Time Team returns to the Ness of Brodgar as mysterious circular feature prompts new excavation

Time Team is returning to the Ness of Brodgar this summer following the discovery of a mysterious circular feature revealed during a final phase of geophysical survey at the world-famous archaeological site.

The feature, identified during ground-penetrating radar surveys carried out after the final excavation season in 2024, has prompted a new, targeted excavation in partnership with the Ness of Brodgar team. While archaeologists do not yet know exactly what lies beneath the surface, the anomaly represents an exciting new chapter in the story of one of Britain's most significant prehistoric landscapes.

The discovery is first revealed in Time Team's brand-new documentary, premiering in Orkney on Friday 3rd July, before becoming available to Time Team members on Patreon later that evening. The film will receive its public YouTube premiere on 18th July.

The documentary follows the final weeks of excavation at the Ness before the trenches were backfilled, documenting both the end of more than two decades of fieldwork and the remarkable geophysical survey that hinted there may still be more to discover.

Now, as the documentary is released, Time Team has returned to Orkney to investigate the newly identified feature alongside the Ness of Brodgar team.

Dr John Gater, Time Team's geophysics expert, said:

"The survey revealed something none of us were expecting. At this stage we simply don't know exactly what the feature represents. It could prove to be archaeology of a different period, perhaps even a Bronze Age burial cairn, or maybe even something more exciting... That's exactly why we're going back to investigate."

Tim Taylor, Creator and Executive Producer of Time Team, said:

"One of the most exciting things about archaeology is that it never really ends. Even after years of excavation, new technology can reveal fresh questions we never thought to ask. The Ness of Brodgar has transformed our understanding of Neolithic Britain over the past two decades, and the possibility that there's still another chapter waiting to be uncovered is incredibly exciting. We're delighted to be returning to work alongside the Ness team once again."

The excavation will take place throughout July as part of a research project designed to answer the questions raised by the geophysical survey.

The new dig follows Time Team's long association with Orkney, stretching back more than two decades. Dr John Gater carried out some of the earliest geophysical surveys at the Ness, helping identify the extraordinary archaeology that would later become internationally renowned.

The new documentary also explores the emotional conclusion of the original excavation, featuring interviews with project directors Nick Card, Professor Mark Edmonds and Anne Mitchell, alongside cutting-edge visualisations and expert analysis explaining why the Ness of Brodgar continues to reshape our understanding of Neolithic Britain.

Thanks to the support of Time Team's Patreon members, both the documentary and the new excavation have been independently funded, allowing audiences to follow the archaeological investigation as it unfolds throughout July. Additional support provided by the Ness of Brodgar Trust, the American Friends of the Ness of Brodgar, UHI Archaeology Institute and the Orkney Islands Council.

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Press Release: Time Team returns to the Ness of Brodgar as mysterious circular feature prompts new excavation

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