World Heritage Status
| Heart of Neolithic Orkney * | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iii, iv |
| Reference | 514 |
| Region ** | Europe and North America |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1999 |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List ** Region as classified by UNESCO |
|
"The Heart of Neolithic Orkney" was inscribed as a World Heritage site in December 1999. In addition to Maeshowe, the site includes Skara Brae, the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar and other nearby sites. It is managed by Historic Scotland, whose "Statement of Significance" for the site begins:
The monuments at the heart of Neolithic Orkney and Skara Brae proclaim the triumphs of the human spirit in early ages and isolated places. They were approximately contemporary with the mastabas of the archaic period of Egypt (first and second dynasties), the brick temples of Sumeria, and the first cities of the Harappa culture in India, and a century or two earlier than the Golden Age of China. Unusually fine for their early date, and with a remarkably rich survival of evidence, these sites stand as a visible symbol of the achievements of early peoples away from the traditional centres of civilisation ... Maes Howe is a masterpiece of Neolithic peoples. It is an exceptionally early architectural accomplishment. With its almost classical strength and simplicity it is a unique survival from 5000 years ago. It is an expression of genius within a group of people whose other tombs were claustrophobic chambers in smaller mounds.
Read more about this topic: Maeshowe
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