Skara Brae a celebrated archaeological site on Mainland , near the B9056. It is a 4000- year-old Neolithic village completely buried under sand for nearly two millennia until a violent storm uncovered its existence in 1850. It is a remarkable settlement with much of its original 'furnishings' remaining intact: stone bed frames, shellfish tanks, hearths and primitive furniture all fashioned from stone. Some 10 houses and a workshop comprise this prehistoric village which is easily the best-preserved of its kind in Europe.

Close by Skara Brae are the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brogar, known as the 'Circle of the Sun'. The former are a huge monument of which only four stones now remain upright. The latter is a great ring of stones, of which 27 out of a possible original 60 stand as a witness to the intense lifestyle of the folk who lived here in the ancient past.