SESARF Symposium

We are currently working on the final stages of the South East Scotland Archaeological Research Framework (SESARF) project, and are hosting a one-day symposium on 20th May 2023 at Augustine United Church, Edinburgh. This event will offer you the chance to be involved in the consultation stage of creating SESARF. There will be opportunities for discussion, questions and feedback relating to the SESARF chapters and research questions. We will explore SESARF through chronological sessions and are keen to hear feedback on the draft chapters of the framework.

Click here to register for the symposium! 

A green, grass covered hillfort with clear ridges photographed in a landscape of fields, trees and country roads. The sky is blue with thick, white clouds.
Castlelaw Hillfort © ScARF

SESARF Survey

The drafts for SESARF’s chronological chapters will be available to view by the end of April. In the meantime, we are looking to capture people’s priorities for future research in the SESARF region. These submissions will help to structure the framework, as well as guiding future research in this area.

Please take part in our short survey to contribute what you believe to be key archaeological research questions for the SESARF area of study (City of Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders), or broader questions that you would like to see addressed or tackled in the future.

About SESARF

SESARF will cover the local authority areas of the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders. It is led by the South East Scotland Archaeology Partnership (SESAP), namely the local archaeology services of East Lothian Council, City of Edinburgh Council, and Scottish Borders Council, and supported by the ScARF project at the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. This regional research framework is designed to provide more clarity and regional details than could be discussed in the broader Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF).

Please get in touch if you have any questions about the event or framework. 


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New ECR Case Study

One of our ScARF bursary recipients, Lizzie Robertson, has written a Case Study about her PhD research at the University of Glasgow which involves creating and performing immersive audio experiences in highland landscapes, with a particular focus on the archaeology of Glencoe. Lizzie’s work in Glencoe, which was supported by ScARF in 2022, focussed on testing some of her prototypes of audio experiences in their landscape settings.

Read the fascinating Case Study here.

A woman wearing a purple jumper sits cross legged on the stone floor of a turf house with wattle walls behind her. She has a laptop on the ground in front of her and is holding a digital device.
Lizzie making recordings in the new turf-house at the NTS Glencoe visitor centre © Eddie Stewart

If you are a student or Early Career Researcher, keep up to date with our upcoming bursaries by subscribing to our newsletter at the bottom of the page.

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ScARF Newsletter – January 2023

Our January newsletter is available now! Find out more about the upcoming SIRFA symposium, our EAA Belfast session and the next thematic framework to be added to the ScARF website.

Read the newsletter here!

A grassy valley with a large stone wall running diagonally across the image. The sun is shining in the top right corner and clouds are grey.
The Antonine Wall, near Bar Hill Roman fort ©️ Andrew Barclay (CC BY-SA)
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Student Bursaries Available – SSASC

We are offering a limited number of bursaries for students wishing to attend this year’s Scottish Student Archaeology Society Conference (SSASC) hosted at The University of Aberdeen on the 18th-19th February to cover the costs of travel and accommodation for the two-day conference. This conference is a great opportunity to meet other archaeology students from across Scotland and hear the latest research happening in Scottish universities.

Following a successful bursary application, we ask recipients to write a short case study with an overview of their research or the paper/poster presented at SSASC (if applicable).

Event poster for a student conference featuring an image of the venue at New King's, Aberdeen, a gothic building covered in red vines.
SSASC 2023 poster ©️ University of Aberdeen Archaeology Society

To apply, please email our Project Manager (helen@socantscot.org) with an introduction to yourself and a short description of your research interests and why you would like to attend SSASC. Please also include a short statement of support from a supervisor or lecturer.

The closing date for applications is the 8th February 2023, with decisions communicated by the 9th February 2023 to allow time to book transport and accommodation.

Please get in touch if you have any questions about applying and check out our other bursary opportunities here.


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SIRFA Symposium – Orkney

The third and final symposium for Scotland’s Islands Research Framework for Archaeology (SIRFA) is taking place from March 24th-27th in Kirkwall, Orkney

The event will be open to everyone with an interest in archaeological research in the Scottish Isles, including: individuals and organisations whose work involves archaeological research, as well as anyone who engages with the outcomes of research such as museums professionals, commercial archaeologists, academic researchers, archaeology students, community heritage groups, independent researchers and local and national government agencies.

Landscape photograph of multiple drystone buildings with grass covering the top of them. The walls are exposed stones and very well preserved. The settlement lies in the foreground, with a white sand beach and a blue ocean in the background. The sky is blue and cloudy.
Orkney’s Skara Brae ©️ Stuart Wilding (CC BY-SA)

The project began in July 2018, with two symposiums having already taken place in the Western Isles in January 2019, and Shetland in September 2019. Now, with the final Orkney symposium fast approaching, the SIRFA project is in its final stages. Please contact us if you have any questions about SIRFA. 

A group of 30 people pose in front of a large, drystone tower. Some are standing and others are crouched. The tower lies against the background of a blue sky and the people have sun on their faces.
Participants of the SIRFA Symposium at the Broch of Mousa, Shetland, in 2019 ©️ ScARF

During the course of the symposium, which includes an optional day trip to Hoy (details below), different themes will be explored through talks and discussions in order to identify research gaps and areas of research potential.

Registration for the symposium is now closed as we have reached capacity but you can still click here to join the waiting list just in case some people are unable to make it. The event timetable is below:

SIRFA Orkney Research Questions

The SIRFA team have created a Research Questions Survey for the Orkney Symposium which is now live! If you have any relevant research questions you think need answered, or areas of research that you feel are ignored, please visit the survey here and let your voice be heard.

You don’t need to attend the symposium to submit a question, all ideas welcome!

Hoy fieldtrip

On the 24th March, delegates are invited to join a fieldtrip to Hoy to explore the vast landscape and significant archaeological evidence preserved across the island. A detailed schedule for the trip will be made available soon. The trip costs £25 to cover coach hire and expenses.

If you would like to take part in the trip visit the Hoy fieldtrip page to purchase your ticket for the trip separately.

If you have any issues or questions, please get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to help.


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ScARF Newsletter – December 2022

Wrap up with our final newsletter of the year! From our 10th Anniversary celebration to student bursaries, click here to read our highlights of 2022, plus a sneak peak into what’s to come for us in 2023…

The final panel discussion at ScARF 10th Anniversary event (c) ScARF
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ScARF Newsletter – October 2022

Autumn is in full swing and our October newsletter is available now!

Find out more about our 10th anniversary event, newest framework and upcoming conferences we can’t wait to attend.

The King’s Seat excavation team ©️ Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust

Click  to read the full newsletter, and subscribe so you don’t miss any future updates.

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AEA Bursaries – deadline extended!

The deadline for applications to the ScARF AEA 2022 bursary has now been extended until the 25th of September 2022.

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 42nd conference of the Association for Environmental Archaeology (AEA) in Glasgow in December 2022.

Oakbank Crannog on Loch Tay ©️ John McGarry

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.


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NEW SKILLS WORKSHOPS – BOOK NOW!

As part of the Highland Archaeology Festival, ScARF are hosting two exciting Skills Workshops at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. These free-to-attend workshops will be delivered by leading experts – not to be missed!

Basic Finds Conservation

29 September 2022
Starts: 10:00
Ends: 13:00

Hands-on workshop on basic conservation of finds aimed at museum staff and volunteers, detectorists and people involved in fieldwork and surveys. Led by Jeanette Pearson ACR, conservator at IMAG, this workshop will cover initial assessment of finds, handling, packing and support, also which materials to use and some important do’s and don’ts.

Venue: Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

Suitable for wheelchair access

Bookings essential, preferably by email, to:
scarf@socantscot.org

Phone 07800 979999 

Finds Illustration

30 September 2022

Workshop 1:
Starts: 10:00
Ends: 12:00

Workshop 2:
Starts: 14:00
Ends: 16:00

Ever fancied learning how to draw archaeological artefacts?

Join archaeological illustrator Thomas Small for a ‘hands-on’ illustration workshop. A short presentation explaining the principles of artefact illustration will be followed by a series of practical exercises. By the end of the day participants will have gained an insight into the process of artefact and pottery illustration.

Venue: Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

Bookings essential, ideally by email, to:
Email scarf@socantscot.org

Phone 07800 979999


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ScARF Newsletter – August 2022

Our August Newsletter is here! We have some exciting announcements and events you won’t want to miss, including our 10th Anniversary celebration and two exciting skills workshops at the Highland Archaeology Festival in Inverness.

Baldowrie Pictish Stone, High Keillor, Perthshire ©️ ScARF

Click here to read the full newsletter, and subscribe so you don’t miss any future updates.

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