Orkney Archaeology Society

A walk and talk to the Knowes of Trotty in the West Mainland - Sold Out
2025-09-13 10:00 - 12:30 (Europe/London) | Harray Hall, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LB
With Professor Colin Richards and Professor Jane Downes, both of UHI Archaeology Institute.
This is a free event but as numbers are limited to 25 you will need to book a ticket in advance
Come dressed for the weather – after the walk there will be refreshments at the Hall and a chance to informally talk through the morning with Colin and Jane.
Please note: The links for tickets will go live at 6:30 pm on the 30th July
Book free tickets on Eventbrite here

Grassroots Heritage in Scotland Roadshow
2025-09-13 10:00 - 16:00 | St Magnus Centre, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Organised by the Scottish Community Heritage Alliance.
This free event is a celebration of community heritage, source of useful information for grassroots groups and an opportunity to meet up with others working in or with an interest in heritage in the region. It is also an opportunity to join the Grassroots discussion and have your views represented at a national level in the Grassroots Heritage in Scotland review of the current state of community heritage.
To book your place, email scottishcommunityheritage@gmail.com

A second walk and talk to the Knowes of Trotty in the West Mainland
2025-09-13 11:30 - 14:00 | Harray Hall, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LB
Delighted to announce that, due to popular demand, and Professor Jane Downes offering to run the walk twice, we have organised a 2nd walk and talk for the Knowes of Trotty.
This event starts with the talk, which will also include folk who went on the walk 1st thing. Then, after the talk, this second group would go with Jane and Sigurd to walk the site.
Unfortunately Professor Colin Richards cannot now make this event so Jane will be joined by Sigurd Towrie.

With Sigurd and Professor Jane Downes, both of UHI Archaeology Institute.
This 2nd event starts at the hall with the talk (which will also have the folk from the 1st walk at it) then the 2nd group go out to site with Jane.
This is a free event but as numbers are limited to 25 you will need to book a ticket in advance
Come dressed for the weather – after the walk there will be refreshments at the Hall and a chance to informally talk through the morning with Colin and Jane.
Please note: The links for tickets will go live at 10:00 am on the 29th August
Book free tickets on Eventbrite here

Talk: Centre of the Viking Earldom and Bishopric of Orkney, and its antecedents.
2025-09-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Birsay Community Hall, Orkney
The Brough of Birsay Investigations 1954 – 2014
By Professor Chris Morris
OAS Legacy event
This is a free event and places are limited but will be recorded and made available on the OAS YouTube channel in due course.
Please note: The links for tickets will go live at 6:30 pm on the 30th July
Book your tickets on Eventbrite here

Special tour of Ness Battery - Sold Out
2025-09-14 10:00 - 11:30 | Point of Ness campsite, Stromness, orkney, KW16 3DW
with local historian and archaeologist Andrew Hollinrake
This will include the wider context of the area as well as the Ness Battery itself.
This is a free event, donations will be welcome.
Booking in advance is essential as places are limited to 25

Please note: The links for tickets will go live at 6:30 pm on the 30th July
Book your free tickets from Eventbrite here

Viking Family session.
2025-09-14 10:00 - 13:00 | Skail House Gardens, KW16 3LR
Entry by donation, no booking necessary. Organised by Orkney Time Travel.

Tomb of the Eagles event
2025-09-14 11:00 - 12:30 | Tomb of the Eagles, KW17 2RW
Meet the team who are working to re-open the Tomb of the Eagles. This tour starts at the Visitor Centre and will then include a walk out to the Tomb via the Burnt Mound.
Space at the tomb means places are limited to 20, you can book your tickets at the link here at EventBrite
Please note: The links for tickets will go live at 6:30 pm on the 30th July

1940’s experience at HMS Tern
2025-09-14 11:00 - 12:30 | HMS Tern, Twatt, Twatt, Orkney, KW17 2JH
Tour of the site by the team who are carrying out the renovation. All volunteers will be in period dress, feel free to join in!
To make the most of this event there is a limit in numbers of 25, tickets are free but will need to be booked in advance.
Tea, Coffee and period style tray bakes will be on sale.
Book your free tickets from Eventbrite here
NB: The site will be open from 11am to 4pm you can just turn up to view the site and the work done if you have not managed to book the tour

Carved Stone Balls: a drop-in workshop with Historic Environment Scotland
2025-09-14 11:00 - 15:00 | Maes Howe Visitor Centre, Stenness, KW16 3LB
Suitable for all ages, come at any time over this period.
An event run by Historic Environment Scotland to learn more about carved stone balls and make a clay version to take home.

Tomb of the Eagles event
2025-09-14 13:00 - 14:30 | Tomb of the Eagles, KW17 2RW
Meet the team who are working to re-open the Tomb of the Eagles.
This tour starts at the Visitor Centre and will then include a walk out to the Tomb via the Burnt Mound.
Space at the tomb means places are limited to 20,
Please note: The links for tickets will go live at 6:30 pm on the 30th July
you can book your tickets at the link here
Booking your ticket is free, but there is a £10 charge per person at the site

Archaeology Story-telling event, with the Orkney Storytelling Trust
2025-09-14 14:00 - 15:00 | St Peters Kirk, Sandwick, orkney
with local storytellers including Tom Muir, Marita Lück and Fran Flett Hollinrake.

£8 per ticket, with profits to the Orkney Storytelling Trust. No need to book in advance but, if it is chilly, please wrap up well!

Upper Level Tour of St Magnus Cathedral
2025-09-14 14:00 - 15:30 | St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, orkney, KW15 1DH
£15 per person, minimum age 12

BOOKING ESSENTIAL, phone 01856 874894
Tour lasts 1hr 15mins
This is the standard Upper Level Tour and the usual conditions apply.
These tours are in NO WAY fully accessible. Part of the tour is on the ground floor, which is fine. But in the Upper Levels there are very narrow stairs, tight passageways and uneven surfaces throughout. We would hate for anyone to be disappointed!

Meet at the Custodian’s office inside the Cathedral

1940’s experience at HMS Tern
2025-09-14 14:00 - 16:00 | HMS Tern, Twatt, Twatt, Orkney, KW17 2JH
Tour of the site by the team who are carrying out the renovation. All volunteers will be in period dress, feel free to join in!
To make the most of this event there is a limit in numbers of 25, tickets are free but will need to be booked in advance.
Tea, Coffee and period style tray bakes will be on sale.
Book your free tickets on Eventbrite here
NB: The site will be open from 11am to 4pm you can just turn up to view the site and the work done if you have not managed to book the tour

Tomb of the Eagles event
2025-09-14 15:00 - 16:30 | Tomb of the Eagles, KW17 2RW
Meet the team who are working to re-open the Tomb of the Eagles. This tour starts at the Visitor Centre and will then include a walk out to the Tomb via the Burnt Mound.
Please note: The links for tickets will go live at 6:30 pm on the 30th July
Space at the tomb means places are limited to 20, and you can book your EventBrite tickets at the link here
Booking your ticket is free, but there is a £10 charge per person at the site

Bere, the Ancient Grain: Stories, Superstition & Sustenance.
2025-09-14 15:00 - 17:30 | Barony Mill, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2L
An Orkney Time Travel and Immersive Orkney event.
Ticket price: £30 includes mill tour and baking session
Max number: 10
Ticket booking link: Orkney Time Travel event tickets from TicketSource.
This historic baking event is a hands-on cultural experience that immerses you in the rich heritage of Early Modern Orkney. The event begins at the historic Barony Mill, Orkney’s last working watermill, where the ancient grain bere barley is still milled using traditional methods. Bere has sustained Orkney’s people and livestock for centuries—and it’s still at the heart of local food and folklore.
As you explore the mill, you’ll uncover the fascinating customs, beliefs, and healing traditions surrounding bere and food preparation. You’ll also visit a sacred healing well dedicated to Saint Magnus, and learn how bere, water, and other natural ingredients were once used in folk medicine and witchcraft.
The journey continues at Birsay Community Hall, where local chef Lorraine Johnston will guide you through a hands-on baking session. You’ll learn to make traditional bere oatcakes—a true taste of Orkney’s past. While the oatcakes bake, enjoy captivating storytelling by Ragnhild Ljosland, bringing Orkney’s myths and history to life.

Upper Level Tour of St Magnus Cathedral
2025-09-14 15:30 - 17:00 | St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, orkney, KW15 1DH
£15 per person, minimum age 12
BOOKING ESSENTIAL, phone 01856 874894
Tour lasts 1hr 15mins
Meet at the Custodian’s office inside the Cathedral
These tours are in NO WAY fully accessible. Part of the tour is on the ground floor, which is fine. But in the Upper Levels there are very narrow stairs, tight passageways and uneven surfaces throughout. We would hate for anyone to be disappointed!
This is the standard Upper Level Tour and the usual conditions apply.
Note this starts at 3:45pm

Talk: Ness Battery - Then and Now.
2025-12-04 19:00 - 20:30 | King Street Halls, King Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JF, United Kingdom
By Andrew Hollinrake
Archaeologist and historian Andrew Hollinrake has been researching the site and conducting guided tours since 2009, but there are still new discoveries in the form of archival and personal material turning up every year. Only recently was the true identity of the soldier who painted the stunning mural revealed, and this year, for the first time, a member of the artist’s family paid a visit to the site. There’s more to reveal in this talk including some previously unseen photographs from WWI
Free Entry with Raffle all welcome.

Talk: Excavations at the Knowe of Skea, Westray 700BC to 700AD?
2026-01-29 19:00 - 21:00 | On-Line
Dr Graeme Wilson is a partner in EASE Archaeology with interests in all aspects of Archaeology in Orkney and Shetland. He has lived and worked on Westray for many years.
This talk will be on Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89841145815

Talk: From Bone to Being:
2026-02-19 19:00 - 21:00 | On-Line
The Convergence of Science, Art, and the Human Story in Facial Reconstruction.
by
Dr Tobias Houlton, Craniofacial Anthropologist and Forensic Imaging Consultant
This talk will be on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88208065294?pwd=[REDACTED]

Talk: Murder, mayhem and misdemeanour: the application of archaeology to the recently deceased.
2026-03-26 19:00 - 21:00 | King Street Halls, King Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1JF, United Kingdom
by Dr Jen Miller, UHI Archaeology
This talk is suitable for adults only because of some of the images.
Because of the nature of the subject this talk will NOT be recorded.
Police forces UK wide have come a long way forensically over the past three decades. As forensic science has advanced, so has appreciation of the value of forensic archaeology in the investigation of complex cases involving suspicious death. Standard techniques used by archaeologists everywhere in search, excavation and artefact recovery can be extrapolated to modern crime scene analysis when coupled with a sound understanding of chain of evidence and legal principles. Through a series of high-profile case studies, this presentation aims to demonstrate how a ‘degree in digging holes’, together with a solid understanding of legal requirements can help find a grave or exclude areas of suspicion. It can provide informed comment on how a body was concealed, what tools were used, and interpret sequence of events and timings of death. Crucially, archaeological techniques supports jury understanding of complex events, demonstrating the rigour applied to the investigation and thus helping to support criminal justice.

AGM: 2026 - Zoom only
2026-05-14 19:00 | On-Line
This will be on Zoom for the benefit of all our members. This is for AGM business only.
Zoom Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86163448348

Talk: An archaeology of Christianity in medieval Orkney: parishes, patronage and pilgrimage
2026-05-28 19:00 - 21:30 | St Magnus Centre, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
By Dr Sarah-Jane Gibbon, UHI Archaeology
In this talk Sarah Jane will give an overview of her research into Christian practice in medieval Orkney by looking at churches, parish formation, the Naversdale runestone, St Magnus veneration and some recent finds from Skaill Rousay.
BIO: Sarah Jane has been a part-time lecturer at the UHI Archaeology Institute for 20 years. She teaches modules in Early Medieval Archaeology and Historical Archaeology, is a co-director of the Landscapes of Change research project excavating at Skaill Rousay, and PI for the LIFTE Project looking into the impact of early modern trade in the Northern Isles.

Dig: The Cairns - Provisional dates
2026-06-08 - 2026-07-17 | The Cairns, South Ronaldsay, Orkney

Talk: Forthcoming Event by Dr Antonia Thomas
2026-06-18 19:00 - 21:30 | To be announced
Post excavation of decorative stones – methods and approaches
venue and all details to be confirmed

Dig: Skaill farm
2026-07-06 - 2026-07-24
Landscapes of Change: archaeologies of the Rousay Clearances and the Westness Estate

Dig: Ness of Brodgar Time Team excavation
2026-07-07 - 2026-07-30 | Ness of Brodgar
The dates for the Time Team-funded excavation at the Ness have been confirmed and the dig will be open to visitors, on weekdays, between Tuesday, July 7, and Thursday, July 30, 2026.
The dig will see a small trench opened to investigate a series of anomalies in the 2025 ground-penetrating radar (GPR) results.
The Ness of Brodgar Trust are planning to run site tours during the excavation period, but, as Nick stressed in his previous post, please remember that the buildings previously excavated will not be visible.

Dig: Spurness
2026-07-19 - 2026-08-14
Spurness 2025: dig diary day ten

Orkney Archaeology Festival 2026
2026-09-09 - 2026-09-13 | To be announced
More info will appear here and on a new web site
