The Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF) has a limited number of ScARF bursaries available (of up to £200) to help cover both the registration fee and travel/accommodation costs for people attending TAG43 Edinburgh in December 2022.

If you are an archaeology student or an Early Career Researcher (ECR) who is carrying out research on any aspect of Scottish archaeology and would like to attend this conference – apply for our bursary now!

In return for the bursary, we would like to invite you to write a short piece about your research or project to allow us to share your work on our ECR research pages on the ScARF website. Previous examples of case studies are at https://scarf.scot/students/early-career-research/.

To apply, please email ScARF Project Manager Helen Spencer (helen@socantscot.org) with a few lines about yourself, your research and how you will benefit from attending TAG43. We also require a short reference from a lecturer/supervisor. Please also get in touch with any questions.

The deadline for applications to the ScARF TAG43 Edinburgh bursary is the 30^th of September 2022 with decisions communicated by the 15^th October to allow everyone time to plan their journey.

The Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF) has a limited number of ScARF bursaries available (of up to £200) to help cover both the registration fee and travel/accommodation costs for people attending the 42^nd conference of the Association for Environmental Archaeology (AEA) in Glasgow in December 2022.

If you are an archaeology student or an Early Career Researcher (ECR) who is carrying out research on any aspect of Scottish archaeology and would like to attend this conference – apply for our bursary now!

In return for the bursary, we would like to invite you to write a short piece about your research or project to allow us to share your work on our ECR research pages on the ScARF website. Previous examples of case studies are at https://scarf.scot/students/early-career-research/.

To apply, please email ScARF Project Manager Helen Spencer (helen@socantscot.org) with a few lines about yourself, your research and how you will benefit from attending AEA2022. We also require a short reference from a lecturer/supervisor. Please also get in touch with any questions or visit our website www.scarf.scot.

The deadline for applications to the ScARF AEA 2022 bursary is the 25^th of September 2022.

Our first Newsletter of 2022 is available to download here.

Find out the latest about our regional research framework consultations, the Scottish Student Archaeology Societies Conference and some new Early Career Researcher case studies which are now available on the ScARF website.

The ScARF team is now starting to make plans for the next phase of the development of regional research frameworks across Scotland and is beginning to create plans for some new projects.

One of these regions, we are proposing for a new project, is west-central Scotland – or the Clyde Valley. This will comprise all the local authorities that surround the Clyde river catchment: East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire.

ScARF is currently working in collaboration with Northlight Heritage and the University of Glasgow to develop a project proposal to develop this new framework and we want to speak to as many people as possible to discuss issues, opportunities and proposed methodologies. In January, we held two online workshops with some key stakeholders in the region and would now like to open up discussions to anyone with an interest in the archaeology and heritage of the region and who has an interest in a new Clyde Valley Framework for the region.

An online open workshop to explain more about the proposed project and to gather some initial thoughts and ideas will be taking place on Wednesday 9th March between 13:00 – 15:30. The workshop will be led by Dr Helen Spencer (Society of Antiquaries of Scotland), Dr Gavin MacGregor (Northlight Heritage) and Dr Kenny Brophy (University of Glasgow).

To register for a place please go to Eventbrite

For further information or to have an informal chat please get in touch.

Have you seen the latest Celebrating Archaeology in Scotland 2021 magazine?

The magazine, brought to you by Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy, showcases some of the amazing archaeological work that has taken place over the last year. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, you can now do so from the ScARF website. This year’s issue is as topical as ever, highlighting the work archaeologists are doing to understand and mitigate against climate change, to bring hidden and obscured histories to light, and use our heritage to improve wellbeing. Articles range across a wide variety of subjects, from project updates and new research to changes in heritage practice.

You can download this year’s Celebrating Archaeology in Scotland magazine here.

The Five Year Review of the Scottish Archaeology Strategy is also available to download here

You can also head to the Scottish Archaeology Strategy website for more information.

We are excited to announce our involvement with a new Royal Society of Edinburgh funded project – the International Network for Contemporary Archaeology in Scotland (INCAScot).

This is a two-year collaborative project which will establish a network of academics and arts practitioners, community activists and a diverse range of heritage sector participants, to address the challenges that Scotland and other nations face in the 3rd millennium. The project is led by Dr Alex Hale (HES), Dr Kenny Brophy (University of Glasgow), Dr Gavin MacGregor (Northlight Heritage) and Dr Antonia Thomas (UHI).

ScARF is looking forward to working together with partners to explore interdisciplinary case studies, which tie directly to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (UN SDGs) and enabling the development of a robust research framework for Contemporary Archaeology in Scotland. Watch this space for more news about the project and future events!

The project is now seeking an enthusiastic partner to enable the smooth running of the network. This role is a flexible freelance opportunity with a maximum budget of £6000 with the expectation of c 40 days of work across the 2 years duration of the project.

Role of the International Network Partner:

• The partner will be responsible for the co-organisation of the international network over two
years
• We expect the partner to co-produce and participate in the network’s activities
• The partner will play a key role in sustaining the network, influence the success of the
network’s outcomes and contribute to the delivery of the overall goals.

Main Responsibilities:

• In close collaboration, with the network leads; develop, deliver and manage a co-ordinating
website
• Organise quarterly meetings for the international participants
• Co-produce focus group meetings, events and activities
• Co-produce and deliver a final event
• Co-produce event reports, archive materials and legacy documents

Skills and Experience: (Essential / Desirable)

• Experience of working with a distributed group of people (D)
• Experience of sustaining communications across different social media channels and using
Open Source platforms, such as Padlet (E)
• Ability to arrange and manage disparate events (D)
• Skilled to undertake specific and varied tasks, as outlined by the network leads (E)
• Experience at enabling others to remain task-focussed (D)
• Experience of costing, tendering and delivering websites, with experience of platforms such
as WordPress (E)
• Skilled at curating and developing digital content (E)
• Skilled at time-management and project planning (D)
• Experienced in successful delivery of projects within budget (E)
• Excellent communication skills (D)
• Experience of global heritage issues (D)
• An understanding of the opportunities that Contemporary Archaeology can present to
different disciplines and practices (D)

Please get in touch for more information about the role. To apply, please submit a note of interest and a brief two-page CV to: alex.hale@hes.scot by 5pm BST Monday 14th June.

Our ScARF student bursaries are normally only available to help travel and attendance at conferences or workshops. However, in light of COVID-19 and the unlikelihood that there will be many conferences and networking events taking place for the foreseeable future, we are keen to support Student/ECR research into Scottish archaeology in other ways.

We are therefore pleased to offer a small number of bursaries to help support wider student and ECR research activities in the coming months. 

We are initially asking for applications for financial support where COVID-19 has affected student and ECR research plans and there may be additional costs which cannot be covered in another way. For example, we could help fund extra costs for access to research material and digital resources, or maybe cover costs where new software or online training is required. Please get in touch with us to discuss your application and to see if your project would be suitable. The main criteria is that the research being undertaken should be into some aspect of Scottish archaeology. We will consider retrospective applications – i.e. where the cost has already been incurred – but we will require receipts/proof of the additional expense. The maximum that can be applied for is £200. 

To apply please send us an email with a short summary of your research, how COVID-19 has affected it and a clear breakdown of the costs involved (c. 300 words), along with a short letter written by a referee to support your application.

Find out about how other students have benefited from our ScARF bursaries by visiting our Student Report pages.

Our summer newsletter should have hit everyone’s inboxes! If you haven’t got a copy then take a look here.

If you haven’t signed up for our newsletter yet – why not do so here to automatically get the latest ScARF news!

We are really excited to launch our new ScARF website.

While you will find that the basic structure and the original content remains very familiar – so using the frameworks will not be too different to before – we can now do so much more! We will be adding new pages and content regularly including extra case studies, blogs and we can also now host additional research resources. This site will become the gateway to all our new Regional Research Frameworks as they are launched.

This is just the start and we have lots of plans to improve the website over the coming year. In time, we will have an improved search facility that will enable you to search not just the ScARF National, thematic and regional frameworks – but also archaeological frameworks from across the UK! We are also working on new technology behind the scenes which will link our ScARF website to OASIS and Discovery and Excavation in Scotland reports – so as new discoveries are made, some research questions answered and new questions posed, our resource can be updated.

Get involved…

Please get in touch if you have any thoughts and comments about our new site. We would also love to receive ideas for new Case Studies that help to answer the research questions posed in our frameworks. If you would like to submit one to add to our research frameworks please let us know – there is so much amazing work to share and we now have the tools to do it!

A Successful SIRFA Symposium in Shetland

SIRFA Shetland symposium delegates enjoy a sunny evening exploring Mousa Broch – read all about it in the October newsletter! ©ScARF

The field trips saw delegates travel the length and breadth of Shetland to visit various archaeological sites, guided by experts, and participating in on-site discussion. The weather was kind, and we even stopped to appreciate Muckle Flugga, formerly the most northerly inhabited place in the British Isles!

Various workshop sessions took place over two days to discuss current archaeological knowledge in Shetland- spanning the prehistoric to modern periods and exploring aspects such as subsistence, economy, connectivity and landscape to discuss future priorities and identify potential research questions. The combination of field trips and workshop sessions were an effective way to get people talking, sharing, and contributing to assist the development of this framework.

A field trip to the archaeological site at Lower Underhoull, Unst. © ScARF

Find our more about the project at the SIRFA website.

Perth and Kinross Archaeological Research Framework

The ‘Priorities in Progress’ conference held at the Station hotel in Perth on the 30th August 2019 presenting work from the first year of the Perth and Kinross Archaeological Research Framework (PKARF) was attended by almost 100 delegates!

Re-enactors attend the PKARF conference in Perth. © ScARF

Talks by PKARF ‘champions’ outlining the current state of knowledge for each period were followed by think tank workshops where all delegates were encouraged to participate by identifying gaps in knowledge, discuss where future research should be directed, and to nominate case studies showcasing archaeological work in the region to date. Voices from across the heritage sector, students, and community heritage groups joined to discuss the development of the framework and it’s future role as a resource for all archaeological work and research in Perth and Kinross.

Following the success of the conference, we are excited to see how it informs the next steps and shapes the development of the PKARF!

Upcoming Conferences

The Highland Archaeology Festival Conference 

The annual conference showcasing recent archaeological discoveries and research across the Highlands takes place over two days from Saturday 12th – Sunday 13th October at the Highland Council Chamber in Inverness. With lots of interesting displays and lunchtime poster sessions, this conference presents a great opportunity to hear a diverse range of voices from people engaged in archaeological work across the Highlands.

The excavation and conservation of Clachtoll Broch will be discussed by Dr Graeme Cavers of AOC Archaeology during the annual conference. © ScARF

Tayside and Fife Archaeological Committee (TAFAC)

The Tayside and Fife Archaeological Committee annual conference will be held at the Rothes Halls, Glenrothes on Saturday 2nd November. This conference will showcase new archaeological discoveries and research in Tayside and Fife. This is an excellent opportunity to hear about a wide range of current archaeological work in the area, including the results of A9 Dualling archaeological works, an update on the Perth and Kinross regional framework, new work on early medieval sculpture, excavations at Wemyss Caves, and much more!

Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders Archaeology Conference

The annual Edinburgh, Lothian & Borders Archaeology Conference will be held on Saturday 16th November at Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh. This conference provides an important opportunity to hear and discuss first hand accounts of the archaeological fieldwork and research being undertaken in Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, and the Scottish Borders.

Come along to hear about significant discoveries and research across the region. Speakers will be presenting the results of various high-profile archaeological excavations in the area, the results of community archaeology projects, current research in progress, and more..!

ECR and Student Bursaries

Following the attendance of many ScARF supported ECR’s and students at recent conferences, we would like to take this opportunity to remind you we accept applications for student bursaries all year round. Conferences and events are often a great way to meet people doing similar or complementary work but can often be expensive for students to attend. As part of ScARF’s commitment to encouraging and supporting new research, a number of bursaries are available to help with the costs of attending these events. Please spread the word!

More information about Student Bursaries can be found on the ScARF website here.

Find us and Follow us!

In addition to Twitter, you can now follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
If you would like to be kept up to date on everything ScARF related (and maybe see a pretty archaeology photo or two) please follow us to explore, contribute and share- see you there!

ScARF e-newsletter

Our October newsletter has just been sent out to all our subscribers. Take a look at it here for all the latest ScARF news.