Primitive Sheep

Soay Sheep

Originating on Soay, planted in the Bronze Age. Now Being actively researched after introduction on Hirta. Islands in the St. Kilda archipelago. Soay being Soaigh.

100 miles from mainland Scotland. Two breeds of sheep continue on Soay, Hirta and Boreray. Bronze Age Soay sheep on Soaigh and Hirta, Iron Age Boreray on Boroaraigh. If looking on Apple Maps the names differ.

The sheep of Hirta and Soay are two populations of the same variety, a Northern European Short Tailed Sheep (NEST). Brought and left by early Nordic/Northern Europeans. Over a period of time, domesticated in the Middle East through the Baltics and dropped or brought by people to survive in a space of their own.

Boreray might be a little different, probably being a derivative of the Scottish Black face with mixture of other sheep varieties. Arguments are put forward on whether the Hebridean sheep, closest extant relative to the Scottish Blackface, is from this population or the Hebrides.

In the Soay Sheep: the Back-story, published in a respected and leading journal, author Andrew Fleming puts forward the most detailed and well cited article I found.