated that the results add nothing to the theory that Christianity was brought to the Orkneys in the late 6th or 7th century.

Later Norse settlement continued on two of the three sites excavated. Historically, this later period of structural development roughly coincides both with the growing power of the Earldom and with a notable sequence of incidents and individual exploits according to the Orkneyinga Saga. Archaeological description of the settlement is followed by discussion of its nature, economy and environment.

The findings from these excavations cannot in themselves be regarded as offering solutions to the fundamental problems posed by the settlement on the island itself. The findings have a much greater bearing on the more general concepts of pre-Norse and Norse society and in that respect must be seen as offering a major contribution to the study of 7th-12th century Orkney. The significant advance is undoubtedly framed within the broad scope of architectural history. The excavation provided an opportunity to analyse and record in detail the intricacies, characteristics and techniques of both pre-Norse and Norse construction.

These are unedited extracts from the account made by Henderson during the investigations of the buildings now known as Structures 4, 5 and 6. As far as is known, no other records exist.

This section includes reports on animal bone, fish and bird remains, shells, carbonised seeds and grains and charcoal.