The UHI Archaeology Institute has organised a conference at the Historic Environment Scotland (HES) Engine Shed next week, looking at the ways in which Roman society may have influenced Iron Age communities in northern Scotland.
The presence of Roman material at Iron Age sites in the area raises important questions around the ways that this intercultural interaction occurred. The Roads to the North conference brings together Iron Age and Roman researchers to explore the wider context of these Roman materials.
An increasing number of Roman-derived materials are being recovered from “native” Iron Age sites in northern Scotland (e.g. pottery, glass, coinage and metalwork), while less obvious connections may also exist (e.g. grains, fauna, alloys).
Changes in settlement forms, and social/economic practices in over the period (first to the fifth centuries AD) may indicate communities dynamically participated in the creation of ways of life recognisable from the wider “Roman” world, irrespective of fluctuating political and military frontiers.
The conference is open to all and will feature a mix of talks, a show-and-tell session featuring some of the Roman finds appearing on Iron Age sites, and a roundtable discussion led by the ScARF (Scottish Archaeological Research Framework) team to discuss what the future priorities should be for researching the Roman period in Scotland.
There are a number of speakers, including members of UHI Archaeology Institute, together with guest speaker from the National Museum of Scotland, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Aberdeen, and independent archaeologists.
The conference at the HES Engine Shed, Stirling, takes place on Wednesday, May 13, from 9.30am. If you would like to attend, or would like further information, please contact Associate Professor Scott Timpany at scott.timpany@uhi.ac.uk
