Kleber: Shetland's Oldest Industry: Shetland Soapstone Since Prehistory

Soapstone (steatite, kleber) is so soft that you can scratch it with your fingernail, but put it in a fire and it hardens and makes the ideal material for cooking pots and baking plates. This discovery was made early in Shetland's past although it was the Vikings who really made the most of it. Our understanding of Shetland's Earliest Industry has flourished over the last 20 years and this volume draws that information together in one place.

The Old Scatness Broch and Iron Age Village Project was set up by Shetland Amenity Trust as an access to heritage project in 1995. This has provided a double boost for developing our knowledge of soapstone. The excavations provided a framework for studying how the material was used and the popular Living History team have experimented in working it over many years. This volume contains the story so far...

Binding: Hardback
Publisher: Shetland Amenity Trust
Number of pages: 133
ISBN: 9780954324698
Dimensions (cm): 30H x 21.5W x 1.25D