Skara BraeReading Comprehension Pack

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Skara BraeWhat is Skara Brae?Skara Brae is an important historical site in Orkney, Scotland. You can see there the remains of a Stone Age village that was probably inhabited for a 600-year period somewhere between 3200 BC and 2200 BC. There are eight houses that are linked together by a series of low passageways. The houses are made of stone and each one is just one single room with furniture such as beds and dressers. The evidence has revealed that the last people moved away from Skara Brae, at the beginning of the Bronze Age.

When was Skara Brae rediscovered?The Neolithic (from the last part of the Stone Age) village of Skara Brae was discovered almost by accident during a powerful storm in 1850. The wind was so strong that the sand, earth and plants that had been covering the houses for hundreds of years were blown away to reveal the outlines of a set of ancient houses. After further digging, archaeologists were able to uncover the remains of a Stone Age settlement.

Why is Skara Brae important?�The discovery of Skara Brae became one of Britain’s most important archaeological findings. Skara Brae is the best-preserved Neolithic village in Northern Europe and the excellent condition of the settlement gives us an important insight into what communities in the Stone Age might have been like. The settlement is so intact that there is even furniture inside the houses. Archaeologists were also able to uncover lots of Stone Age artefacts that give us important clues about this period of history.

What would it have been like at Skara Brae during the Stone Age?�The many pieces of evidence discovered at Skara Brae give us important insights about what life might have been like there. Crop remains and bones found there show us that people would have been farmers, cultivating crops like barley and rearing sheep and cattle for food. The kind of tools that have been discovered show us that people would also have had to hunt for additional meat and fish. We also know that the inhabitants were skilled craftspeople because jewellery and handmade bowls have been discovered. The lack of weapons found demonstrates that people were not likely to have been warriors and probably lived peaceful lives.�

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Skara Brae1. What can you see at Skara Brae now?

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2. When did the last people move away from Skara Brae?

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3. Tick four things that are true about the houses at Skara

Brae.

There are only three houses there.

The houses are connected to each other.

Wood and iron were the materials used to construct the houses.

There was only one room in each house.

There was nowhere inside for people to sleep.

Each house would have had simple furniture in it.

Eight stone houses were found at Skara Brae.

4. What does the word ‘Neolithic’ mean?

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5. How did a storm help Skara Brae to be discovered?

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6. Name three things that were covering up the site before the wind blew them away.

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2__________________

3__________________

7. Why is Skara Brae so important to historians?

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8. Which words from paragraph 3 tell us what kind of state the village was in when it was discovered?

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9. Match up the evidence found at Skara Brae to what it tells us about the people who lived there during the Stone Age.

Crop remains

Tools

Jewellery

No weapons

There were lots of farmers

There were skilled craftspeople

People lived peacefully

People hunted for meat and fish

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Extra ChallengeImagine that you are an archaeologist in 1850 and you have just discovered Skara Brae. Write a letter home to tell your family about your exciting new discovery.

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Answers1. What can you see at Skara Brae now? At Skara Brae you can see the remains of a Stone Age village.

2. When did the last people move away from Skara Brae?People moved away from Skara Brae at the beginning of the Bronze Age.

Also accept: People moved away after 600 years of living there/people

moved away around 2200 BC.

3. Tick four things that are true about the houses at Skara

Brae.

There are only three houses there.

The houses are connected to each other. ✓

Wood and iron were the materials used to construct the houses.

There was only one room in each house. ✓

There was nowhere inside for people to sleep.

Each house would have had simple furniture in it. ✓

Eight stone houses were found at Skara Brae. ✓

4. What does the word ‘Neolithic’ mean?

Neolithic means from the last part of the Stone Age.

5. How did a storm help Skara Brae to be discovered?

The wind from the storm blew away soil and plants and it revealed

the outline of houses. Then archaeologists dug up the remaining soil to

discover the remains of the village.

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6. Name three things that were covering up the site before the wind blew them away.

1. Sand

2. Earth

3 Plants

7. Why is Skara Brae so important to historians?

The remains of the settlement are in such good condition that it can tell us a lot about life during the Stone Age.

8. Which words or phrases from paragraph 3 tell us what kind of state the village was in when it was discovered?

Best-preserved, excellent condition, intact.

9. Match up the evidence found at Skara Brae to what it tells us about the people who lived there during the Stone Age.

Crop remains

Tools

Jewellery

No weapons

There were lots of farmers

There were skilled craftspeople

People lived peacefully

People hunted for meat and fish

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Answers

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