TA s froM e Orkney Is nds Discover the archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland that is full of Nordic history and captivating stories BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON ring of brodgAr 18 Jul/Aug 2023 SHETLAND ISLANDS Bergen Orkney Islands SCOTLAND Edinburgh United Kingdom N esTlED QUIETLY off the northeastern coast of Scotland, the Orkney Islands give us a glimpse into what life was like 5,000 years ago. Land that once saw fearsome Vikings and Stone Age humans now speaks its stories through remnants of ancient buildings, artifacts and one of the oldest and best-preserved Neolithic sites in Europe. Located near the Faroe and Shetland Islands, the Orkney archipelago is made up of 70 islands. Orkney (Orknøyene in Norwegian) is a famed piece of Norse history, showing signs of Viking inhabitants and even those who came before. The most commonly agreed-upon Norse timeline starts with Vikings docking in Orkney in the late eighth century, after fl eeing the fi rst king of a united Norway- King Harald Fairhair. It's unknown whether Viking boots hit Orkney sonsofnorway.com PHOTO: FIONN MCARTHUR/VISIT ORKNEY; MAP ILLUSTRATION: NATALIE PECHMAN N o O r H L w E a N y N R T R E S A A I Dhttp://www.sonsofnorway.com