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Sculpting southern Scotland
A new project, coordinated by Dr Christina Cowart-Smith and funded by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, is set to start this autumn with the aim of documenting around 200 fragments of sculpture south of the Forth–Clyde line – many of which have not been studied for over a century.
The project will collect images and data from these stones in order to answer questions about how they were made and used, as well as to provide vital new information about Church and society in this historically contested border zone. Commenting on her project, Christina said; ‘Stone sculpture from early medieval southern Scotland is one of the country’s most under-exploited, at-risk historical resources. It presents a unique witness to a crossroads of cultures in the period between AD 500 and 1100, showing us how individuals and communities constructed identity, expressed political affiliation, organised worship, and negotiated differences.’
Primary-school students as archaeologists
A new initiative in Scotland called ArchaeoCamp, led by the University of Glasgow, is hoping to help primary-school-aged children learn about the past of their towns through archaeology and enhance their connection with community along the way. The pilot saw more than 60 Primary 6 students from Hermitage Primary School in Helensburgh work with expert archaeologists to carry out their own archaeological investigation of their local environment. It is hoped, with the successful completion of the pilot, that the project will expand to include schools in the west of Scotland in the first instance.
Paul Mulvenna, Acting Headteacher at Hermitage Primary School, said: ‘The ArchaeoCamp project has given our pupils a wonderful insight into what makes their local community so unique. It has also helped them develop vital skills for life and work, standing them in excellent stead for the future.’
Underground plaque for the Brunel family
This past August, HS2 Ltd revealed a new plaque 40m (130ft) underground, marking the spot where the high-speed railway passes beneath the Brunel family tomb, whose most notable members – Sir Marc Isambard Brunel and his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel – were famed engineers during the Industrial Revolution.
The plaque has been fitted in the Euston Tunnel, where HS2 passes underneath Kensal Green Cemetery. This is a fitting tribute, as Marc invented the tunnel-shield method for creating underwater tunnels. Even 200 years later, HS2 and other companies continue to use tunnel-boring machines equipped with tunnelling shields based on Sir Marc’s design.
Text: Kathryn Krakowka / Photo: Christina Cowart-Smith
