Chocolate archaeology

We love Orkney’s archaeology, and we would like to take some home. But since we can’t, we created chocolate archaeology instead. With these delicious artefacts, you can really delight in the past with us.

Our chocolates are all carefully hand produced in the Orkney Islands, Scotland.

This page describes each chocolate artefact. To buy now, please go to our web shop.

Archaeological finds made in chocolate.
Archaeological finds made in chocolate.
Our customers say:

Chocolate not only looks amazing, it tastes amazing too, thank you so much.

Isabel Addie

Where to buy

Brodgar Archaeological Chocolate is for sale at:

Kirkness & Gorie, Kirkwall

Artsworks of the Earth, Stromness

Skaill House, Sandwick

William Shearer’s Christmas Attic, Kirkwall

The Orkney Museum

Shieldmaiden, Glastonbury

Njardarheimr Viking Village, Gudvangen, Norway

Web shop

Stocking Brodgar chocolate

If you would like to stock Brodgar archaeological chocolate in your shop, contact me on info@brodgar.co.uk and I will send you a price list and order form.

Neolithic range

Our delightful Neolithic Brodgar Chocolates are based on finds from the Ness of Brodgar archaeological excavation. They copy, in minute detail, real archaeological artefacts which have been found in Orkney. Good job our archaeologist, Christopher, is so good at making replicas! The replicas then became the basis for moulds, in which the chocolates have been lovingly crafted by Christopher’s wife, Raggie.

With each box of chocolates, you will find information on the real life archaeological artefact that the chocolates are modelled on.

Ness of Brodgar chocolate: Grooved Ware and Decorated Stone

Grooved Ware pottery chocolates.

8 pieces.

In finest Belgian milk chocolate, 55 g. approx.

“Grooved Ware” is a type of Neolithic pottery which is found across Britain, including at the Ness of Brodgar and other Neolithic sites in Orkney.

These chocolates were modelled on shards of Grooved Ware pottery found in the Ness of Brodgar archaeological excavation.

In Orkney, we find the oldest dated Grooved Ware, from around 3100 BC. Orkney was then a cultural centre for Neolithic artwork.

These delicious pieces of chocolate Grooved Ware are made in premium quality Belgian milk chocolate.

Ingredients: sugar 42.0% ; cocoa butter 24.0% ; whole milk powder 22.5% ; cocoa mass 11.0% ; emulsifier: soya lecithin <1% ; natural vanilla flavouring <1%

Ness of Brodgar Decorated Stone chocolate

Finest Belgian milk chocolate, 75 g. approx.

This chocolate is modelled on a beautifully patterned stone, found in the Ness of Brodgar archaeological excavation in August 2015. It was discovered in the building known as Structure 8, which is part of a complex of large ritual buildings from the Stone Age.

At the time of its finding, more than 700 other decorated stones had been unearthed at the Ness of Brodgar, but this one is the finest example.

This was the first archaeological chocolate made by us at Brodgar.co.uk, when we started in 2016.

The chocolate artefact is made in finest Belgian milk chocolate, which has a creamy feel in the mouth.

Ingredients: sugar 42.0% ; cocoa butter 24.0% ; whole milk powder 22.5% ; cocoa mass 11.0% ; emulsifier: soya lecithin <1% ; natural vanilla flavouring <1%

Chocolate Carved Stone Ball

Carved Stone Ball

Available in:

Finest Belgian dark chocolate, 60 g. approx.

Finest Belgian white chocolate & crystallized rose petals, 60 g. approx.

For retail in shops only, as this chocolate will not survive posting.

A carved stone ball is a Stone Age artefact type found in Scotland. This chocolate version is the exact shape and size of the one found at the Ness of Brodgar in Orkney, in 2013. It has six bosses, arranged in two groups of three, stacked above each other. This arrangement of the bosses is unique to this ball, although many other carved stone balls of other designs have been found in Orkney.

Pictish range

The Picts were a people living in Scotland in the Iron Age. They were the indigenous population of Orkney, before the arrival of the Vikings in c. 800 AD.

The Picts were very accomplished artists, and left us stunning pieces of sculpture. On the Pictish symbol stones, we can find stylised animals and objects such as combs and mirrors and the crescent moon, and more mysterious symbols. These recur across the Pictish stones, and are often paired as if they have a deeper meaning depending on which symbols occur together.

Pictish symbol

In finest Belgian milk chocolate

65 g approx.

The Pictish symbol stone chocolates bear one of four different designs found on Pictish symbol stones: The Crescent and V-rod, the Eagle, the Boar and the Mirror & Comb.

In Orkney, Pictish culture was superseded by the Vikings in the 9th Century AD. However, the Picts left us beautiful art, such as the Burrian Stone from the parish of Harray on the Mainland of Orkney, which shows an Eagle, a Crescent & V-rod, and a Mirror, all on the one stone.

These chocolates are made in collaboration with Yara Craft, Orkney.

Ingredients: sugar 42.0% ; cocoa butter 24.0% ; whole milk powder 22.5% ; cocoa mass 11.0% ; emulsifier: soya lecithin <1% ; natural vanilla flavouring <1%

Viking Range

The Norse people of Scandinavia, or Vikings, came to Orkney in c. 800 AD, and came to dominate the islands. From here, they ruled the old Earldom of Orkney, and raided, traded and explored far and wide.

The Vikings were also very fond of art, such as fine metal jewellery and beautiful carvings made in materials such as antler or whale bone.

Viking Hoard chocolate

Viking Hoard

In finest Belgian dark and milk chocolate

7 pieces, 40 g. approx.

Our gold and silver Viking Hoard contains chocolate versions of metal jewellery from Scandinavia, and are made in collaboration with the Swedish company Nordens Historiska Fynd. Here, they carefully recreate Viking jewellery that has been found in archaeological excavations, so if you would like a silver or bronze version of what you see here in chocolate, Nordens Historiska Fynd is the place to go.

Each box contains one Trefoil Brooch in milk chocolate, two Sun Discs in milk chocolate, two Loki Masks in dark chocolate, and two Thor’s Hammers in dark chocolate. The dark ones are silver coloured, and the milk ones gold.

The Trefoil Brooch was used to fasten garments, and has a beautiful interlace pattern.

The Loki Mask is an amulet representing the Viking god Loki. Found at Vejen, Denmark, the god’s mouth has been stitched up, and the story tells us this was done in punishment for a lost wager.

The Sun Disc amulet is from the island of Gotland. Viking religion was closely connected to nature, weather and seasons.

The Thor’s Hammer is the attribute of the god Thor, the Viking god of thunder. He  made lightning and protected people from giants by throwing his hammer.

Min cocoa contents: 54.5% (dark) / 33.6% (milk)
Ingredients: sugar 42.0% ; cocoa butter 24.0% ; whole milk powder 22.5% ; cocoa mass 11.0% ; emulsifier: soya lecithin <1% ; natural vanilla flavouring <1% Nutritional value per 100g: 564 kcal, fat 36.2g, sugars 49.9 g, milk protein 5.7 g,

Viking Ship chocolates

Viking Ship, milk chocolate

In finest Belgian milk chocolate

65 g. approx.

This Viking ship design also comes from a picture stone from the island of Gotland, named Stora Hammars 1.

The Viking warriors are ready for attack, shields at the side and swords lifted!

Ingredients: sugar 42.0% ; cocoa butter 24.0% ; whole milk powder 22.5% ; cocoa mass 11.0% ; emulsifier: soya lecithin <1% ; natural vanilla flavouring <1%

Viking Ship, milk chocolate & nuts

In finest Belgian milk chocolate, with crunchy caramellised hazelnuts.

65 g. approx.

The Viking were extremely good sailors, and built many types of ships. The ship design on this chocolate is originally found on a Viking Age picture stone from the island of Gotland, dating to the 9th Century AD. Two sailors in a small vessel, riding on big waves – Where are they going? Some experts say that it is an image of a journey from this world to the Otherworld.

This chocolate is made in collaboration with Yara Craft, Orkney.

Ingredients: sugar 42.0% ; cocoa butter 24.0% ; whole milk powder 22.5% ; cocoa mass 11.0% ; emulsifier: soya lecithin <1% ; natural vanilla flavouring <1%

Caramellised hazelnuts

Viking Ship, dark chocolate & Viking Ship, white chocolate

The Viking Ship designs are also available in dark chocolate and white chocolate.

Viking Whalebone Plaque head

In finest Belgian chocolate, 60 g, approx.

Available in:

White chocolate & raspberry

Milk chocolate

Dark chocolate & mocca crunch

NEW: Ruby chocolate

This is one of the heads off a finely carved whalebone plaque, found in the island of Sanday, Orkney, near the farm of Scar. The whalebone plaque, with two carved heads, had been deposited as grave goods in a boat grave, alongside an older woman. The original dates to around 875-950 AD.

The story of the whalebone plaque

By a beautiful, white, sandy bay in the Orkney islands, in the far north of Scotland, a Viking woman, man and child were once laid to rest. The place was Scar in the island of Sanday, and the year was between 875-950 AD.
Their last resting place was in a wooden boat, which was buried in a stone-lined pit with its precious load. Was it taking them on their last journey?

With them, they had their most valued objects. A gilded brooch, which had come all the way from northern Norway. An iron sword, and a quiver of arrows. A bullion weight for use on a scale. A comb, and a set of gaming pieces. And the most precious of all: A beautiful whalebone plaque, carved with dragon heads, with an accompanying glass smoother for smoothing linen.

For 1100 years they lay undisturbed, until a winter storm exposed them in 1985, and archaeologists were able to excavate and preserve the finds. The original whalebone plaque can be seen in the Orkney Museum, Kirkwall.