The sheer breadth and wealth of archaeology on Scotland’s islands is incredible, with evidence from every period of human interaction represented on our islands.
Top Picks
Explore the best of Scottish archaeology with our themed lists of top sites and discoveries from across the country
Top Five Metal Detecting Finds in Scotland You May Not Have Heard Of
Metal detecting is becoming increasingly popular in Scotland
Top 10 Artefacts from the Antonine Wall
Stretching 62km from the Firth of Clyde to the Firth of Forth, remnants of the Antonine Wall include ramparts, steep ditches, forts and bathhouses, many of which are still visible today.
Top Five Archaeological Sites and Discoveries in Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire may be Scotland’s smallest county, but it’s jam-packed with archaeological stories waiting to be unearthed at tower houses, castles, woollen mills and more. [NOTE: Article contains images and descriptions of human remains]
Four of the Best Archaeological Sites and Discoveries from Medieval Scotland
The medieval period covers a lot of ground, including the appearance of Pictish “kingdoms”, Romans leaving Britain, the first Viking raids, Christianity becoming fully established in most of Scotland, the development of “towns”, increased trade with what is now mainland Europe and more.
Top Five Scottish Archaeological Sites and Artefacts Brought to Life by Digital Technology
Every year, hundreds of archaeological stories covering everything from medieval toilet seats to Iron Age stone lamps are unearthed in Scotland. But the details are not always easy to find.
Top Five Lesser-Known Scottish Castles with Amazing Archaeology
It’s estimated that there are a whopping 2,000 castles in Scotland built between the 1100s and early 1600s AD, with Aberdeenshire in particular boasting more castles per hectare than anywhere else in the UK.
Top Four Pictish Sites and Discoveries in Moray
The early medieval people known as the Picts lived in northern Scotland for a period of about 600 years (from roughly AD 300 to AD 900) and left many traces in modern-day Moray, which lies in the heart of what once was Northern Pictland.
Carvings, Crosses and Human Remains: Top Six Archaeological Discoveries in Scottish Caves
People have been using caves in Scotland for thousands of years and have left behind carvings, objects and bones which offer glimpses of their life stories.
Top Five Archaeological Discoveries from Scottish Islands That You May Not Have Heard Of
Did you know that Scotland has over 900 offshore islands? Humans have been travelling between these islands – found in Shetland, Orkney, Na h-Eileanan A-Staigh (the Inner Hebrides), and Na h-Eileanan Siar (the Outer Hebrides) – for millennia and have left plenty of evidence of their existence behind.
Top Six Archaeological Sites and Artefacts from Perth & Kinross
Did you know that Perth and Kinross is home to some of Scotland’s best archaeological sites and is where countless amazing artefacts have been found?
Top Six Iron Age Sites and Discoveries in Scotland
Named for the period when we first see the use of iron tools, the Iron Age was a time of great change in Scotland.
