Archaeology Across Landscapes the Bigger Picture
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www.archaeologyscotland.org.uk ISSUE 31 SPRING 2018 Archaeology across landscapes The bigger picture Protecting Reflections landscapes on a long career Recording routeways Issue No 31 / Spring 2018 08 Got something to say? ISSN 2041-7039 Contents The next issue will be on the theme ‘Archaeology of Animals’, and you Published by Archaeology Scotland News Archaeology Scotland, are invited to submit articles relating to this. We also welcome articles Suite 1a, Stuart House, 04 From the Director on general topics, community Eskmills, Station Road, 05 Digging in projects, SAM events and research Musselburgh EH21 7PB 06 AGM; YAC Leaders; Community Tel: 0300 012 9878 projects, as well as members’ © Crown Copyright HES Email: info@archaeologyscotland. Conference letters. Members are particularly org.uk 11 encouraged to send letters, short Scottish Charity SC001723 articles, photos and opinions Company No. 262056 Archaeology across Landscapes relating to Scottish archaeology at any time for inclusion in our 08 Protecting Archaeological Landscapes ‘Members’ Section’. Cover picture 11 A Unified Landscape? Roads through Ross – sites 14 Roads through Ross strategically overlooking the route If you plan to include something were investigated © C McCullagh 17 Over the Hill in Shetland in the next issue, please contact 19 Revealing Gaelic Landscapes the editor in advance to discuss Edited and typeset by © HES 22 Battle of Carham 1018 requirements, as space is usually at Sue Anderson, a premium. We cannot guarantee Spoilheap Archaeology 14 to include a particular article in a [email protected] People, reviews particular issue, but we will do our very best to accommodate you! 24 A Career in Ruins Advertising sales 28 60 Second Interview – George Mudie High resolution digital images (300 Advertisers should contact the 30 Anglo-Saxons in Pictland dpi+) are preferred for publication. Archaeology Scotland offices in the Please include copyright details and first instance. a caption. © C McCullagh © Archaeology Scotland Contributions can be sent by post Copyright for text published in 17 24 to the Archaeology Scotland offices Archaeology Scotland magazine will or emailed direct to the Editor rest with Archaeology Scotland and (see opposite) marked ‘ArchScot the individual contributors. contribution’. Views and opinions expressed within Please send your contributions by Archaeology Scotland magazine are 29 May 2018. not necessarily those of Archaeology Scotland, its Board or the Editor All copy may be edited for reasons © V Turner © N Fojut of length and clarity. A large print version of 19 30 Archaeology Scotland is available on request. Please contact the Find us on the Web Archaeology Scotland office for further information. www.archaeologyscotland.org.uk @ArchScot @archaeology.scotland © K Grant © D Leak 2 – ISSUE 31 SPRING 2018 – 3 editorial Pollok Park - a cold day in the trenches © Archaeology Scotland elcome to the Spring We move south and westward to edition of your magazine St Kilda and South Uist where the Wlooking at Scotland’s importance of an understanding of archaeological landscapes; the Gaelic language is highlighted Digging in how they are protected and – this is very timely as Historic how we have come to a better Environment Scotland have just Pollok Park, 17th December understanding that they should completed a consultation on cold, dreich day in mid- Christmas morning, the animosity be seen as a whole rather than their Gaelic Language Plan. Also December saw three faded and a truce was called (and as individual sites. Access to timely are the reflections of Noel Archaeology Scotland staff re-enacted that afternoon), which information about our historic Fojut on his career – Noel was a A landscapes is improving all the and twelve enthusiastic volunteers saw the German and British soldiers supporter of our Rural Land Use from the Stobs Camp Project take meet in no-man’s land and share a time and Pastmap (pastmap.org. Adviser project for many years uk) is now being tested out to a bus from Hawick to Pollok Park in drink or two and sing some carols. and was heavily involved in the Glasgow to view the reconstruction be more mobile-friendly and to The wet conditions underfoot and creation of Our Place in Time – WW1 trenches of Digging In. include different mapping options the Historic Environment Strategy the raw cold of the day helped to including aerial photography, for Scotland. This brings us nicely There we sampled Christmas convey the misery of trench life, we mince pies made from war-time were spared the rats, the stench and OpenStreetMap and the Ordnance back to the mention in Lesley rations, and had a tour round the the dead bodies, but a vivid picture Survey first edition maps. All of Macinnes’ article of the Landscape Allied and the German trenches, was painted. these new features make it well and the Historic Environment – a worth exploring. with the chance to ask soldiers about We then went inside to a small, Common Statement prepared by their food and drink, the parcels The Roads through Ross the steering group of Our Place relatively dry, wooden hut and they received from home and other enjoyed a fascinating talk by our project has been uncovering in Time. This calls for a “unifying questions about life during the routeways that connected people approach to managing change Project Officer Andy Jepson about trench warfare of the First World life at Stobs Camp in the Scottish and places in Easter Ross – an in our landscape in ways which War. area previously thought to be maximise public benefit for present Borders during the First World War. The German soldiers were too far north for any significant and future generations” which is We had thawed out, pretty much, loudly confident of a spectacular roads before the modern period all well and good – the reality of by the time we all got home and victory, boasting of the greater – and moving further north to that is still work in progress but a great day was enjoyed by all. comfort and safety of their trench Shetland, we hear about the use something to which we can all Digging In is holding more events in of geoarchaeological coring and accommodation, and generally Pollok Park, and is well worth a visit. aspire and continue to push for. sneering at the inefficiencies and From the Director the challenges of carrying out See http://diggingin.co.uk for more NEWS SCOTLAND ARCHAEOLOGY backwardness of the ‘Tommies’ in watching briefs in peat-covered details. Eila Macqueen the trenches opposite. However, on landscapes. Director 4 – ISSUE 31 SPRING 2018 – 5 news AGM and Members’ Day - Ardrossan YAC Leaders Workshop n Saturday, late e’ve been working in October last with the Council for Oyear, our AGM WBritish Archaeology’s and Members’ day was Young Archaeologists’ Club to held at the Civic Centre in help to raise awareness and Ardrossan. Not many visitors encourage people to think stop and explore the town, about becoming YAC Leaders. on the drive through it to Join the Young catch the ferry to the Isle of Archaeologists’ Club and Arran, but on this occasion Home Front Legacy teams a good 40 Archaeology for two workshops bringing Scotland members, as well together colleagues from as local people, came community groups, heritage for the day to enjoy our organisations, and those programme and explore working with young people Ardrossan Castle. Most across Scotland. Find members had probably out about YAC and the only seen it from a distance opportunities it offers young but never close up. This people in our first workshop day, however, provided the and learn more about how opportunity to do so. young people can get involved The Black Watch Hospital © ????? Dr Kevin Grant from in Archaeology Scotland’s Heritage Hero Awards, and Historic Environment This year’s Heritage Heroes at the AGM © Archaeology Scotland your place please visit the Scotland, an Ardrossan be inspired to record the First workshop’s Eventbrite page for native, provided us with The morning’s investigations on site and World War Home Front in more information and to book the opening presentation, programme concluded took us round the surviving your local area during the your place. Eventbrite booking afternoon. which was an enjoyable and with the presentation of walls and elements of the form: https://tinyurl.com/ engaging tour through the Heritage Hero Certificates castle. It was interesting to This workshop will take yaf4c9h4 subject of his PhD based to well-deserving and discuss their future ambitions place at The Engine Shed, enthusiastic young people Jennifer Thoms, Archaeology on the archaeology of and the difficulties they Stirling on 24th March 2018. who had participated in To find out more and book Scotland the Hebrides in the early experience in clearing the 19th century. Our second the investigations into the first parish church in ground and preserving the speaker was Archaeology site at a time of decreasing Scotland Board member Ardrossan as well as the Scotland’s Community Heritage Conference budgets, especially while Tessa Hill, who talked about Castle Carnival. It is always the possibilities of us helping a pleasure to celebrate sheltering beneath the 017 was the Year of History, Heritage projects. This year it was expanded to a two our society by leaving a the achievements of young barrel-vaulted roof of the and Archaeology – the perfect excuse day event and packed in keynote lectures, legacy in our wills. It may be people during our AGM castle kitchen during a 2to hold an extra special celebration talks, training workshops and guided walks something we have never programme and especially down-pour. of the achievements of community heritage by participants from Scotland, England, to share them with their and archaeology! We have been proud Wales, Bulgaria, America and more.