The UHI Archaeology Institute’s 2026 excavations begin on Monday, with Martin Carruthers and his team back for the final season of work at the The Cairns Iron Age site in South Ronaldsay, Orkney.
Excavation began in 2006, revealing a large broch (c.100BC-AD200) and structures dating from the Iron Age through to the Norse period. Surrounding the broch is an extensive cluster of structures within a ditched enclosure some 65-70 metres in diameter. Later in the building sequence, this settlement sprawled even more extensively over the infilled remains of the ditch.
This year the focus will continue to be on the settlement site and shed further light on the origins and development of brochs, broch-village buildings, and later Iron Age villages. The goal is to complete the excavation of the floor deposits and occupation soils from within the broch – a feat rarely accomplished in the modern period of broch excavations.
In addition, the diggers will continue excavating key buildings within the external village, completing the work on the Late Iron Age sub-rectangular building, Structure B2.
The dig runs until Friday, July 17, with an open day is scheduled for Friday, July 10. Visitors are welcome throughout the dig, Monday to Friday, between 10am and 4pm. As usual, you can keep up with the dig with our daily diary, which will be posted here.
