Skara Brae: The Story of a Prehistoric Village [Library Binding]

Olivier Dunrea (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1986

Describes the Stone age settlement preserved almost intact in the sand dunes of one of the Orkney Islands, how it came to be discovered in the mid-nineteenth century, and what it reveals about the life and culture of this prehistoric community.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author introduces a little-known archeological wonder: the ancient village of Skara Brae. In 1850, a storm blew across the Orkney Islands north of Scotland, exposing a small part of a primitive village. Over the next 125 years, the settlement was uncovered piece by piece and preserved. Skara Brae was first settled over 5000 years ago, when a small band of farmers and herders found the land good for building and grazing. The village's gradual evolution is revealed as readers see the changing ceremonial practices, burial methods and the design of the stone huts, which became larger and more comfortable. In 2400 B.C. a storm buried Skara Brae, and the villagers abandoned it. The items they dropped as they fled lay there for centuries. Dunrea's clear drawings put Skara Brae into focus for every reader; he delivers not only the engrossing tale of an ancient lifestyle, but a vivid story of an archeological search.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8 Around 3500 b.c. , Neolithic people reached the Orkney Islands off the northern coast of Scotland. One of their settlements, rediscovered in the 19th Century, is a unique archaeological find and the focus of this study. Skara Brae, literally the "village of the hilly dunes," housed a community of people for approximately 700 years. Because of the shortage of trees, the homes and furniture were built entirely of stone. A violent storm buried Skara Brae intact around 2400 b.c. , and its inhabitants abandoned it. In 1850 a.d. , another storm exposed its walls. Subsequent archaeological studies leave many questions unanswered. For example, the crude pottery is a puzzling contrast to the sophisticated building methods. Dunrea, who has made four visits to Skara Brae, uses a straightforward descriptive style and is careful to point out the few speculations which are based on finds at neighboring sites. The emphasis is on the structures themselves, not on possible activities of the inhabitants. Technical vocabulary is defined as it is used. Attractive pen-and-ink wash drawings, meticulously detailed, enhance and clarify each of the 36 pages. The well-preserved site of Skara Brae offers a tantalizing glimpse at man's distant past. Childrenand adultsare sure to be intrigued. Marguerite F. Raybould, Glendale Public Library, Calif.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Library Binding: 40 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (April 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823405834
• ISBN-13: 978-0823405831
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,318,207 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Olivier Dunrea is the creator of beautiful and well-loved children's books. A painter and a sculptor, his work centers around medieval farms, farm animals, architecture, and folklore. He lives in a 100 year old Arts and Crafts house in a tiny, remote mountain village on the western edge of the Catskills Mountains. More of Olivier's art and life can be seen at www.olivierdunrea.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite nice, this., April 27, 2005

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Robert P. Beveridge "xterminal" (Lakewood, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Skara Brae: The Story of a Prehistoric Village (Library Binding)

Olivier Dunrae, Skara Brae: The Story of a Prehistoric Village (Harmony House, 1985)

Skara Brae is quite a good book given its age range (I'd place it at 4-5); Dunrae does an excellent job of balancing what we know with what he surmises, and most importantly includes a small piece at the beginning explaining the difference between the two. It might be a bit beyond the target audience, but it's sure to please the parents reading the book with their children. As for the book itself, it's about, well, Skara Brae, the prehistoric fishing village on the coast of one of Scotland's Orkney Islands, from the time the original settlers came till the time of the second discovery of the ruins. Which seems like an awful lot to put into thirty-six pages, but then, fifteen hundred-odd years of Skara Brae's history can be summed up in the word "buried."

Good stuff for youngsters with an interest in digging things up (and what youngster doesn't have an interest in digging things up?). *** ½

5.0 out of 5 stars My daughter LOVED this book, October 20, 2011

By 

Andrea Bass (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Skara Brae: The Story of a Prehistoric Village (Library Binding)

She had to have this book for school. So we got it and begrudgingly she said she would read it, but after she had started it, she said it was a very good story and she learned about ancient civilizations as well!