Rennibister Earth House, Iron Age souterrain in Firth, Scotland
Rennibister Earth House is an Iron Age underground chamber on the Orkney Islands that extends roughly 3.3 meters long and 2.5 meters wide beneath the surface. Stone walls feature five alcoves and four pillars that support a corbelled roof overhead.
The structure was built around 400 BC by Iron Age inhabitants of the Orkney Islands. It was discovered in 1926 when a threshing machine caused the roof to collapse during farming activities.
The name Rennibister comes from Old Norse, reflecting the Scandinavian roots of the Orkney Islands. The structure reveals how Iron Age communities used underground spaces as part of their daily life and settlement patterns.
Visitors descend to the underground chamber through a hatch in the roof using a ladder to access the interior. The site is open throughout the year for exploration, though sturdy footwear is advisable given the rocky terrain around it.
This is the only known Scottish souterrain to contain human remains, with bones from about eighteen people deliberately arranged on the chamber floor. This arrangement offers rare insight into the burial practices of an ancient community.
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