13 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.

13 September 2010

Boblainy Heritage Overview

Course offered by Boblainy Forest Community Archaeology Project, part of a programme of courses and events until summer 2011.

Kiltarlity Village Hall
Monday evenings 30 August to 4th October inclusive, 7-9:30
Free. No experience necessary and all welcome.

Learn with ARCH tutor Susan Kruse about the heritage of Boblainy Forest and the surrounding area, placed in its regional and national context.

Please book on 01349 8683230 or info@archhighland.org.uk

Future courses of Kiltarlity Community Council´s Boblainy Forest Community Archaeology Project will offer opportunities to learn how to research local heritage, survey standing remains in the forest, and to create a display of results.

13 September 2010

The National Library of Scotland is having a roadshow to Inverness, bringing with them maps, plans and other materials, as well as a shop. Inverness Library, Farraline Park, Inverness. There will also be films and workshops on offer. Details of the programme can be found on the NLS website www.nls.uk/news/roadshow/index.html

Remote access to NLS resources and services
NLS is your collection of books, manuscripts, maps, films, digital resources, knowledge and expertise. Find out about facilities and services you can use from your home or work – and in local libraries – if you have an NLS library card.

To book an event, please speak to a member of staff at Inverness Library or phone 01463 236463.

13 September 2010

The National Library of Scotland is having a roadshow to Inverness, bringing with them maps, plans and other materials, as well as a shop. Inverness Library, Farraline Park, Inverness. There will also be films and workshops on offer. Details of the programme can be found on the NLS website www.nls.uk/news/roadshow/index.html

Tracing your family history with the National Library of Scotland
This presentation will talk you through the unique family history research resources that are available at NLS, and will introduce you to the digital resources you can use online

To book an event, please speak to a member of staff at Inverness Library or phone 01463 236463.
 

13 September 2010

Material held at NLS will be on display at Inverness Library from 13-15 September.

If you visit the roadshow, you can find out how to access the national collection without having to travel to Edinburgh. You can also:

Read recent books ´in the flesh´
Hear what NLS has to offer students, businesses, family historians, and film enthusiasts
Speak to our specialist staff
Attend a talk or film show.
They´re even bringing the shop. You will be able to buy copies of a selection of rare items and of maps.

Rare items on show:
´A plan of the Battle of Culloden´ (from around 1748)
Drawn about 2 years after the battle took place, and written entirely in French, this plan of the Battle of Culloden gives us important detail about the battle. It also poses questions about the reasons behind the creation of the map itself. Who drew it? And why does it depict the battle the way it does?
´The Battle of Culloden, near Inverness in Scotland, 16th April 1746. London: Printed for & sold by Carington Bowles´ (1797?)

An 18th-century engraving showing a scene from the Battle of Culloden, coloured in watercolour.
´The wonder of wonders´ (Edinburgh?, around 1760)
An 18th-century broadside, with two woodcut illustrations, documenting a strange encounter on the cliffs of Cromarty, near Inverness, between a stranded merchant, Lauchland Mackintosh, and a mermaid.

´Staffa, Iona, Inverness, Cromarty, Invergordon, Burghead, & Oban, Tobermory, Stontian, &c. Regular and more speedy conveyance to the above ports´ (Glasgow, 1835)

A 19th-century broadside from the early years of steamships serving the west coast of Scotland. This provides information on the order of sailings and cabin fares for three steamers, ´The Staffa´, ´The Maid of Morven´ and ´The Highlander´.

Modern collections
The NLS will be bringing some of their more recent acquisitions to Inverness and filling some of the bookcases with them. Although you won´t be able to borrow these items, you will be able to get a flavour of the extent of the 15 million printed items in our collections. They´re your books – come and read them.

Details of the programme can be found on the NLS website www.nls.uk/news/roadshow/index.html

To book an event, please speak to a member of staff at Inverness Library or phone 01463 236463.
 

13 September 2010

ARCH will offer a taster session on Finding out about your Past at the WEA Adult Learning Taster Day, Charleston Academy Complex, either at 10:30-11:30 or 11:30 to 12:30.

Description:
Interested in your local heritage, but don't know how to find out more? This taster session will introduce you to some of the sources, such as historic maps and aerial photographs, which will help you discover more about the archaeology of the Highlands. No previous experience needed.

The WEA Taster Days are an opportunity to try out archeology, basic computing, digital photography, foreign language or memory improvement. They are free and refreshments are available. Four Adult Learning Taster Days will be held in Inverness in September, and ARCH will offer two taster sessions at each event.

Friday, September 10th, Raigmore Community Centre
Monday, September 13th, Charleston Academy Complex
Wednesday, September 22nd, Hilton Community Centre
Tuesday, September 28th Culloden Library

For further information or to book, contact the WEA on 01463 710577 or inverness@weascotland.org.uk
 

13 September 2010

Forestry Commission Scotland plan to run a small exploratory excavation at Craggie in Glen Oykel (NC 33617 05152). The dig will be supervised by John Atkinson of GUARD and overseen by Matt Ritchie of FCS. They are looking for volunteers for the long weekend of 10th -13th September. There will be an open day for Scottish Archaeology Month on Saturday the 10th. No experience necessary

Contact: Matt Ritchie, Forestry Commission Scotland.
Tel: 01463 252 635  matthew.ritchie@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
 

13 September 2010

'Exploring Historical Landscapes through
Maps'

Talk by David Rendell

Seaforth Club Rooms, Station Square,
Fortrose.

The talk will follow the AGM of Fortrose and Rosemarkie Local History Group

Non-members are very welcome to attend. £2 admission includes refreshments.