Rinyo was a

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...

settlement on

Rousay Rousay (, sco, Rousee; non, Hrólfsey meaning Rolf's Island) is a small, hilly island about north of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. It has been nicknamed "Egypt of the north", due to its archaeological diversit ...

Orkney Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. The site was discovered in the winter of 1837–38 on the lands of Bigland Farm in the north east of the island at . The site was excavated in 1938 and 1946 by

Vere Gordon Childe Vere Gordon Childe (14 April 189219 October 1957) was an Australian archaeologist who specialised in the study of European prehistory. He spent most of his life in the United Kingdom, working as an academic for the University of Edinburgh and th ...

, who also excavated

Skara Brae Skara Brae is a stone-built Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland. Consisting of ten clustered houses, made of flagstones, in earthen dams ...

Mainland Orkney The Mainland, also known as Hrossey and Pomona, is the main island of Orkney, Scotland. Both of Orkney's burghs, Kirkwall and Stromness, lie on the island, which is also the heart of Orkney's ferry and air connections. Seventy-five per cent of O ...

, and by W. G. Grant. Finds included flint implements, stone axes and balls, pottery and a stone mace-head."Rousay, Rinyo"
RCAHMS. Retrieved 25 June 2009. Over 100 archaeological sites have been identified on Rousay, including the complex of

Midhowe Broch Midhowe Broch () is an Iron Age broch located on the west coast of the island of Rousay in the Orkney Islands, in Scotland. Description Midhowe Broch () is situated on a narrow promontory between two steep-sided creeks, on the north side of E ...

and

Midhowe Chambered Cairn Midhowe Chambered Cairn is a large Neolithic chambered cairn located on the south shore of the island of Rousay, Orkney, Scotland. The name "Midhowe" comes from the Iron Age broch known as Midhowe Broch, that lies just west of the tomb. The ...

References

3rd-millennium BC architecture in Scotland 1837 archaeological discoveries 1838 archaeological discoveries Archaeological sites in Orkney Prehistoric Orkney Stone Age sites in Scotland Former populated places in Scotland Scheduled monuments in Scotland Neolithic Scotland 1837 in Scotland 1838 in Scotland Neolithic settlements Rousay {{UK-archaeology-stub