Back in Rousay for three-week excavation at Skaill Farm
Our second dig of the 2026 season gets under way tomorrow, with archaeologists, students and volunteers from the UHI Archaeology Institute back at the multi-period settlement site at Skaill, Rousay.
The Cairns dig diary – day 20
Important findings and progress – Friday’s update from site director Martin Carruthers.
Undergraduate archaeology places available through UCAS clearing
UHI Archaeology Institute is offering places to study on the Archaeology BA (Hons), Archaeology Joint Honours BA (Hons), Archaeological Sciences BSc (Hons) and Archaeological and Environmental Sciences BSc (Hons) through UCAS Clearing 2026.
The Cairns dig diary – day 19
Today’s excavation update from student Declan Fladstol.
July 31 deadline for Carnegie Masters Grant applications
The closing date to apply for the Carnegie Education Fund’s postgraduate grant – which is to help students from low-income Scottish households undertake master’s programmes at Scottish universities – is July 31, 2026.
The Cairns dig diary – day 18
Past the half-way point – today’s site update from UHI student Jemima Hall.
Orkney premiere of Ness of Brodgar Time Team special on Friday
The 75‑minute Time Team Special filmed during the final full season of excavation at the Ness of Brodgar in 2024 has its world premiere in Orkney on Friday, July 3.
The Cairns dig diary – day 17
The finds keep coming – today’s update from site director Martin Carruthers.
The Cairns dig diary – day 16
Good progress and more copper alloy. – today’s update from UHI student Tim Hewson.
Bringing it all together – experts discuss palaeoecological data sharing
Professor Ingrid Mainland was in Germany last week for a meeting of the PalaeOpen initiative in Munich.
The Cairns dig diary – day 15
A fine day for some enigmatic discoveries – the end of week three at The Cairns and an update from site director Martin Carruthers.
Today’s online seminar focuses on the story of wind energy in Shetland
This afternoon’s Archaeology Institute research seminar sees Miriam Sentler look at Exploring wind energy history in Shetland through research-creation and archival research.
The Cairns dig diary – day 14
An amazing day of artefacts – today’s update from site director Martin Carruthers.
The Cairns dig diary – day 13
Working through key occupation layers – today’s update from volunteer Lauren English.
Congratulations Lucy! Ness documentary is a film awards finalist
A film by MA Contemporary Art and Archaeology graduate Lucy Carr-McClave is one of the finalists in the 2026 West Lothian Film Festival awards.
The Cairns dig diary – day 12
A beautiful day on a marvellous site – today’s excavation update from UHI student Karolyn Wellings.
The Cairns dig diary – day 11
Back on site in better weather – today’s update from UHI Archaeology Institute graduate Bev Rose.
Experiencing wartime Orkney on staff visit to HMS Tern airbase
Last Friday, June 12, UHI Archaeology Institute staff took a morning fieldtrip to HMS Tern in Birsay, also known as Royal Naval Air Station Twatt.
The Cairns dig diary – day nine
The importance of charcoal – today’s update from site director Martin Carruthers.
The Cairns dig diary – day eight
Stone lamp or food vessel? – today’s update from The Cairns by site director Martin Carruthers.