05 September 2010

Final season of the dig at Birnie, near Elgin, where an impressive iron and Pictish settlement site has been the subject of assessment and excavation since 1998, led by Fraser Hunter of the National Museums of Scotland. The site was a local power centre which has produced a rich range of buildings and finds.

Volunteers are welcome, as long as they commit to a miniumum of 3 days. The excavations take place Sunday through Friday, with no work on Saturdays. Spaces are limited and must be booked in advance to allow planning. Please contact Fraser on 0131 247 4053 (and leave a message) or e-mail f.hunter@nms.ac.uk.

05 September 2010

Engaging the Recent Past: Public, Political, Post-medieval Archaeology

Conference organised by the Post-Medieval Archaeology Society

Main conference venue: Western Infirmary Lecture Theatre (WILT), University of Glasgow, Dumbarton Road, Glasgow
G11 6NT

Fees: £75 (£45 for student/young person); SPMA members: £45 / £30).

Description:

The recent past merges seamlessly with the present. In engaging with this past we explore the nature of our own society and we are confronted with questions about the role of archaeology in the contemporary world.

This three-day conference will reflect upon and debate the public nature of our engagement with the archaeology of the last 500 years. The conference will consider public archaeology, community archaeology and the politics of archaeology. Delegates will analyse , question and evaluate theory and practice and consider case studies from Scotland, England, the Isle of Man, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The conference will cover themes including:

the politics, ethics, practice and pragmatics of archaeology in public and community contexts;
community engagement in rural field projects and the representation of the rural past through museums;
research, policy and public engagement in the archaeology of human remains and burial;
urban and industrial communities past and present;
the present-day resonance of battlefield and conflict archaeology.
The main conference venue is the University of Glasgow. On Friday 3rd September, the conference will open with a walking tour of medieval and post-medieval Glasgow, incorporating a visit to a Glasgow Museums exhibition ‘Digging up the past’. The tour will be followed, in the evening, by a keynote speech by Prof. Martin Hall and a wine reception in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Museum. There will be a conference dinner on the Saturday evening.

Further information and bookings from www.spma.org.uk

05 September 2010

Step into the past on this 4-5km long walk along an historic route from Tollie, across the shoulder of Knockfarril to Fodderty cemetery. We will look at the landscape setting of this part of the routeway - and examine some of the possibly associated features along the way.
 Meet at Maryburgh Amenities Centre, Seaforth Place, Maryburgh, IV7 8DP. We will share cars to the start point. If you could let us know on info@archhighland.org.uk or 01349 868230 whether or not you would like to come we can ensure there are enough cars at the end of the walk, to return us all to the start point.

 Bring lunch, a flask, full waterproofs and stout shoes - or perhaps hats and sunscreen if we are really lucky!

Cost £5 / £2.50 optional senior rate / free to those on benefits