Our March newsletter is available now! We have some exciting announcements, including a brand new website for the INCA Scot project and booking information for our upcoming CVARF Symposium.

Click here to read the full newsletter.

A brand new website for the International Network for Contemporary Archaeology in Scotland (INCA Scot) is now live! We celebrated the new home for Contemporary Archaeology in Scotland at an online event yesterday with the INCA Scot team.

Contemporary Archaeology is not only the archaeology of the contemporary and recent past, but the exploration of the opportunities and challenges presented when undertaking archaeological research in the present day. This website, hosted and managed by ScARF, showcases what has now been established as a significant discipline within the sector over the past few decades. 

Visit scarf.scot/incascot to learn more about Contemporary Archaeology in Scotland and see how you can contribute to future research. 

About INCA Scot

The International Network for Contemporary Archaeology in Scotland (INCA Scot) is a project funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and supported by the ScARF project at the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

The original project was a two-year collaborative effort which established 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 Antonia Thomas (UHI) and Dr Gavin MacGregor (Archaeology Scotland).

We are delighted to invite you to join us at our upcoming workshops exploring the future of rock art research across Scotland. These events will build on the legacy of the Scottish Rock Art Project (ScRAP) and the first three workshops will take place in Faifley, Kirkcudbright and Culloden.

These workshops, funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, will be used to develop new thematic sections of the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework, complementing Future Thinking on Carved Stones and the regional research frameworks. Although the workshops will be tailored to the specific region, each event will involve short talks, group discussions and an interactive fieldtrip to a local rock art site. 

You can now book a place at the following workshops:

5th April 2025 – Faifley, West Dumbartonshire

26th April 2025 – Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway

17th May 2025 – Culloden, Highlands

Please head to our Eventbrite page to book your place, or get in touch if you have any questions. We hope to see many of you there!

Our February newsletter is now available! Click here to read the latest updates from the ScARF team, including some exciting events on the horizon.

Our first newsletter of 2025 is now available! It’s already shaping up to be a busy year, from our upcoming SESARF Symposium to Rock Art workshops and so much more.

Click here to read all about our exciting events coming up, and how you can get involved.

The final three chapters of the South East Scotland Archaeological Research Framework are well under way, and you can now access the draft research questions on the SESARF page.

Questions and recommendations for the Medieval, Post Medieval and Modern chapters can be read online, or downloaded as a Word document. We’re keen to hear your feedback on these drafts – if you have a question to add to the list, an idea for a case study, or any feedback, please email us at scarf@socantscot.org

We are currently planning a series of workshops, funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, which will be used to develop new thematic sections of the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework, including Future Thinking on Carved Stones and our regional frameworks. Building on the Scottish Rock Art Project (ScRAP), these workshops will be held across Scotland in 2025 and will explore future research into Scotland’s rock art. 

In advance of these workshops, we are looking to capture people’s thoughts and priorities for future research relating to rock art across Scotland. Please take part in our rock art survey to help us identify key sites and research gaps. Your views will feed into our workshops, as well as guide future research into rock art in Scotland.

Click here to access the survey.

Our final newsletter of 2024 is now available! Hear all about our exciting events coming up in 2025, and some of our highlights from a busy year.

Read the full newsletter here.

Join us at Augustine United Church on the 25th January 2025 for the SESARF Symposium, where we will discuss the final chapters of the South East Scotland Archaeological Research Framework.

The medieval, post medieval and modern chapters are well under way, and this one-day event will allow you to offer feedback, discuss research questions and have your say as we finalise the framework. We will explore the final SESARF chapters through short talks and group discussions, and are keen to hear feedback on research questions and draft chapters (to be provided to attendees ahead of the event).

The SESARF Symposium will take place in two main sessions, with lunch, tea and coffee provided and a short drinks reception. The event is free to attend, though registration is required.

To read more about the symposium and book your place, visit our Eventbrite page.

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. 

We are offering a limited number of bursaries for students and early career researchers wishing to attend the next Scottish Student Archaeology Society Conference (SSASC) hosted at The University of Edinburgh on the 15th-16th February 2025. The bursary will cover the costs of attendance, travel and accommodation (where needed) for the two-day event. 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).

To apply, please email our Head of Research (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 31st January 2025, with decisions communicated by the 3rd February 2025 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.