New journal paper on cult of Saint Magnus in Caithness available now
The cult of Orkney’s patron saint – St Magnus – in Caithness is the subject of a new paper by Dr Sarah Jane Gibbon and Dr James Moore in a special issue of the Apardjón Journal for Scandinavian Studies.
Kirkwall premiere for graduate’s Ness film
A film by MA Contemporary Art and Archaeology graduate Lucy Carr-McClave will be premiered in Kirkwall on Thursday evening.
Art and archaeology student and graduate achievements
An update on some of the achievements of graduates and students from the MA Contemporary Art and Archaeology (MA CAA) from programme leader Dr Antonia Thomas:
A taste of things to come – spring’s free seminar programme
Professors Mike Parker Pearson and Niall Sharples – of Stonehenge and Maiden castle fame, respectively – are among the speakers for our new season of free online seminars.
Archaeology Institute welcomes new visiting professor
In December, the UHI Archaeology Institute welcomed Dr Colleen Batey to its ranks of visiting academics.
Student’s carved head find included in Smithsonian magazine’s top discoveries of 2025
The carved stone head found by one of our undergraduate students in Rousay has made it on to the Smithsonian Magazine’s list of top discoveries of 2025.
Dig dates for 2026 confirmed
The dates for our 2026 excavations have been set.
Delve into the secrets of the runes with short course starting January
Our online short course, starting in January 2026, focuses on runes – a writing system that developed in western Europe in the first millennium AD.
Institute projects showcased at environmental archaeology conference in Norway
Professor Ingrid Mainland, Dr Jen Harland and Dr Julia Cussans presented papers at the recent Association for Environmental Archaeology Conference, held in Stavanger, Norway.
Council approves plans for AEONS environmental archaeology facility
The UHI Archaeology Institute’s plans to establish a new environmental archaeology laboratory in Kirkwall have been approved by Orkney Islands Council.
Industrial heritage – another two Westray summaries
The summaries for another two Westray sites, surveyed as part of the From Peat Spade to Tangle Trade project are now available online.
Vote now – Sanday wreck recovery in running for Current Archaeology Rescue Project of the Year
The discovery and excavation of an 18th century wreck in Sanday is in the running for Current Archaeology’s 2026 Rescue Project of the Year, with voting now open to the public.
Video: Death, destruction and Viking burials
The recording of our latest online seminar, this one featuring Dr Colleen Batey looking at viking grave goods – in particular damaged weaponry.
Graduate’s work selected for Mexican experimental film festival
A film by Art and Archaeology graduate Jamie McNeill has been shown as part of the Neosfest experimental film festival in Mexico.
Postgrad students get hands-on experience in our first human remains short-course
Human remains are the subject of a postgraduate short-course in Orkney this week, with students travelling from across the UK and USA to take part.
Talking Orkney placenames at national conference
Dr Sarah Jane Gibbon was talking Orkney placenames recently at the Scottish Place Name Society Autumn Conference.
‘Here’s to the next decade of discovery’ – marking ten years of the UHI Archaeology Institute
The UHI Archaeology Institute marked a major milestone recently with a tenth anniversary celebration at the UHI Orkney campus in Kirkwall.
Sacred forests bring Antonia to Finland
Dr Antonia Thomas is en route for Finland, where she is an invited speaker on a PhD course at the University of Oulu.