Mine Howe
Minehowe · Mine How · Tankerness Howe
Iron Age (c.100 BCE–400 CE)·Atlantic Iron Age (Orcadian) / possible Roman contact·🇬🇧 Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom
About
About Mine Howe
Enigmatic Iron Age underground chambered structure in Tankerness, mainland Orkney, comprising a ditched round mound with half-landing stair of 29 stone steps descending 7.5 m to a 1.3 m high corbelled subterranean chamber (c.100 BCE–100 CE). Excavated 2000–2005 revealing Iron Age ritual deposits, Roman glass and pottery indicating long-distance contacts. Compares to souterrains and broch wells but unique in Orkney for depth, stair grandeur and ditch. Often interpreted as Iron Age sanctuary or oracle chamber.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01True ritual vs utilitarian (souterrain/workshop) function
- 02Origin and meaning of Roman finds in Orcadian Iron Age context
Theories
- 01Underground chamber as chthonic sanctuary with ritual descent
- 02Built as well-cistern within hillfort ditch later elaborated for ceremony
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 100 BCE–100 CE (chamber and steps); mound earlier
- Period
- Iron Age (c.100 BCE–400 CE)
- Culture
- Atlantic Iron Age (Orcadian) / possible Roman contact
- Purpose
- Ritual / ceremonial chamber; possible oracle or initiation space; later water management
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 100 BCE–100 CE (chamber and steps); mound earlier
Initial construction
c. 1263 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
58.9386° N · 2.8519° W · 25 m · 3 mapped features
Subterranean Corbelled Chamber
chamberSmall beehive chamber at base of stair, corbelled flagstone vault
58.9386° N · 2.8519° W29-step Stone Stair
stairGrand stepped descent within ditch cut to chamber
58.9387° N · 2.8520° WDitched Enclosure
ditchCircular ditch surrounding mound, part of earlier enclosure
58.9387° N · 2.8519° W