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| Archaeologists working on Staffa, August 2018 |
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| 3D visualisation of Fingal’s cave created by experts from SimVis |
The first clear evidence of human activity on the dramatic Hebridean island of Staffa during the Bronze Age has been discovered, it was announced today, 9 August 2018. The evidence was discovered by team of archaeologists working with conservation charity, the National Trust for Scotland.
The discovery was made as part of on-going work on the island being
carried out by Historic
Archaeology Research Project, Staffa (HARPS), which includes researchers from the
GSA’s School of Simulation and Visualisation (SimVis).
carried out by Historic
Archaeology Research Project, Staffa (HARPS), which includes researchers from the
GSA’s School of Simulation and Visualisation (SimVis).
Derek
Alexander, the National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Archaeological Services
said:
Alexander, the National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Archaeological Services
said:
“This is our fifth season out at the island to
investigate its past. Each time we go there we add another little piece
of the jigsaw.
investigate its past. Each time we go there we add another little piece
of the jigsaw.
“This is a really significant find. It
seems likely that people in the past were just as curious about their
surroundings as we are. We can only imagine what Bronze Age people may
have thought of the geological marvel that is Fingal’s Cave.
seems likely that people in the past were just as curious about their
surroundings as we are. We can only imagine what Bronze Age people may
have thought of the geological marvel that is Fingal’s Cave.
“Our next objective is to understand whether
this evidence represents domestic occupation on the island or something a bit
more ritualistic.”
this evidence represents domestic occupation on the island or something a bit
more ritualistic.”
Stuart
Jeffrey, Reader in Heritage Visualisation at the GSA, added:
Jeffrey, Reader in Heritage Visualisation at the GSA, added:
“These finds are really important, enabling us
to push our knowledge of human activity on the island back thousands of years.
to push our knowledge of human activity on the island back thousands of years.
“The ways in which Staffa has excited the modern
creative imagination must surely have had echoes in the past. This new evidence
clearly shows significant prehistoric activity on the island and allows us to
start thinking about how that activity relates to Staffa’s stunning landscape
and geology.
creative imagination must surely have had echoes in the past. This new evidence
clearly shows significant prehistoric activity on the island and allows us to
start thinking about how that activity relates to Staffa’s stunning landscape
and geology.
“Being able to unravel the already amazing story
of Staffa even further is an exciting and tantalizing prospect. There is a growing
archaeological interest in Staffa and the HARPS project supported by
presentations at international archaeological conferences in the UK and Germany
as well as at the Association of Critical Heritage Studies meeting in China
next month. “
of Staffa even further is an exciting and tantalizing prospect. There is a growing
archaeological interest in Staffa and the HARPS project supported by
presentations at international archaeological conferences in the UK and Germany
as well as at the Association of Critical Heritage Studies meeting in China
next month. “
Full text
of the National Trust for Scotland press release below.
of the National Trust for Scotland press release below.
For further inforamiton on SimVis contact:
Lesley Booth
Lesley Booth
07799414474
press@gsa.ac.uk
NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND MEDIA RELEASE
9 August 2018
Staffa shines with new archaeological discoveries
A team of
archaeologists working with conservation charity the National Trust for
Scotland have discovered the first clear evidence for human activity during the
Bronze Age on the dramatic Hebridean island of Staffa.
archaeologists working with conservation charity the National Trust for
Scotland have discovered the first clear evidence for human activity during the
Bronze Age on the dramatic Hebridean island of Staffa.
The Isle
of Staffa, and its best-known feature ‘Fingal’s Cave’, is one of Scotland’s
most significant heritage sites. Upon its ‘discovery’ by Joseph Banks in 1772,
it quickly became established as an early tourist destination and has been an
inspiration to some of Europe’s most important cultural figures, including
Wordsworth, Mendelssohn, Turner, Verne and Hogg (the last two compared the cave
to a giant harp).
of Staffa, and its best-known feature ‘Fingal’s Cave’, is one of Scotland’s
most significant heritage sites. Upon its ‘discovery’ by Joseph Banks in 1772,
it quickly became established as an early tourist destination and has been an
inspiration to some of Europe’s most important cultural figures, including
Wordsworth, Mendelssohn, Turner, Verne and Hogg (the last two compared the cave
to a giant harp).
Intense
interest in Staffa during the 18th and 19th centuries
arose from romantic conceptions of the past, the geological oddity of its
columnar basalt formations and the wealth of folklore and oral tradition
focussed on the island, including the tales of Fionn mac Cumhaill, a
hunter-warrior in the mythologies of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.
interest in Staffa during the 18th and 19th centuries
arose from romantic conceptions of the past, the geological oddity of its
columnar basalt formations and the wealth of folklore and oral tradition
focussed on the island, including the tales of Fionn mac Cumhaill, a
hunter-warrior in the mythologies of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.
However,
despite Staffa’s prominent position in the romantic imagination, it has
remained a largely unknown quantity archaeologically – until now.
despite Staffa’s prominent position in the romantic imagination, it has
remained a largely unknown quantity archaeologically – until now.
During
trial investigations in 2016, a small pit feature was uncovered, this contained
a single sherd of decorated prehistoric pottery.
trial investigations in 2016, a small pit feature was uncovered, this contained
a single sherd of decorated prehistoric pottery.
Last week,
a larger trench was excavated which revealed the western side of a clear
structure defined by a series of ditches and pits cut into a distinctive
underlying yellow clay subsoil.
a larger trench was excavated which revealed the western side of a clear
structure defined by a series of ditches and pits cut into a distinctive
underlying yellow clay subsoil.
A
radiocarbon date for a burnt grain of hulled barley from the 2016 feature
(provided by the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre SUERC in
East Kilbride), indicated that it came from between 1880-1700 BC, which
demonstrates that people were visiting, and probably living, on the island in
the Middle Bronze Age. Further quantities of distinctive decorated prehistoric
pottery were recovered from the feature with this newly discovered Bronze Age
date.
radiocarbon date for a burnt grain of hulled barley from the 2016 feature
(provided by the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre SUERC in
East Kilbride), indicated that it came from between 1880-1700 BC, which
demonstrates that people were visiting, and probably living, on the island in
the Middle Bronze Age. Further quantities of distinctive decorated prehistoric
pottery were recovered from the feature with this newly discovered Bronze Age
date.
This work
was undertaken as part of the Historic Archaeology Research Project, Staffa
(HARPS). This project aims to directly address an important gap in our
archaeological knowledge of one of Scotland’s best-known maritime landscape
features through a combination of archaeological excavation, Reflectance
Transformation Imaging, photogrammetric survey and audio programs.
was undertaken as part of the Historic Archaeology Research Project, Staffa
(HARPS). This project aims to directly address an important gap in our
archaeological knowledge of one of Scotland’s best-known maritime landscape
features through a combination of archaeological excavation, Reflectance
Transformation Imaging, photogrammetric survey and audio programs.
The
project is a partnership between the National Trust for Scotland, The Glasgow
School of Art’s (GSA) School of Simulation and Visualisation, and the
Universities of Glasgow and Stirling, with funding support from the Trust’s
London Members’ Centre and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
project is a partnership between the National Trust for Scotland, The Glasgow
School of Art’s (GSA) School of Simulation and Visualisation, and the
Universities of Glasgow and Stirling, with funding support from the Trust’s
London Members’ Centre and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
Derek
Alexander, the National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Archaeological Services
said:
Alexander, the National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Archaeological Services
said:
“This is
our fifth season out at the island to investigate its past. Each time we
go there we add another little piece of the jigsaw.
our fifth season out at the island to investigate its past. Each time we
go there we add another little piece of the jigsaw.
“This is a
really significant find. It seems likely that people in the past were
just as curious about their surroundings as we are. We can only imagine
what Bronze Age people may have thought of the geological marvel that is
Fingal’s Cave.
really significant find. It seems likely that people in the past were
just as curious about their surroundings as we are. We can only imagine
what Bronze Age people may have thought of the geological marvel that is
Fingal’s Cave.
“Our next
objective is to understand whether this evidence represents domestic occupation
on the island or something a bit more ritualistic.”
objective is to understand whether this evidence represents domestic occupation
on the island or something a bit more ritualistic.”
Stuart
Jeffrey, Reader in Heritage Visualisation at GSA, added:
Jeffrey, Reader in Heritage Visualisation at GSA, added:
“These
finds are really important, enabling us to push our knowledge of human activity
on the island back thousands of years.
finds are really important, enabling us to push our knowledge of human activity
on the island back thousands of years.
“The ways
in which Staffa has excited the modern creative imagination must surely have
had echoes in the past. This new evidence clearly shows significant prehistoric
activity on the island and allows us to start thinking about how that activity
relates to Staffa’s stunning landscape and geology.
in which Staffa has excited the modern creative imagination must surely have
had echoes in the past. This new evidence clearly shows significant prehistoric
activity on the island and allows us to start thinking about how that activity
relates to Staffa’s stunning landscape and geology.
“Being
able to unravel the already amazing story of Staffa even further is an exciting
and tantalizing prospect. There is a growing archaeological interest in Staffa
and the HARPS project supported by presentations at international
archaeological conferences in the UK and Germany as well as at the Association
of Critical Heritage Studies meeting in China next month. “
able to unravel the already amazing story of Staffa even further is an exciting
and tantalizing prospect. There is a growing archaeological interest in Staffa
and the HARPS project supported by presentations at international
archaeological conferences in the UK and Germany as well as at the Association
of Critical Heritage Studies meeting in China next month. “
– ENDS –
National Trust for Scotland Press Office. Contact Jim
Whyteside on 07889 456779
Whyteside on 07889 456779
Editor’s Notes:
Staffa National Nature Reserve (NNR) lies six miles
west of Mull in Argyll and Bute.
west of Mull in Argyll and Bute.
The island was gifted To the National Trust for
Scotland by New Yorker Jock Elliott Jr in 1986 in honour of his wife’s 60th
birthday. Staffa has been uninhabited since 1800.
Scotland by New Yorker Jock Elliott Jr in 1986 in honour of his wife’s 60th
birthday. Staffa has been uninhabited since 1800.
The
National Trust for Scotland is the charity that celebrates and protects
Scotland’s heritage. It relies on the support of its members and donors to
carry out its important work of caring for the natural and built heritage of
Scotland for everyone to enjoy.
National Trust for Scotland is the charity that celebrates and protects
Scotland’s heritage. It relies on the support of its members and donors to
carry out its important work of caring for the natural and built heritage of
Scotland for everyone to enjoy.
You can
join the National Trust for Scotland for as little as £8.50 per month for a
family. To become a member, visit www.nts.org.uk
join the National Trust for Scotland for as little as £8.50 per month for a
family. To become a member, visit www.nts.org.uk