Bones eroding from a Sanday beach led archaeologists to a Viking boat grave. The Scar boat burial is a Norse burial site near Scar on Sanday, containing a man, a woman, and a child with grave goods.
The find is important both for what survived and for how quickly it had to be rescued. More than 300 iron rivets marked the vanished boat, while the grave goods, human remains, sand analysis, and coastal erosion story made Scar one of Orkney’s most vivid Viking-period discoveries.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
History
John Dearness found bones and a small lead object at The Crook Beach in 1985. Julie Gibson and Raymond Lamb investigated after the lead object was identified as a bullion weight. Historic Scotland formed a team led by Magnar Dalland to excavate the eroding site in November and December 1991.
The burial dates to between 875 and 950 AD. The boat wood had rotted away, leaving more than 300 iron rivets. The grave contained a man, an elderly woman, and a child.
Grave goods included a sword, arrows, combs, gaming pieces, a gilded brooch, shears, a sickle, spindle whorls, and the Scar Dragon Plaque. Sand from the boat lining did not match Orkney, Shetland, or the Scottish mainland, suggesting the boat may have come from Norway or elsewhere.
People
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John Dearness
farmer who found bones and a lead object in 1985.
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Julie Gibson
Orkney County archaeologist who helped recognise the site’s significance.
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Magnar Dalland
Norwegian expert who led the 1991 excavation team.
What to look for
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Boat rivets
More than 300 iron rivets marked the vanished boat.
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Grave goods
Weapons, tools, ornaments, gaming pieces, and the Scar Dragon Plaque were found.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 59.2978°N · 2.5679°W
- Access
- Open access
- Terrain
- Moderate walking
Opening & admission
The source pack does not provide reliable current admission details; verify before travelling.
- The pack describes an eroding beach find and excavation, but gives no current visitor access details.
Nearby places
Tomb or burial place · Prehistoric
Quoyness Chambered Cairn
Orkney Islands
Quoyness is a Neolithic chambered cairn on the Elsness peninsula of Sanday, Orkney, of the Maeshowe type and probably built around 3000 BC. Origina…
- Near Sanday
- 20 min walk from car park
- Easy path
Questions people ask
- What is the Scar boat burial?
- It is a Viking boat burial near Scar on Sanday in Orkney.
- Who was buried there?
- The pack says the burial contained a man, an elderly woman, and a child.
- Why was the excavation urgent?
- The site was exposed and rapidly eroding on the coast.
- What is the Scar Dragon Plaque?
- It is a whalebone plaque found beside the woman in the burial.
Sources
- Wikipedia article
- Source pack: Scar boat burial
Explore more: Tomb or burial places · Prehistoric · Orkney Islands
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