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Category: Swartigill

Picture: Bobby Friel
Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

A look back at Swartigill 2022

A flash back to the tail end of the summer and the excavation of the Iron Age site at Swartigill, Caithness.

by Sigurd TowrieFriday, November 25, 2022 (8:00am)Friday, December 9, 2022 (11:37am)
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Picture: Holly Young
Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Swartigill dig diary 2022 – week two

The excavation of the Swartigill Iron Age settlement has reached the end of its second week, and we have had some exciting finds and made a lot of progress.

by Sigurd TowrieWednesday, August 31, 2022 (9:45am)Wednesday, August 31, 2022 (10:17am)
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Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Spectacular Iron Age bead is Swartigill excavation’s find of the day

The star find at the ongoing Swartigill excavation yesterday must be this little flash of colour and decoration straight from the Iron Age! It is a half fragment of a beautifully decorated glass

by Sigurd TowrieWednesday, August 24, 2022 (12:11pm)Wednesday, August 24, 2022 (12:11pm)
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Picture: ORCA
Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Swartigill dig diary 2022 – week one

At the end of our first week of excavation at the Swartigill Iron Age settlement, we are already starting to see some intriguing features within the structures, and tantalising traces of things to come.

by Sigurd TowrieMonday, August 22, 2022 (12:29pm)Monday, August 22, 2022 (12:29pm)
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Swartigill site looking West
Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Archaeologists back at Swartigill Iron Age site next week

The UHI Archaeology Institute begins its sixth season of excavation at the Burn of Swartigill on Monday, August 15.

by Sigurd TowrieSaturday, August 13, 2022 (11:04am)Sunday, August 14, 2022 (10:50am)
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Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

A look at the Burn of Swartigill dig

With the 2022 season at Swartigill, Caithness, due to start next month, here are two videos from the excavation director Rick Barton to whet your appetite.

by Sigurd TowrieWednesday, July 6, 2022 (6:58pm)Wednesday, July 6, 2022 (6:59pm)
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Picture: Sigurd Towrie
Iron Age Post-excavation Swartigill

The significance of the ‘miniscule’ blue beads from Swartigill

Recent post-excavation work, processing soil samples excavated from Swartigill, has revealed several beautiful and tiny pieces of Iron Age jewellery. Not one, not two, but three blue glass beads!

by Sigurd TowrieMonday, January 31, 2022 (9:00am)Monday, January 31, 2022 (9:16am)
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Iron Age Post-excavation Swartigill

Unravelling the story of an Iron Age site – a Swartigill post-excavation update

With winter upon us, the focus of the Swartigill project has turned towards post-excavation. This is a good opportunity for a recap of what we know about the site as it stands.

by Sigurd TowrieWednesday, December 8, 2021 (1:19pm)Wednesday, February 2, 2022 (9:11am)
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Swartigill site looking West
Iron Age Swartigill

Swartigill in the spotlight at Highland Archaeology Festival

The ongoing excavation at the Burn of Swartigill is the subject of a Highland Archaeology Festival online talk on Monday, October 4.

by Sigurd TowrieSaturday, October 2, 2021 (10:00am)Friday, October 1, 2021 (4:07pm)
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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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(Bobby Friel/@Takethehighview)
Excavation Iron Age Swartigill

Burn of Swartigill excavation 2021 – the site from above

With the second week of excavation at the Burn of Swartigill, Caithness, getting under way today, here are a few photographs of the Iron Age site from last week.

by Sigurd TowrieMonday, August 30, 2021 (7:21am)Thursday, January 13, 2022 (8:38pm)
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Older posts

Latest Swartigill posts

  • Picture: Bobby FrielA look back at Swartigill 2022
    Friday, November 25, 2022 (8:00am)
  • Picture: Holly YoungSwartigill dig diary 2022 – week two
    Wednesday, August 31, 2022 (9:45am)
  • Spectacular Iron Age bead is Swartigill excavation’s find of the day
    Wednesday, August 24, 2022 (12:11pm)
  • Picture: ORCASwartigill dig diary 2022 – week one
    Monday, August 22, 2022 (12:29pm)
  • Swartigill site looking WestArchaeologists back at Swartigill Iron Age site next week
    Saturday, August 13, 2022 (11:04am)
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Archaeology Orkney

UHI Archaeology Institute

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UHI Archaeology Institute, Orkney College UHI, East Road, Kirkwall. KW15 1LX
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sigurd.towrie@uhi.ac.uk
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