<< News >> Comminity Adopts Threatened Archaeological Site On Coast Of Unst
Submitted by coldrum on Sunday, 17 June 2007 Page Views: 1815
DigsCountry: Scotland County: ShetlandInternal Links:
Community members in Unst, Scotland, have 'adopted' an archaeological site that is currently under threat from coastal erosion and are working to positively look after it.
Under the Adopt a Monument scheme, locals and volunteers have been able to actively participate in the conservation of the site at Sandwick Bay, where late prehistoric structures are facing destruction at the hands of the sea. The loss of the site to the sea is inevitable, but action is being taken to delay this as long as possible by the creation of a small sea defence.
The Council for Scottish Archaeology’s Adopt a Monument scheme provides volunteer groups with practical advice and training to allow them to play a leading role in taking care of local archaeology.
In excavating the site, professional archaeologists from the CSA and Glasgow University together with the Unst Archaeology Group have found fascinating artefacts that would have otherwise been lost and gone unrecorded. One find was a skeleton with a polished stone disc next to its head, recently featured on an episode of the BBC’s Coast series.
The fourth and final excavation is now underway, and new interpretation and access facilities are being installed while the finds undergo analysis.
“It’s great to see the Unst community taking ownership of their heritage and working so hard to promote this important archaeological site,” said Helen Bradley, CSA Adopt a Monument Officer.
In the last week of the dig (June 18-23, 2007), the team will consolidate the structures using stone, clay and turf, protecting them temporarily before the site is lost. Visitors are invited to come and see the work in progress and find out more about the project.
The Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion (SCAPE) Trust has recently highlighted the risks faced by many sites in Scotland, and is co-ordinating the Shorewatch project. The project works with communities to monitor eroding coastal sites before valuable information is lost to the waves.
“This is one of thousands of threatened coastal sites, and this project sets a great example for other communities to help raise awareness of the impacts of climate change upon Scotland’s coastal heritage,” said Tom Dawson of the SCAPE Trust, which commissioned the exavation.
“The work this group is carrying out will help to save a site that would otherwise have been lost.”
Monuments of any age, from anywhere in Scotland, as unusual as you like, can be proposed for adoption through the CSA Adopt a Monument scheme. The focus is on helping volunteers improve sites’ condition, accessibility and interpretation through archaeological skills training.
Other monuments that have been adopted include South East Perthshire Stone Circle Trail, Scolpaig Tower (North Uist) and the Well of Poldhu (Aberdeenshire).
Find out more about getting involved and current projects at :
scottisharchaeology.
24hourmuseum.
<< Mycenaean Sword Cap Found in Thracian Sanctuary in Bulgaria
We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.