Echoes of Scottish Orkney Islands Discovered in the USA
Scottish craft jewellery manager, Duncan McLean of Ola Gorie has discovered one of the secrets to the business’s success while making a trip across the USA. As a consequence there has been a surge in interest in the Ola Gorie jewellery website.
Kirkwall, United Kingdom, March 01, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Ola Gorie is famous for her stunning heritage inspired pieces including the style of Viking jewellery, but manager Duncan McLean was stunned to discover just what a keen interest there is in Scottish history in the USA while on a recent tour across the Atlantic.
“There is a genuine warmth and interest from Americans in where their ancestors came from and the arts and crafts and history of Scotland,” he says. “There is almost an obsession about Scottish culture among descendants. This is one reason why we have seen such great growth of traffic to the website. We are a craft based hands-on jeweller but keen that once we have made it locally, based on local inspiration and tradition, we are great believers in spreading the message to the world. And that message is spreading fast.
“The islands of Orkney which are our inspiration have buildings dating back 5,000 years, much older than the pyramids. When I visited Tallahassee I realised the oldest buildings in the city are only about 150 years old.”
Ola Gorie has many American customers who order online or buy in the shop in Kirkwall during cruise ship visits to Orkney.
Duncan, also a highly regarded playwright, musician and novelist, took his musical play Lone Gone Lonesome, written for the National Theatre of Scotland, on the road in the USA.
During his tour with his Lone Star Swing Band which told the story of country singer Thomas Fraser (1927 – 1978) who was a fisherman and crofter from the remote island of Burra, Shetland, Duncan also discovered a fascinating similarity between Orkney and Florida’s ancient history.
Letchworth-Love Mounds is a Florida State Park that preserves the state's tallest prehistoric, Native American ceremonial earthwork mound, which is 46 feet (14 m) high. It is estimated to have been built 1100 to 1800 years ago. “It looks like an ancient American version of Maeshowe from the outside – the famous Neolithic burial mound in Orkney,” said Duncan. “It is more recent of course.
“Another coincidence was when we happened upon Standing Stone Creek at Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. The original village was called Standing Stone and Orkney is famous for its standing stones. There is a replica stone of an Indian stone in Huntingdon which looks almost like one of our Standing Stones of Stenness, though narrower.
“It was amazing to find two echoes of Orkney prehistory in the States and hear how Scottish history is such a draw.”
Ola Gorie is one of Britain’s most important jewellery designers of recent times. A pioneer in the 1960s, she explored her Celtic and Norse heritage to find inspiration for stylish, wearable, modern jewellery. Her jewellery websites showcase her extensive range of affordable jewelry.
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“There is a genuine warmth and interest from Americans in where their ancestors came from and the arts and crafts and history of Scotland,” he says. “There is almost an obsession about Scottish culture among descendants. This is one reason why we have seen such great growth of traffic to the website. We are a craft based hands-on jeweller but keen that once we have made it locally, based on local inspiration and tradition, we are great believers in spreading the message to the world. And that message is spreading fast.
“The islands of Orkney which are our inspiration have buildings dating back 5,000 years, much older than the pyramids. When I visited Tallahassee I realised the oldest buildings in the city are only about 150 years old.”
Ola Gorie has many American customers who order online or buy in the shop in Kirkwall during cruise ship visits to Orkney.
Duncan, also a highly regarded playwright, musician and novelist, took his musical play Lone Gone Lonesome, written for the National Theatre of Scotland, on the road in the USA.
During his tour with his Lone Star Swing Band which told the story of country singer Thomas Fraser (1927 – 1978) who was a fisherman and crofter from the remote island of Burra, Shetland, Duncan also discovered a fascinating similarity between Orkney and Florida’s ancient history.
Letchworth-Love Mounds is a Florida State Park that preserves the state's tallest prehistoric, Native American ceremonial earthwork mound, which is 46 feet (14 m) high. It is estimated to have been built 1100 to 1800 years ago. “It looks like an ancient American version of Maeshowe from the outside – the famous Neolithic burial mound in Orkney,” said Duncan. “It is more recent of course.
“Another coincidence was when we happened upon Standing Stone Creek at Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. The original village was called Standing Stone and Orkney is famous for its standing stones. There is a replica stone of an Indian stone in Huntingdon which looks almost like one of our Standing Stones of Stenness, though narrower.
“It was amazing to find two echoes of Orkney prehistory in the States and hear how Scottish history is such a draw.”
Ola Gorie is one of Britain’s most important jewellery designers of recent times. A pioneer in the 1960s, she explored her Celtic and Norse heritage to find inspiration for stylish, wearable, modern jewellery. Her jewellery websites showcase her extensive range of affordable jewelry.
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Contact
Ola Gorie Jewellery
Duncan McLean
+44 1856 873251
www.olagoriejewellery.com
Duncan McLean
+44 1856 873251
www.olagoriejewellery.com
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