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Archaeology Orkney

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Category: Excavation

Cairns interior
Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

This summer’s dig at The Cairns will be open to the public

This summer’s excavation at The Cairns will be open to the public, with a special open day scheduled for Friday, July 1.

by Sigurd TowrieTuesday, May 10, 2022 (10:26am)Thursday, May 12, 2022 (9:52am)
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Excavation LIFTE Shetland

Bone comb fragment unearthed in Lerwick test pit

Monday’s star find of the ongoing Lerwick Garden Dig was a bone comb fragment, found in the Bank Lane area of the town.

by Sigurd TowrieTuesday, May 3, 2022 (9:53am)Thursday, May 5, 2022 (1:04pm)
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Lerwick Garden Dig (Dan Lee)
Excavation LIFTE Shetland

Garden dig turning up interesting finds in Lerwick

Our “Lerwick Garden Dig” is off to a great start in Shetland over the weekend with some interesting finds, going back to the 17th century.

by Sigurd TowrieMonday, May 2, 2022 (9:48am)Thursday, May 5, 2022 (1:04pm)
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Excavation LIFTE Shetland

‘Lerwick Garden Dig’ gets under way in Shetland

A team from the Archaeology Institute UHI are in Shetland today as part of Looking in from the Edge (LIFTE) – an international project examining the Northern Isles’ place in European trade networks of the 15th to 18th centuries.

by Sigurd TowrieFriday, April 29, 2022 (8:00am)Tuesday, May 3, 2022 (9:42am)
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Bobby Friel/@takethehighview
Excavation LIFTE Rousay Skaill Farmstead Viking/Norse

Skaill farmstead excavation resumes in July

Excavation at the multi-period settlement site at Skaill, Rousay, resumes in July.

by Sigurd TowrieWednesday, March 9, 2022 (7:00am)Monday, May 2, 2022 (11:05am)
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The Cairns broch from above. (Bobby Friel)
Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

Back at The Cairns – excavation dates set for 2022

Excavation will resume at The Cairns this summer – from June 13 until July 8, 2022.

by Sigurd TowrieMonday, March 7, 2022 (8:44am)Tuesday, May 10, 2022 (9:55am)
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Aerial view of The Cairns, South Ronaldsay. (Bobby Friel)
Excavation Iron Age The Cairns

Catch up with The Cairns in Glasgow University’s free online seminar

Archaeology Institute excavations at The Cairns, in South Ronaldsay, will be among the topics covered by the University of Glasgow’s new season of free online seminars.

by Sigurd TowrieFriday, March 4, 2022 (8:32am)Monday, May 2, 2022 (11:10am)
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Bronze Age Excavation

Student work placements at Bronze Age excavations in Perth

The UHI Archaeology Institute has 12 student work placements available on four Bronze Age sites in Perth.

by Sigurd TowrieFriday, February 4, 2022 (1:08pm)Friday, February 4, 2022 (2:44pm)
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Excavation Neolithic Ness of Brodgar

Ness of Brodgar 2022 dig dates confirmed

Excavation at the Ness of Brodgar will resume on Monday, July 4, 2022, running until Friday, August 19, 2022.

by Sigurd TowrieTuesday, November 30, 2021 (4:46pm)Wednesday, December 1, 2021 (7:17pm)
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Swandro Header
Excavation News Post-excavation

Council’s archaeology fund re-opens for Orkney project applications

Orkney Islands Council’s annual archaeological grant has re-opened for applications, with a deadline of November 30, 2021.

by Sigurd TowrieThursday, November 4, 2021 (8:42am)Thursday, November 4, 2021 (2:01pm)
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Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Swartigill dig diary 2021 – it’s all go as excavation prepares for final few days

Friday greeted us with a misty morning, a fresh foresty smell in the air and the purple heather flowers glimmering with dew as we made our way to the site.

by Sigurd TowrieMonday, September 13, 2021 (8:10am)Monday, September 13, 2021 (8:10am)
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Swartigill site looking West
Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Scenes from Swartigill – and don’t forget the excavation open day

by Sigurd TowrieFriday, September 10, 2021 (12:48pm)Friday, September 10, 2021 (2:01pm)
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Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Swartigill dig diary 2021 – sunshine, site tours and brilliant archaeology

As we move through the penultimate week of this year’s dig, the excavations at Swartigill are moving along at a good pace.

by Sigurd TowrieFriday, September 10, 2021 (7:54am)Friday, September 10, 2021 (7:54am)
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Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Swartigill dig diary 2021 – quern rubber uncovered in Structure A

We were joined on site this morning by some of the pupils from Watten Primary School who were very enthusiastic, and who really enjoyed having the opportunity to get involved and take part in their first archaeological dig.

by Sigurd TowrieWednesday, September 8, 2021 (9:34am)Wednesday, September 8, 2021 (9:34am)
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Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Swartigill dig diary 2021 – view from the trenches

The tenth day of the 2021 excavation at the Burn of Swartigill started with a perfect blue morning. Going to “work” was a pleasure.

by Sigurd TowrieMonday, September 6, 2021 (7:42am)Wednesday, September 8, 2021 (9:35am)
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Swartigill Excavation Diary Header
Excavation Iron Age Outreach Swartigill

Swartigill dig diary 2021 – visiting schoolchildren see archaeologists in action

Today was the first of many visits by the local schools. The first of the season this year was the P6-7 class of Lybster Primary. The class was first shown around the site and introduced to Iron Age Swartigill Burn. Alannah Edwards reports…

by Sigurd TowrieWednesday, September 1, 2021 (3:52pm)Wednesday, September 8, 2021 (9:37am)
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Swartigill excavation, Caithness
Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Swartigill dig diary 2021 – a very productive day on site

It was a somewhat fresh, cool start to the morning today which, despite the contrast to last week’s glorious sunshine, has not dampened the spirits of the team. Holly Young reports…

by Sigurd TowrieTuesday, August 31, 2021 (8:10am)Tuesday, August 31, 2021 (8:29am)
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Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Burn of Swartigill excavation 2021 – week one update

We are one week into this season’s excavation at the Burn of Swartigill, Caithness, and it’s time for an update on progress on site.

by Sigurd TowrieMonday, August 30, 2021 (11:05am)Wednesday, September 8, 2021 (10:17am)
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Archaeology Orkney

University of the Highlands and Islands Archaeology Institute blog.

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University of the Highlands and Islands Archaeology Institute, Orkney College UHI, East Road, Kirkwall. KW15 1LX
(01856) 569000
sigurd.towrie@uhi.ac.uk
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Top Posts & Pages

  • Pictish symbol stone on display for first time in exhibition focusing on the Newark story
  • Video: Connections across Britain and Ireland during the age of Stonehenge
  • The Cairns
  • This summer's dig at The Cairns will be open to the public
  • 'Uist Unearthed' augmented reality app launched
  • Black Lives Mattered: Ancient Rome, Africa, Scotland, and Orkney.
  • Two thousand year old wooden bowl discovered in underground chamber beneath broch site.
  • The Broch
  • New book explores the Early Neolithic monuments built to enchant
  • Orkney’s oldest wooden bowl unveiled
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