Skara Brae: The Story of a Prehistoric Village (Library Binding)

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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.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Library Binding: 40 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (April 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823405834
• ISBN-13: 978-0823405831
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,170,114 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Robert P. Beveridge "xterminal" (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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