▁ 1 4 th ▁century ▁the ▁arch ip el ago ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁Scotland . ▁ ▁Pre histor ic ▁Or k ney ▁ ▁As ▁with ▁Pre histor ic ▁Scotland ▁generally , ▁h unter ▁gather ers ▁followed ▁the ▁slow ▁retre at ▁of ▁ice ▁age ▁gla ci ation . ▁The ▁rapid ▁spread ▁of ▁Ne ol ith ic ▁culture ▁up ▁the ▁western ▁se aw ays ▁soon ▁brought ▁early ▁far ming ▁settlement s ▁and ▁Meg al ith ic ▁culture . ▁The ▁pre val ent ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁sand stone , ▁found ▁ready ▁split ▁into ▁convenient ▁building ▁sl abs ▁on ▁the ▁shore , ▁preserved ▁numerous ▁structures ▁from ▁this ▁period , ▁including ▁pre histor ic ▁villages , ▁bro chs , ▁sou ter rain ▁structures , ▁chamber ed ▁c air ns ▁and ▁standing ▁stones . ▁ ▁The ▁oldest ▁stone ▁house ▁still ▁standing ▁in ▁northern ▁Europe ▁( occup ied ▁from ▁ 3 5 0 0 ▁BC ▁to ▁ 3 1 0 0 ▁BC ) ▁is ▁at ▁Kn ap ▁of ▁How ar ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Papa ▁West ray , ▁with ▁walls ▁int act ▁to ▁a ▁low ▁e aves ▁height , ▁and ▁stone ▁furn iture ▁looking ▁very ▁us able . ▁Fin ely ▁made ▁and ▁decor ated ▁Un stan ▁w are ▁pot tery ▁links ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁to ▁chamber ed ▁c air n ▁tomb s ▁nearby . ▁At ▁Sk ara ▁Bra e ▁on ▁the ▁Main land , ▁passage ways ▁connect ▁similar ▁houses ▁into ▁a ▁village , ▁d ating ▁from ▁about ▁ 3 0 0 0 ▁BC ▁to ▁ 2 5 0 0 ▁BC