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Category: Iron Age

Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day twelve

Today’s update on a busy day on site from UHI PhD candidate Holly Young.

By Sigurd TowrieTuesday, June 25, 2024 (8:19pm)Tuesday, June 25, 2024 (8:19pm)
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Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day eleven

What we’ve found so far and what lies ahead – an update from site director Martin Carruthers.

By Sigurd TowrieMonday, June 24, 2024 (8:21pm)Monday, June 24, 2024 (8:21pm)
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Holly and Kate working in Structure O. (📷 Neil Barker)
Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day ten

There was a special guest on site today, Professor Alice Roberts and a film crew for the BBC TV series Digging for Britain. But in between the excitement of being filmed we still got lots of work done.

By Sigurd TowrieFriday, June 21, 2024 (11:29pm)Saturday, June 22, 2024 (12:30pm)
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Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day nine

Today’s excavation update, this time from MLitt student Jaron.

By Sigurd TowrieThursday, June 20, 2024 (8:38pm)Thursday, June 20, 2024 (9:04pm)
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Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day eight

Improving weather made for a really productive day, with some nice finds and important confirmation of the extent of key buildings.

By Sigurd TowrieWednesday, June 19, 2024 (7:15pm)Wednesday, June 19, 2024 (7:19pm)
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Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day seven

MSc archaeology student Alannah updates us on progress made on site today.

By Sigurd TowrieTuesday, June 18, 2024 (8:32pm)Tuesday, June 18, 2024 (9:16pm)
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Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day six

After appalling weather saw work on Friday aborted, blue skies saw The Cairns team make good progress on site.

By Sigurd TowrieMonday, June 17, 2024 (8:34pm)Monday, June 17, 2024 (9:58pm)
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Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day four

A bright and sunny day – at last! So read on for a summary of today’s findings.

By Sigurd TowrieThursday, June 13, 2024 (9:58pm)Thursday, June 13, 2024 (9:58pm)
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Holly planning
Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day three

The diggers are getting through the initial clean-up and into the swing of the archaeology.

By Sigurd TowrieWednesday, June 12, 2024 (7:44pm)Wednesday, June 12, 2024 (7:44pm)
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Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day two

The preparatory work complete, excavation got under way in earnest today.

By Sigurd TowrieTuesday, June 11, 2024 (9:17pm)Tuesday, June 11, 2024 (9:30pm)
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Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day one

The 2024 dig gets under way and site director Martin Carruthers outlines this season’s plans.

By Sigurd TowrieMonday, June 10, 2024 (9:03pm)Tuesday, June 11, 2024 (9:19am)
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Excavation Iron Age Student Stories The Cairns

Back in the broch – The Cairns gets 2024 excavation season under way

With our first excavation of 2024 getting under way next week, we look at plans for The Cairns Iron Age site in South Ronaldsay and some of the student post-excavation work carried out over the past few months.

By Sigurd TowrieFriday, June 7, 2024 (1:10pm)Wednesday, June 12, 2024 (10:57am)
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Iron Age

New 3d model of the Broch of Gurness

A new 3d model from Historic Environment Scotland of the Broch of Gurness in Orkney’s West Mainland.

By Sigurd TowrieFriday, March 29, 2024 (9:45am)Friday, March 29, 2024 (9:45am)
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Iron Age Swartigill The Cairns Video

2023 ‘Brochtoberfest’ talks are now available online

The recordings of the 2023 Brochtoberfest talk are now available online.

By Sigurd TowrieWednesday, November 15, 2023 (7:17am)Monday, November 13, 2023 (4:35pm)
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Iron Age

Iron Age in the spotlight at 2023 ‘Brochtoberfest’

Orkney Archaeology Society’s annual Brochtoberfest event this weekend places the focus firmly on the Iron Age.

By Sigurd TowrieThursday, October 12, 2023 (8:03am)Monday, November 13, 2023 (3:43pm)
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Excavation Iron Age ORCA Swartigill

Dig team back on site at Swartigill after mid-season break

The excavation team at the Iron Age site at Swartigill, in Caithness, are back on site after their four-day long-weekend break.

By Sigurd TowrieTuesday, August 29, 2023 (8:37am)Tuesday, September 5, 2023 (5:14pm)
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Picture: Sigurd Towrie
Excavation Iron Age ORCA Swartigill

Crossing to Caithness for last dig of the season

Excavation resumes at Swartigill, Caithness, tomorrow – running until September 8.

By Sigurd TowrieSunday, August 13, 2023 (11:00am)Tuesday, September 5, 2023 (5:14pm)
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Picture: Tom O'Brien
Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day twenty

Dig director sums up a successful 2023 excavation season

By Sigurd TowrieMonday, July 10, 2023 (10:26pm)Monday, July 10, 2023 (10:26pm)
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Picture: ORCA
Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day nineteen

Work under way to re-cover the archaeology

By Sigurd TowrieThursday, July 6, 2023 (9:12pm)Thursday, July 6, 2023 (9:12pm)
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Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

The Cairns dig diary – day eighteen

Wrapping up on the final day of digging.

By Sigurd TowrieWednesday, July 5, 2023 (8:08pm)Wednesday, July 5, 2023 (8:08pm)
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Archaeology Orkney

UHI Archaeology Institute

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UHI Archaeology Institute, UHI Orkney, East Road, Kirkwall. KW15 1LX
(01856) 569000
sigurd.towrie@uhi.ac.uk
8am-5pm. Monday to Friday

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