Shetland: Visiting Neolithic axe quarries

I visited Shetland in September to attend a symposium as part of Scotland’s Islands Research Framework. Several days of presentations and discussion were punctuated with a series of field trips to key archaeological sites across the archipelago. On the first day, we visited the Neolithic stone quarries at Grut Wells in Northmavine.

Above: The fieldtrip makes its way across the rough uplands towards the stone quarry (Photo: Aaron Watson, 2019)

The visit was guided by Professor Gabriel Cooney who is part of a collaborative team investigating and excavating at the quarry sites over recent years. This distinctive blue-grey felsite stone was shaped into axes and Shetland knives. I have long been intrigued to visit these quarries since they have affinities with those in the Lake District, including the colour of the stone and remoteness.

Above: Fragments of felsite are scattered across the ground surface in the vicinity of the quarries (Photo Aaron Watson, 2019)

Above: Gabriel Cooney shows us around some the excavated area (Photo Aaron Watson, 2019)

Above: The wild and rocky character of the landscape around the Neolithic quarries (Photo: Aaron Watson, 2019)