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A student was shocked when, during archaeological work, an intricately crafted ancient sculpture suddenly emerged from the ground, seemingly smiling at her.
The artefact, discovered at Skaill Farm on the Orkney island of Rousey, was the subject of a statement issued on 24 July by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) Archaeological Institute. The site is part of a multi-year scientific investigation.
According to the university, student Katie Joss was working at the edge of a trench when she suddenly noticed a stone face “looking” at her.
Photographic evidence from the excavations shows a sculpture with curly locks of hair and an enigmatic half-smile, not marred by a missing nose.
University of the Highlands archaeologist Sarah Jane Gibbon described the find as “a truly sensational discovery”.
A sandstone sculpture with wavy hair and a subtle smile has been found at Scalell Farm as part of a University of the Highlands and Islands research initiative. (Dan Lee/UHI Archaeological Institute)
“The carved object is made of reddish sandstone with yellow inclusions, probably mined in Edea, identical to elements from the nearby ancient church of St. Mary,” the specialist explained.
The origin and functional purpose of the artifact remain unclear, although Gibbon noted that its presence indicates the existence of a “significant architectural complex” in the area in the past.
“Such artifacts are more typical of religious buildings than agricultural lands.”
Dan Lee, a researcher at UHI's Orkney campus, told Fox News Digital the find was “extremely extraordinary”.
“There are no similar sites recorded in Orkney,” he said. “These are the type of artefacts you would expect to find in a religious building, not on farmland.”
The scientist suggested that the sculpture could have been moved from St. Mary's Church and is of medieval origin.
If the hypothesis is confirmed, it would indicate that the temple was distinguished by “high quality construction and special status.”
Archaeology student Katie Joss (right) made the discovery while working in a trench. The find was officially announced at the end of July. (Dan Lee/UHI Archaeology Institute)
“This level of artistic carving is not typical for farm buildings, and we did not find any red sandstone in the structure of the main walls of the farm buildings,” Li explained.
The exceptional state of preservation of the object suggests that it was kept in a closed space for a long time.
“The damage is limited to a chip on the tip of the nose, which could have occurred before the artifact entered a later cultural layer,” the expert added.
The find adds to a series of sandstone fragments discovered as part of the project at Scalell Farm. (Dan Lee/UHI Archaeological Institute)
Thanks to the properties of the soil, the stone is well preserved. Traces of tool processing in the carving areas are clearly visible.
Lee said the sculpture had become part of a collection of finely crafted red sandstone artefacts at Skaill, including column capitals, but remained unique.
“We have never found anything that depicts human forms before, so this discovery is unique!” he emphasized.
Scotland has a rich history of human occupation and the discovery at Scaill continues a string of modern archaeological achievements.
The discovery of the artefact is part of an ongoing investigation at Scalell Farm led by the UHI Archaeological Institute. (Dan Li/UHI Archaeological Institute)
A schoolboy has discovered a fragment of a warship from the American Revolutionary War on the coast of Sanday Island, part of the Orkney archipelago.
Previously, traces of an ancient settlement were discovered near Inverness on the territory of a planned golf course.
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