Early visitors and first settlers
People have been visiting the islands since the Mesolithic (middle stone age) and permanently settling here from the late Neolithic (new stone age) and into the Bronze Age. From these early days of permanent settlement and beyond, their indelible mark has been left on the landscape.
Mesolithic maritime mobility
Many small, worked flints, thought to be from the Mesolithic (middle stone age) c.6000 BC, were found during excavations at Old Quay on St Martin’s in 2013. The closest parallels for these flints come from north of the River Seine in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. This could illustrate early cultural connections between Scilly and the continent. Due to their significance, these flints are displayed in a case of their own – come and see them!
Bronze Age building programme
During the early Bronze Age, c.2500 BC – c.1500 BC, the flourishing of monument building is remarkable. The Isles of Scilly boasts the highest density of monumentality in south-west Britain with over 600 recorded cairns, standing stones and entrance graves being built in this period. Learn about these sites in the museum before venturing out to appreciate these monuments in the landscape.
Iron Age sword and mirror
In March 1999 Bryher farmer Paul Jenkins uncovered a stone-lined cist grave dating to 200 BC while spraying his potato crop. The grave contained the fragmented remains of an adult, aged 20-25 years, an iron sword and mirror, a grave goods pairing unique in the Iron Age. Recent DNA on surviving tooth enamel has strikingly revealed the burial is that of a female. For the first time, the sword and mirror will be reunited on display with the rest of the grave goods that have long been stored on the mainland.
On the periphery
As the Roman Empire rose and fell and two heretic Spanish bishops were exiled here in AD 384, the Isles of Scilly occupied a position at the edge of the known western world. Visitors continued to call at Scillonian shores, and the astonishing collection of Roman deposits on Nornour including brooches, coins, jewellery and figurines are testament to Scilly’s continued connection to the ancient international community. Circumnavigate this collection displayed in a case designed to emulate the circular Iron Age round house on Nornour that was repurposed as a probable shrine by mariners of the Romano-British period.