Object of the Week: A 5,000-year-old figurine which curators thought was lost forever in Orkney

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

This Neolithic human figurine was found at Skara Brae, in Orkney, in the 1860s. But it was only recently rediscovered during a search of the collections at Skaill House

Skaill is a 17th century mansion with collections donated to the museum during the 1930s. It has instantly become a jewel in the collection.

“Amazingly, we found it in the last box of the day,” says Dr David Clarke, who identified the 5,000-year-old figurine, carved from whalebone and measuring 9.5cm by 7.5cm.

“I’ve always thought this figurine to be lost forever so seeing it staring back at me from its bed of tissue paper was completely unexpected and very exciting.”

It was originally discovered by William G Watt, the local laird, when he was excavating a stone bed compartment in House 3 of the Neolithic village.

Eyes and a mouth have been cut in the face and the body has a navel, but is otherwise unadorned. Holes through the head and body may have been used to suspend it.

Watt’s find was briefly described as a ‘idol’ or ‘fetish’ in a report of discoveries at Skara Brae by the antiquarian George Petrie in 1867, but was otherwise only known by a sketch in Petrie’s notebooks, now held in the manuscripts of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

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Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art557555-neolithic-figurine-skara-brae-orkney-skaill