View source for Knap of Howar

{{Short description|Neolithic farmstead in northwest Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox building
| name             = Knap of Howar
| image            = Knapofhowarinsun.jpg
| caption          = The house in 2009
| location         = [[Scotland]]
| material         = [[Stone]]
| coordinates      = {{coord|59.34944|-2.91069|format=dms|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| years_built      = {{circa|3800 BC}}
| map_type         = UK Scotland
| map_caption      = Location in Scotland, United Kingdom
| height           = 1.6 meters
}}
The '''Knap of Howar''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|n|æ|p|_|ə|v|_|ˈ|h|aʊ|ə|r|}}) on the island of [[Papa Westray]] in [[Orkney]], [[Scotland]], is a [[Neolithic]] [[farmstead]] which may be the oldest preserved stone house in northern Europe.<ref>[http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertyoverview.htm?PropID=PL_190 "Knap of Howar"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303200133/http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertyoverview.htm?PropID=PL_190 |date=3 March 2016 }} [[Historic Scotland]]. Retrieved 23 Sept 2011.</ref> [[Radiocarbon dating]] shows that it was occupied from 3800 BC to 2800 BC, earlier than the similar houses in the settlement at [[Skara Brae]] on the [[Mainland, Orkney|Orkney Mainland]].<ref>Wickham-Jones (2007) p. 40.</ref>

==The site==
The farmstead consists of two adjacent rounded rectangular thick-walled stone buildings with very low doorways facing the sea. The larger and older structure is linked by a low passageway to the other building, which has been interpreted as a workshop or a second house. They were constructed on an earlier [[midden]], and were surrounded by midden material which has protected them. There are no windows; the structures were presumably lit by fire, with a hole in the roof to let out smoke. Though they now stand close to the shore, they would have originally lain inland.

The stone walls of the buildings are preserved; and while the roof is missing, it was likely made of wood and [[Thatching|thatched]] or [[Sod roof|turfed]]. A hearth and a stone-built cupboard survive inside, and there may have been an external porch.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Knap of Howar: History |url=https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/knap-of-howar/history/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=www.historicenvironment.scot |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland|language=en}}</ref> Local [[Rock (geology)|stone]] splits into thin slabs, offering a ready source of construction material.

[[Image:Knapp of Howar.jpg|thumb|250px|Looking back through the low entrance doorway into the main house, a visitor's backpack gives an idea of scale]]
[[Image:Knapp of Howar 2.jpg|thumb|250px|The main house now looks out over the Atlantic Ocean]]
The walls still stand to an [[eaves]] height of {{convert|1.6|m}}, and the stone furniture is intact, giving a vivid impression of life in the house. Fireplaces, partition screens, beds, and storage shelves are almost intact, and [[post hole]]s were found indicating the roof structure.

Evidence from the middens shows that the inhabitants were keeping cattle, sheep and pigs, cultivating [[barley]] and [[wheat]], and gathering [[shellfish]] as well as fishing for species which must have been line-caught using boats.

Finds of finely made and decorated [[Unstan ware]] pottery link the inhabitants to [[chambered cairn]] tombs nearby and to sites far afield including [[Balbridie]] and [[Eilean Domhnuill]].
The name Howar is believed to be derived from the [[Old Norse]] word ''haugr'', meaning mounds or [[Tumulus|barrows]]. The site is in the care of [[Historic Scotland]].<ref>[http://www.paparproject.org.uk/orkney3.html Broch of Burrian Archaeology (The Papar Project)]</ref>

==See also==
* {{section link|Prehistoric Scotland|Farmers and monument builders}}
* [[Oldest buildings in Scotland]]
* [[List of the oldest buildings in the world]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* Wickham-Jones, Caroline (2007) ''Orkney: A<!--sic--> Historical Guide''. Edinburgh. [[Birlinn Limited|Birlinn]].

==Other sources==
* ''Scotland Before History'' - Stuart Piggott, (Edinburgh University Press. 1982) {{ISBN|0-85224-348-0}}
* ''Scotland's Hidden History'' - Ian Armit, Tempus (in association with Historic Scotland. 1998) {{ISBN|0-7486-6067-4}}
* ''The Other Orkney Book'' - Gordon Thomson, (Northabout Publishing. 1980) {{ISBN|0-907200-00-1}}
* "The Knap of Howar and the Origins of Geometry" - by Nicholas Cope & Keith Critchlow (Kairos publications 2016). {{ISBN|9780992682330}} - [http://www.ncope.co.uk www.ncope.co.uk]

==External links==
*{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM90195|desc=Knap of Howar, houses}}
*[http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/knaphowar.htm Orkneyjar - The Knap o' Howar ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017042541/http://orkneyjar.com/history/knaphowar.htm |date=17 October 2019 }}
*[http://www.islandguide.co.uk/orkney/knap-of-howar.htm Knap of Howar, Papa Westray.]

{{Prehistoric Orkney}}
{{European Standing Stones}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knap Of Howar}}
[[Category:4th-millennium BC architecture in Scotland]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 4th millennium BC]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Orkney]]
[[Category:Prehistoric Orkney]]
[[Category:Scheduled monuments in Orkney]]
[[Category:Stone Age sites in Scotland]]
[[Category:Neolithic settlements]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Scotland]]
[[Category:Neolithic Scotland]]
[[Category:Historic Environment Scotland properties in Orkney]]
[[Category:Houses in Orkney]]
[[Category:Papa Westray]]