Scottish Archaeology Month

Scottish Archaeology Month
Name	Scottish Archaeology Month
Location	Scotland
Established	1990s
Frequency	Annual

Scottish Archaeology Month is an annual celebration of archaeology across Scotland that promotes public access to archaeology through events, excavations, talks, tours and exhibitions. The programme brings together museums, universities, heritage bodies and community groups to highlight sites from the Orkney archipelago to the Southern Uplands and from the Hebrides to the Border Reivers landscapes. The month connects academic research at institutions such as the University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh, University of St Andrews and University of Aberdeen with community archaeology projects and national collections like the National Museum of Scotland.

Overview

Scottish Archaeology Month coordinates activity across agencies including Historic Environment Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, ScotlandsPlaces, Canmore and regional museums such as the Stornoway Museum, Orkney Museum, Dundee Museum of Transport and Perth Museum and Art Gallery. It highlights famous sites such as Skara Brae, Maeshowe, Broch of Gurness, Eilean Donan Castle and Dunadd while also featuring lesser-known locales like Dun Carloway, Kilmartin Glen, Traprain Law and Jarlshof. The month showcases collaborations with universities including University of Glasgow School of Humanities, University of Aberdeen Department of Archaeology, University of Stirling, Heriot-Watt University and research councils such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council and Historic Environment Policy Unit.

History and Development

Origins trace to local heritage weeks promoted by organisations such as Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and local authorities like Highland Council, Argyll and Bute Council and Aberdeenshire Council. Over time the initiative has grown through partnerships with cultural festivals including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Celtic Connections programme and the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. Funding and support have come from bodies such as Heritage Lottery Fund, Creative Scotland and the European Heritage Days framework. Notable contributors include archaeologists tied to projects at Jarlshof, Skara Brae Excavations, Vindolanda Trust collaborations and fieldwork led by teams from Oxford Archaeology and GUARD Archaeology.

Events and Programmes

The programme features public fieldwalking, guided tours of Broch sites, lecture series at institutions like the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, school workshops in partnership with Education Scotland, and hands-on demonstrations by specialists from the Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology and the Council for British Archaeology. It includes exhibition openings at venues such as the National War Museum (Edinburgh Castle), artefact handling sessions from the National Museum of Rural Life, and landscape tours across places like Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Community digs occur alongside academic programmes run by Isle of Lewis Archaeological Society, Shetland Amenity Trust, Wessex Archaeology and local history societies.

Research and Discoveries

Work publicised during the month draws on recent finds from excavations at Skara Brae, broch excavations at Clickimin Broch, Iron Age studies at Traprain Law, Viking-Age material from Jarlshof and medieval urban archaeology in Stirling and Dundee. Researchers from the University of Glasgow Archaeology Institute, University of Edinburgh School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of St Andrews School of History and the University of Aberdeen School of Divinity, History and Philosophy report on landscape archaeology in Galloway, maritime archaeology in the Firth of Forth, and industrial archaeology in places like Lowlands coalfield towns and the Clydebank shipbuilding yards. Collaborative science involves specialists from the NERC network, the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, isotope labs at SUERC, radiocarbon labs collaborating with Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit and conservation teams at the National Museums Scotland Conservation Centre.

Community Engagement and Education

Educational strands involve partnerships with Museums Galleries Scotland, schools coordinated by Education Scotland, youth groups including Scouts Scotland and volunteer programmes hosted by Community Woodlands Association, Scottish Civic Trust and local heritage trusts such as the Isle of Arran Heritage Trust. Outreach includes bilingual Gaelic workshops with Bòrd na Gàidhlig partners in the Western Isles, oral-history projects with the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust and touring exhibitions supported by the Royal Commission. Publications and citizen-science initiatives are promoted through channels like Current Archaeology and local history journals, and training events are delivered by practitioners from Headland Archaeology and AOC Archaeology Group.

Organisers and Partnerships

Lead delivery typically involves Archaeology Scotland alongside strategic partners including Historic Environment Scotland, National Museums Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, Creative Scotland and academic partners across Scottish universities. Local implementation depends on collaboration with area museums (e.g., Highland Folk Museum, Orkney Museum, Shetland Museum), community archaeology groups such as Community of Arran Seabed Trust and professional contractors like GUARD Archaeology and Headland Archaeology. Media and promotion have involved outlets including BBC Scotland, The Scotsman, The Herald (Glasgow), The Press and Journal and specialist publishers like Oxbow Books.

Category:Festivals in Scotland Category:Archaeology exhibitions Category:Cultural heritage in Scotland