Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney

Original version

A BBC TV channel for Scotland which will broadcast every evening and will show drama, factual, comedy and news programmes made in Scotland

BBC Scotland

BBC Two

BBC Four

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

BBC Four HD

BBC Scotland HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

Secrets of Orkney: Britain's Ancient Capital 

Neil Oliver

Chris Packham

Shini Somara

Andy Torbet

Doug Allan

Jamie Simpson

Rachel Bell

Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney: Episode 2

Documentaries

britains-ancient-capital-secrets-of-orkney_e2_090117_pp.jpg

Episode 2

BBC Scotland - Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney, Episode 2

Andy Torbet tries to cross the Pentland Firth as the ancient Orcadians would have done.

Neil Oliver, Chris Packham, Andy Torbet and Shini Somara uncover the secrets of Orkney. Andy and some locals cross the Pentland Firth as the ancient Orcadians would have done.

Orkney - seven miles off the coast of Scotland, and cut off by the tumultuous Pentland Firth, the fastest-flowing tidal race in Europe is often viewed as being remote. However it is one of the treasure troves of archaeology in Britain, and recent discoveries there are turning the Stone Age map of Britain upside down. Rather than an outpost at the edge of the world, recent finds suggest an extraordinary theory - that Orkney was the cultural capital of our ancient world and the origin of the stone circle cult which culminated in Stonehenge.

In the second of this three-part series, Neil Oliver, Chris Packham, Andy Torbet and Dr Shini Somara join hundreds of archaeologists from around the world who have gathered there to investigate at one of Europe's biggest digs.

Andy and some local seafaring volunteers build a boat made of just willow and cow hide and set out to cross the dangerous Pentland Firth as the ancient Orcadians would have done. Neil investigates the extraordinary discovery of some human bones, Chris goes in search of whales and Shini uncovers the powers of the tides.

A BBC TV channel for Scotland which will broadcast every evening and will show drama, factual, comedy and news programmes made in Scotland


Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Neil Oliver, Chris Packham, Andy Torbet and Dr Shini Somara explore the secrets of Orkney.

Neil Oliver, Chris Packham, Andy Torbet and Dr Shini Somara join hundreds of archaeologists from around the world who have gathered in Orkney at one of Europe's biggest digs.

Neil Oliver, Chris Packham, Andy Torbet and Dr Shini Somara join hundreds of archaeologists from around the world who have gathered in Orkney to investigate at one of Europe's biggest digs.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney

Episode 2

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Series

BBC Scotland

About BBC Scotland