This History video introduces teachers to the Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae and how it can be used to teach pupils about prehistoric houses and the limitations of archaeological evidence. Discovered in 1850, Skara Brae is the best-preserved group of prehistoric houses in Western Europe, dating from 3200 to 2700 BC. The nine surviving stone-built, one-roomed homes, part of the Orkney World Heritage Site, still contain original fitted furniture over 5,000 years old. Pupils will examine photographs of Skara Brae to identify objects such as dressers, stone seats, watertight boxes, beds, storage cells, and hearths, recording their findings as either certainties or possibilities based on the evidence available.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s History scheme – England. It supports teachers in guiding pupils through evidence-based reasoning. Certainties, like the centrally placed hearth used for cooking, heat, and light, can be supported by proof. Items without clear evidence, such as the purpose of the stone box, are recorded as possibilities, encouraging multiple interpretations. Pupils will explore House Seven via a 3D scan to see how partial reconstructions help and hinder interpretation. Through activities such as discussing the dresser and questioning what might have been stored there, pupils will recognise that archaeological evidence leaves unanswered questions, developing their ability to think critically about the past.

History, Lower key stage 2, Year 3, British history 1: Would you prefer to have lived in the Stone Age, Bronze Age or Iron Age? Lesson 2: What does Skara Brae tell us about life in the Stone Age?