Its appearance is as mystical as its discovery. A heavy storm in the late 19th century tore through the aged low cliffs at the cape of the southern tip of Shetland, Scotland, exposing part of an unusual settlement of stone structures. Excavation works revealed several settlement sites, with the oldest dating back 4,000 years. The earliest structures found were Neolithic houses, followed by a Bronze Age village, Iron Age broch, Norse longhouse and medieval farmstead. Excavation efforts also uncovered many artefacts. The name, Jarlshof means “Earl’s Mansion”, and was given by Sir Walter in the early 19th century, when he set part of his novel ‘The Pirate’ in the Old…