The Mystery of Skara Brae: Neolithic Scotland and the Origins of Ancient Egypt

This book is the most comprehensive study of Skara Brae I came across, with vast amounts of information and relations to cultures that might have had a great impact in its past.Not only the cosmological oriented structural design of the constructions were analysed in detail and seem to be closely related to the Dogon and early Egyptian structures, the two different groups of people that dwelled in Skara Brae are also revealed: the little Peti (reminding the word petit, "small" in French) and the tall Papae priests dressing in white.I personally took several days to read, add notes and, from the detailed analysis presented, to be surprised by the facts pointing out that the Egyptian culture may have actually been influenced from a root civilization (referenced also by the Ancient Greeks) and, as the author suggested, developed earlier through ancestor-teachers knowledge dwelling in the mystical lands of Scotland and Ireland.A few personal curiosities that might interest further comparative analysts:- the Indian fable of the mother goddess Devi, who visiting the 7 houses observes certain action in each household taking place, besides being likely related to Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the stages of the formation of matter, may also be analysed as the unlocking of body chakras;- Skara Brae and Dogon dwellings structure have unique similarities which oddly reminded me of traditional churches disposition: a oval head containing the altar (chancel), a big rectangular main space (nave) representing the body, a couple of side aisles representing arms and a smaller rectangular entrance room (narthex) representing the private parts of a woman;- "aku aku" was a spiritual power mentioned by indigenous people of the Easter Island (Charles Kos video) and from a few definitions mentioned in this book: "aakhu" stands for spirit, light and virtues which can all be found through the act of "aaa", i.e. perceiving and "finding what we're looking for";- the spirit of the 4th house asserts "I rise from the egg of the world", describing itself as "light sailing on air", reminding me of the Big Bang theory, when light originated from a single point of origin (i.e. cosmogonic egg) and spread throughout the multiverse;- if "skhet" may refer to an egg, a construction made with branches and leaves, and also to the upside-down concept, couldn't Scotland's etymology (Skhet-land) not only be related to cosmogonic knowledge but also to the concept of the "as above, so below" (Zep Tepi and the 8 primordial Ogdoad deities/teachers) presented by the "S-kher Bari" or upturned/overthrown ship/boat/brae?As a final personal remark, having read China's Cosmological Prehistory (the first of Laird's books I read), I need ("nehet) to point out the significant improvement made through the analysis of Skara Brae's cosmogonic relationships to cultures around the world, compiled in a much more consistent, robust and detailed form in this single "Overthrown Boat" book.It does make me believe that the veil is being lifted not only from many of the mysteries behind Skara Brae but also from multiple ancient civilizations origins.

I bought this book to accompany a cruise to Orkney. Text is bloated with bombast and hit-or-miss commentary. A poor choice for general information.

No question about it, there are a lot of mysteries around Skara Brae as there are around the paleolithic people who inhabited the Orkney Islands 5,000 years ago. I've been there, traipsed around Skara Brae as well as the other well known and nearby Stones of Stenness, Ness of Brodgar, the Ring of Brodga, the Maes Howe tomb and others. I really wish this book delved into them. Instead of serious reflection it offers only a very confused stream of consciousness-like tale purporting to link Skara Brae with an obscure ethnic group in Africa and something in pre-historic Egypt. To say this makes no sense whatsoever is to understate the obvious. The added footnotes and bibliography imply this is a serious academic study. It is not. It is a fraud. Writing a lot of nonsense words in a sentence does not make it worthy. Putting a whole bunch of this in one place makes even less sense. I guess in this day when we hear and accept so much nonsense through the internet and news media that it follows our literature should also indulge in fantasy. I was conned into buying the book, by the title alone. Please, do yourself a favor and do not follow my lead. Let my experience save you some money. Just Google Orkney Archaeology and you will be amazed by the mysteries of this most glorious place. It's absolutely fascinating which is more than I can say for this book. By the way, this is not cosmology as the word is understood in the scientific world. I am a cosmologist and the study described in the book is nothing even closely related.

Thought this was going to be a scholarly analysis of the Neolithic site. It is really a series of speculations about possible connections with the Dogon people of Africa.

I couldn't recommend this book more highly!!! I read it in a day ..I couldn't put it down. Incredible read, with amazing information. My two favorite places in the world merging! Scotland and Egypt! can't get more exciting than that, not for me anyway. I saw another person who only gave this book two stars, said it was a dry read - it is anything but! It is an exciting world of discovery - for serious researchers and explorers, this book is a MUST read. Buy it! you will treasure this book forever.

Interesting information.

I am a huge reader of ancient history books; but, alas, this book was far too dry and quite uninteresting. Was quite disappointed.

One of my wife's book requests. She loves it!

Informative book, with so much information that makes you realise history of our iisland is not all that you are told. Loved it will read again & again, as you always pick up new things to google & get led on another path of exploration. many more revelation happening in the Ness of Brodgar & this is a great book to prepare for the revelations to come from the ongoing dig there.

As per my previous visit, so many years, and so valued for a repeat!

Wasn't able to get 'into' this book. There is too much detail about word association. I didn't finish the book. Too bad, cause I was really looking forward to this.

Très intéressante théorie sur la culture universelle, de la pierre.Les analogies entre des civilisations très distantes, est surprenante. En tout cas, le mythe du monde "qui commence à sumer", semble devoir être remis en question!