Archaeology school visit case

Where

Broxy Kennels, just off the A9, one mile north of the Inveralmond Roundabout

When

March 22

Who

Archaeology taster for pupils from Bertha Park High School

‘It is not often that we get the chance to see history being unravelled in real time, so it was a great experience seeing real archaeology in action. I’m sure it got students thinking more closely about the people who stayed here in the past, and how they lived their lives said social studies teacher, Debbie Haggart.

The Challenge

Work is ongoing at three archaeological sites that will be impacted by the Cross Tay Link Road’s construction covering periods from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age.

This project site was the location of an Iron Age Fort. The challenge was to uncover the site’s secrets before construction work started. Due to its size and complexity the fort probably belonged to family of high standing in the local society. It is the first time a fort of this period and size has been fully excavated in Scotland.

The Activity

Around a dozen pupils joined archaeologist to help with excavation of the site. The pupils discovered what was being uncovered including a great example of an underground chamber or souterrain which would have been used for storage complet with fully formed stone steps leading down into it.

The Result

Pupils learned about different archaeological techniques and about why archaeology was important. They left their taster session with a better understanding about what it was like to work on a live dig and what a career in archaeology might look like along with learning about what it was like to live in Iron Age Perthshire what tools people used, what they ate and what types of animals they kept.