Shetland: Edge of the Prehistoric World
The Ancients
History Hit
4.7 • 4.5K Ratings
🗓️ 19 March 2023
⏱️ 46 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Over 100 miles further than the northern reaches of Britain, beyond Orkney, are a remote group of islands that make up Shetland. It’s one of the best kept secrets of prehistoric Scotland, containing evidence of the lives that were lived there some 5,000 years ago. With Viking archeology as well as prehistoric remains, it's a one of a kind insight into the past.
In today’s episode, Tristan talks to Dr Val Turner, one of Shetland's regional archaeologists. Together they take us to this edge of the prehistoric world, to find out about what life on these distant islands would have been like. From the axe factories that were discovered there, to the incredible Iron Age skyscrapers that are the brochs, what can we learn about this remote part of the world?
Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Stuart Beckwith.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | It's the Edgents on History Hit. |
| 0:12.4 | I'm Tristan Hughes, your host, and in today's episode what we're venturing to, a distant |
| 0:18.0 | edge of the prehistoric world. |
| 0:20.3 | We're going far beyond the northern reaches of mainland Britain. |
| 0:24.2 | We're going past Orkney. |
| 0:26.2 | We are talking all about the remote group of islands that |
| 0:29.9 | make up Shetland today. |
| 0:32.6 | Shetland has a lot of Viking archaeology, but it also has some extraordinary prehistoric |
| 0:39.6 | remains too because yes that's right. |
| 0:42.4 | People ventured here as far back as the Stone Age, as the Neolithic period, some 5,000 |
| 0:49.9 | years ago it's astonishing. |
| 0:51.9 | A huge water crossing across the tumultuous, the turbulent North Sea to reach Shetland. |
| 0:59.7 | Now in this episode we're going to be going from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, looking |
| 1:04.3 | at the archaeology of Shetlands that varies from Neolithic settlements and axe factories |
| 1:10.4 | to the massive Iron Age megastructures that were the bros. |
| 1:15.4 | And our guest today is the perfect guest because she is none other than Dr. Val Turner, |
| 1:23.3 | Shetland's regional archaeologist. |
| 1:26.2 | So without further ado to talk all about Shetland in prehistory life on this distant |
| 1:33.0 | edge of the prehistoric world, here's Val. |
| 1:37.4 | Val, it is wonderful to have you on the podcast today. |
| 1:41.7 | Well, thank you. |
| 1:42.7 | It's good to be able to do this. |
... |
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