SOME of Scotland’s most important archaeological sites are being lost to coastal erosion. This will be the message of a free lunchtime talk given in Glasgow this week as part of the Celtic Connections festival.
Julie Gibson from the University of the Highlands and Islands’ archaeology department will explore the issue through case studies from the Orkney Isles, where almost a third of all known sites are either being damaged by, or are under risk from, the sea.
Ms Gibson, who is also Orkney’s community archaeologist, will conclude her talk by looking at opportunities to safeguard these sites to protect Scotland’s cultural heritage and contribute to our economy.
Speaking about the threat, Ms Gibson said: “Scotland has the longest coastline in Europe and, as a maritime nation, much of our heritage relates to the sea.
“Around Orkney, more than a thousand archaeological sites are threatened or are being actively damaged.
“The 5,000 year old Stone Age village of Skara Brae is dependent upon a sea wall that requires constant maintenance, the medieval site of Langskaill in Westray retreated five metres in one go a few years back and a Pictish site on Lamb Holm went from being a visible building to nothing but a line of rubble.
“Such erosion not only causes us to lose valuable information about our past, but may also damage Scotland’s future economy and the livelihoods of people in remote and rural areas. If these sites receive suitable investment, they have the potential to generate finds and media interest which will attract visitors from across the globe.”
Ms Gibson’s talk, ‘Rising tides: climate change and the loss of our coastal heritage’, will be accompanied by music from University of the Highlands and Islands BA applied music students.
The lecture is one of a number of free Celtic Connections events organised by the university, an education partner with the festival.
Students and staff will be involved in a variety of lectures and concerts, including a debate on the origin of Scotland’s indigenous languages chaired by comedian Susan Morrison.
‘Rising tides: climate change and the loss of our coastal heritage’ takes place from 12:30pm to 1:30pm on Thursday January 31 in Studio 1 of the Glasgow City Halls.
The event is free, but ticketed.
To book a place or find out more, visit www.celticconnections.com
ENDS
Notes to editors
The University of the Highlands and Islands comprises thirteen further and higher education colleges, specialist colleges and research institutions, distributed throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. They are bound together through constitutional, management and academic structures, and co-ordinated through an executive office. Collectively, this is referred to as the UHI partnership.
There are currently over 7,500 students studying on undergraduate and postgraduate courses or undertaking postgraduate research with the University.
The University of the Highlands and Islands is the only university with campuses and headquarters based in the Highlands and Islands. Its mission is to strengthen and develop the social, economic and cultural prospects of the region.
It uses a blend of learning methods, including traditional classroom face-to-face teaching, video-conferencing tutorials and lectures and virtual learning environments and other IT media.
The University of the Highlands and Islands is a limited company registered in Scotland No. 148203. Scottish charity No. SC022228. Registered office: 12B, Ness Walk, Inverness, IV3 5SQ.
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Thathas a’ call cuid de na làraichean arc-eòlach as cudromaiche ann an Alba le cnàmhadh mara. Is e seo cuspair òraid shaor an asgaidh aig àm lòin ann an Glaschu an t-seachdain seo mar phàirt den Fhèis Celtic Connections.
Bruidhnidh Julie Gibson bho roinn arc-eòlais Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean mun chùis, is i a’ gabhail Arcaibh mar eisimpleir, far a bheil an treas cuid de na làraichean aithnichte ann an cunnart cron bhon mhuir, no ga fhulang an-dràsta. Cuiridh a’ Bh-Uas Gibson, a tha cuideachd na h-arc-eòlaiche coimhearsnachd ann an Arcaibh, crìoch air an òraid aice le bhith a’ coimhead air na cothroman a th’ ann a bhith a’ cumail nan làraichean seo sàbhailte, gus dualchas cultarach na h-Alba a dhìon, agus a chur ris an eaconamaidh againn.
Agus i a’ bruidhinn mun chunnart, thuirt a’ Bh-Uas Gibson: “Is ann aig Alba a tha an t-iomall-fairge as fhaide san Roinn-Eòrpa, agus mar nàisean cuantach, tha mòran den dualchas againn a’ buntainn ris a’ mhuir.
“Mu thimcheall Arcaibh, tha còrr is mìle làrach arc-eòlach ann an cunnart bhon mhuir, no a’ fulang cron mar-thà. Tha baile Skara Brae o linn na cloiche, a tha 5,000 bliadhna a dh’aois, an eisimeil balla mara a dh’fheumas obair chunbhalach dha chumail suas, chaill làrach mheadhan-aoiseach Langskaill ann an Westray 5 meatairean mar chòmhla bliadhna no dhà air ais agus chaidh làrach a bh’ aig na Cruithnich air Lamb Holm o bhith na togalach so-fhaicsinneach gu bhith na loidhne de thobhtaichean.
“Chan e a-mhàin gu bheil sinn a’ call fiosrachadh luachmhor mun àm a dh’fhalbh leis a’ chnàmhadh a tha seo, ach gum faod e cron a dhèanamh air eaconamaidh na h-Alba san àm ri teachd agus bith-beò dhaoine ann an àitean iomallach agus dùthchail. Ma gheibh na làraichean seo airgead-seilbh freagarrach, faodaidh gun tèid amas air nithean annta agus gun tèid ùidh nam meadhanan a thogail, rud a tharraingeas luchd-tadhail às gach ceàrn.”
Cho math ris an òraid aig a’ Bh-Uas Gibson, ‘An làn ag èirigh: Atharrachadh na gnàth-shìde agus mar a tha dualchas na h-oirthire againn a’ dol air chall’ bidh ceòl ann bho oileanaich a’ chùrsa BA ann an ceòl gnìomhaichte aig Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean. Is e an òraid aon de àireamh de thachartasan saor an asgaidh ri a chur air dòigh le Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean, a tha na chom-pàirtiche foghlaim leis an fhèis. Bidh luchd-obrach agus oileanaich an oilthigh an sàs ann an caochladh òraidean agus chùiream ciùil, nam measg deasbad air cànanan dùthchasach na h-Alba leis an neach-chomadaidh, Susan Mhoireasdan, sa chathair.
Gabhaidh ‘An làn ag èirigh: Atharrachadh na gnàth-shìde agus mar a tha dualchas na h-oirthire againn a’ dol air chall’ àite eadar 12:30f agus 1:30f Diardaoin 31 Faoilleach ann an Stiùideo 1, Tallaichean Baile Ghlaschu.Tha an tachartas seo saor an asgaidh ach tha feum air tiocaid. Gus àite a ghleidheil no airson barrachd fiosrachaidh, tadhail air www.celticconnections.com
CRÌOCH
Notaichean do luchd-deasachaidh
‘S e com-pàirteachas de thrì-deug colaistean foghlam adhartach agus àrd-fhoghlaim, colaistean speisealta agus ionadan rannsachaidh a th’ ann an Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean, is iad air an sgaoileadh air feadh na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean. Tha iad ceangailte ri chèile tro structaran a bhuineas don bhonn-stèidh, an stiùireadh agus gnothaichean acadaimigeach, agus air an co-òrdanachadh tro oifis stiùiridh. Uile còmhla, bithear a’ toirt iomradh air mar chom-pàirteachas UHI.
An-dràsta tha 7500 oileanach ag ionnsachadh air cùrsaichean fo-cheum agus for-cheum no a’ gabhail rannsachadh for-cheum os làimh leis an Oilthigh.
Is e Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean an t-aon oilthigh a tha air a shuidheachadh air a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus anns na h-Eileanan. Is e a’ ghairm aige na tha san amharc don sgìre a neartachadh a thaobh a’ chomainn-shòisealta, an eaconamaidh agus a’ chultair aice. Bidh e a’ dèanamh feum de mheasgachadh de mhodhan ionnsachaidh, nam measg clasaichean traidiseanta ann an seòmraichean-teagaisg, clasaichean agus òraidean le co-labhairt bhideo, àrainneachdan ionnsachaidh mas-fhìor agus meadhanan IT eile.
Tha Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean na chompanaidh earranta clàraichte ann an Alba Àireamh 148203. Àireamh Charthannais Albannaich SC022228. Oifis chlàraichte: 12B, Slighe Nis, Inbhir Nis, IV3 5SQ.
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