ARCHAEOLOGISTS in Orkney have discovered the remains of an ancient sauna among 30 buildings unearthed after years of natural erosion.

The team, who also discovered field systems, middens and cemeteries, believe the Bronze Age sauna or steam house may have been built for ritual purposes.

The researchers discovered the buildings, dating from about 4000 BC to 1000 BC, on the periphery of the prehistoric Links of Noltland, on the island of Westray in Orkney. The site is close to where the Westray Wife, a tiny Neolithic figurine, was found in 2009. The carving is believed to be the earliest depiction of a human face in Britain.

The work, carried out by EASE Archaeology, is being funded by Historic Scotland, who are merging with the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) this week to form a new heritage body called Historic Environment Scotland.

Archaeological work has been carried out at the Links of Noltland for several years now but this most recent discovery is one of the most remarkable to date. Experts believe the almost complete, and remarkably well-preserved Bronze Age building had a very specialised function and was used by select groups for activities such as rites of passage or spiritual ceremonies.

It is also possible that the building could have been used as a sweat house or sauna, or for a number of activities ranging from basic healing and cleansing, a place where women could go to give birth, the sick and elderly could go to die, or where bodies were taken before burial.

Rod McCullagh, deputy head of archaeology strategy at Historic Scotland, said: “This is a beautifully preserved site with lots of tantalising clues pointing to its use as an important building, central to the community who built it.

“We know this was a large building, with a complex network of cells attached to it and a sizeable tank of water in the central structure, which would likely have been used to produce boiling water and steam, which could have been used to create a sauna effect.

“What this would have been used for we don’t know exactly but the large-scale, elaborate architecture and sophistication of the structure all suggest that it was used for more than just cooking.”

He added: “Whether its purpose was for feasting, rituals, important discussions, or maybe just for the same reasons we use saunas for today, is something we don’t yet know.

“This is just the start of an exciting but painstaking process of analysis and research work, but one which gradually adds to our understanding of what activities occurred here 4,000 years ago.”

The early analysis work suggested that the building is likely to be a “burnt mound”, which generally comprises of a fireplace, water tank and a pile of burnt stone.

Through experimentation and reference to medieval Irish literature, experts have been able to deduce that stones were roasted on a hearth before being placed into the tank of water, bringing the water to a boiling point and producing lots of steam.

The hot water could then be used to cook large quantities of food or for bathing, brewing, textile working, or any other of a range of activities.

The hidden nature of the building, together with its restricted access and tightly-packed cells, suggest that it served a more specialised function than most burnt mounds and that rather than being a gathering place for the many, it would have been used by a more select group, and was most likely used as a sauna or steam house.

Although lying undiscovered for thousands of years, the structures have been exposed by the effects of natural erosion in recent years, and with the impending threat to their survival, Historic Scotland decided it was time to investigate the remains in greater detail.

The site will now be carefully backfilled in order to best protect it from the harsh conditions of an Orkney winter, although the site could potentially be re-excavated in the spring of next year.