Books, Prehistory, History of the Orkney Islands by George Barry

To one or other of there, it is probable, must belong that which has been lately discovered at Qanterness [Map]. As works of that nature have never been clearly understood, though they have excited much curiosity in men who take pleasure in studying the progress of the human mind, by looking back to early ages, the utmost attention has been given to examine that Picts-house with care, to measure its dimensions accurately, and to delineate the form of all its parts with precision. Situated on a gentle declivity, under the brow of the hill of Wideford, it looks toward the North Isles, has a full view of the bay of Frith, and the pleasant little island of Dansey, from which it is not far distant, and lies little more than a mile west from the road or harbour of Kirkwall. Like the rest it bears externally the form of a truncated cone, the height of which is about fourteen feet, and the circumference at the base three hundred and eighty-four; but whether, like them also, it be surrounded by one or two circular walls, the quantity of rubbish prevented us from discovering, though, that it is so, is very probable. In one respect it differs from moll of them, as it stands alone, and at a distance from the shore; whereas, in general, they are situated on the shores of the sea, and several of them at no great distance from, and in full view of one another, as if they were some way or other connected, or had been intended for mutual communication.

Internally it consists of several cells or apartments, the principal one of which is in the centre, twenty-one feet fix inches long, six feet six inches broad, and eleven feet fix inches high, built without any cement, with large flat stones, the one immediately above projecting over that below, so as gradually to contract the space within as the building rifest till the opposite walls meet at the top, where they are bound together by large stones laid across, to serve as it were for key-stones. Six other apartments of an exactly similar form, constructed with the fame fort of materials, and united in the same manner, but of little more than half the dimensions, communicate with this in the centre, each by a passage about two feet square, on a level with the floor; and the whole may be considered as connected together by a passage of nearly the same extent from without, which leads into this chief apartment. So far as can now be discovered, there does not appear ever to have been, in any part of the building, either chink or hole for the admission of air or light; and this circumstance alone is sufficient to show that it had not been destined for the abode of men. The contents were accordingly such as might have been naturally expected in such a gloomy mansion. None of those things, which have been discovered in places, were found here; but the earth at the bottom of the cells, as deep as it could be dug, was of a dark colour, of a greasy feel, and of a fetid odour, plentifully intermingled with bones, some of which were al- most intirely consumed, and others had, in defiance of time, remained so entire,' as to how that they were the bones of men, of birds, and of some domestic animals. But though many of them had nearly mouldered into dust, they exhibited no marks of having been burnt; nor were names of any kind to be seen within any part of the building. In one of the apartments, an entire human skeleton, in a prone attitude, was found; but in the others, the bones were not only separated from one another, but divided into very small fragments.