Skara Brae is one of the oldest historical sites in Europe, and it stayed hidden for more than 4,000 years. The ancient village of Skara Brae was discovered on the main island of Orkney, in Scotland. A massive storm in 1850 removed the sand that had covered it for thousands of years, exposing the remains of a small village. Skara Brae is a collection of eight round, stone houses that still have their stone furnishings and even some of the belongings of the inhabitants. The contents can tell us a great deal about how people lived in what is called the Neolithic era, or the last period of the Stone Age. Seven of the eight houses appear to have been family homes, with beds, dressers, fireplaces, and even simple toilets. The eighth house may have been a community workshop. It shows evidence of tool-making and the use of a large fire pit.

How was Skara Brae built, and what, eventually, happened to it? Let's journey back in time through the evidence archaeologists have put together to understand the story of Skara Brae.

The small, stone village was built some time around 3100 BCE. The first villagers dug down into an existing midden heap, or trash heap, to build the foundations of their homes. The garbage helped to insulate and protect the homes. They built their round huts with stones found locally, sticking each piece together with a paste made from ground-up waste and dung.

After the houses were built, the villagers furnished their homes with stone beds, one on each side of the door, a stone dresser, and a fireplace, or hearth. The hearth kept the home warm and allowed the inhabitants to cook their food.

The people of Skara Brae then farmed the surrounding lands, with evidence suggesting that they grew barley and other grains. They kept cows and pigs, and they fished in the ocean for a good part of their diet.

As the number of people grew, the village expanded. Covered tunnels and alleyways were built to connect all the homes. This would have protected people traveling from one house to another from cold winter weather. Because of the connections between the houses and the shared workspace, archaeologists believe that Skara Brae was a close-knit community.

The people made many things, including pottery, stone tools, and bone jewelry. Curiously, no evidence of weaponry was ever found, leading archaeologists to believe that Skara Brae was a peaceful place.

Skara Brae was inhabited for approximately six hundred years, at which point, it was abandoned. Many theories exist about what happened to the people of Skara Brae. One of the most popular theories is that a terrible storm, similar to the one that would uncover the remains of the village in 1850, struck and drove the people from their homes. This is supported by the fact that so many possessions, including valuables like jewelry, were left behind.

Which supporting detail supports the main idea that Skara Brae was an ancient village?

A massive storm in 1850 removed the sand that had covered it.
B The eighth house may have been a community workshop.
C The first villagers dug down into an existing midden heap.
D The small, stone village was built some time around 3100 BCE.