Video: Viking Graves by Professor James Graham-Campbell
2024-09-10 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | Birsay Community Hall, Orkney
A rare opportunity to hear Professor James Graham-Campbell one of the foremost experts on Vikings, will be talking to us on Viking Graves. This is a talk which is part of the Viking Festival
Video of the talk

Video: Tomb of the Eagles recent survey
2024-09-19 19:00 - 20:00 | On-Line
Graeme Cavers of AOC Archaeology, part of the team undertaking a feasibility study of community purchase of the Tomb of the Eagles, will present the findings of a recent archaeological condition survey of the tomb at an online meeting using Microsoft Teams, from 19:00-20:00 on Thursday 19 September. All welcome to join what will be a fascinating presentation.
Video of event

Talk: Storms, Pseudonyms and Spinning Wheels – glimpses into the life of Lady Burroughs
2024-10-29 19:00 - 21:00 | St Magnus Centre, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
by Dr Nela Scholma- Mason (Independent Researcher)
The life story of Eliza D’Oyly Traill Burroughs (best known as Lady Burroughs; 1849-1908) has largely been overshadowed by that of her husband, Lt-Gen Sir Frederick W Traill Burroughs (1831 – 1905). This talk will focus on her life, drawing on a range of archival material, including photographs and first-hand anecdotes.
OAS – Lady Burroughs – Poster (pdf)

Walk: Skaill Farm, Rousay recent discoveries changed times
2024-11-24 12:30 - 15:30 | Skaill Farm, Rousay, Orkney
Because of the weather:
Meet at Midhowe carpark at 12:30 am.
Lunch: Free lunch in community room from 12.
Talk: is now on Thursday Nov 28 at 7pm in the school community room.
Free event , no need to book , come along for all or part.
Contact studyarchaeology.uhi.ac.uk

Talk: Skaill: 1000 years of occupation at a Rousay farm.
2024-12-05 19:00 - 21:30 | St Magnus Centre Friends Room, orkney
by Professor Ingrid Mainland, Dan Lee, Jen Harland, Sarah Jane Gibbon, Julia Cussons (UHI Archaeology Institute)
Excavations at Skaill over the last decade have revealed a complex settlement mound. From the Norse hall, to medieval farm buildings and later additions, some of these structures were adapted and used well into the 19th Century until the farmstead was cleared. Skaill gives us a rare glimpse at what continuous occupation for nearly 1000 years looks like, with changing buildings, farming practices, importing of goods and deposition of middens. Putting this story in context, the talk updates on the excavations in 2024 which focused on the internal floors of a late medieval square building and an 18th century house.
Places are limited so please register a RSVP on this web site and if later you can’t make it then you can un register later.
We are hoping to film this talk and it will initially be available to members later.

Video: What does a Regional Archaeologist do?
2025-01-23 19:00 - 20:30 | On-Line
Paul Sharman, Orkney Islands Council
Paul talks about his role as the Orkney Islands Council’s Archaeologist. The remit is huge and ranges from helping pull together responses to the Sanday wreckage to finding where to bury 76 pilot whales; encouraging community archaeological and cultural heritage projects; giving input on the Orkney World Heritage Management Plan. Additionally he gives advice on the potential implications of changes in agricultural land use or a planning application on Orkney’s rich archaeological heritage.
The recording of the talk is here
If you enjoy our free talks then please consider a donation here

Video: A Saint in Stone – the material legacy of the St Magnus in the North Atlantic
2025-02-20 19:00 | St Magnus Centre, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
By Jenny Murray, UHI/Shetland Museum

The core of this current study is the objective to tell the story of St Magnus in a different and new way; to widen the narrative beyond the existing hagiographic studies, concentrating instead on the material legacy both in the landscape of his veneration, and related material culture. This talk will build on previous work undertaken by Sarah Jane Gibbon in Orkney, by expanding the record of material relating to the cult of St Magnus in Caithness, Shetland, the Faroes, Iceland and Norway. This is an opportunity to see St Magnus in a new light, and Jenny has some exciting news to share about St Magnus in Orkney!

This talk is free but please consider a donation.

Talk: Further discoveries at Blomuir Passage Grave, Holm
2025-03-20 | On-Line
By Hugo Anderson Wymark National Museums Scotland
In 2023 a new Neolithic passage grave was discovered at Blomuir, Holm. Excavations in 2024 fully excavated the chamber and side cells, revealing further burials and details of the structure. This talk provides an update on the excavation.
This talk will be recorded and will appear on our Youtube channel, firstly for our members and then in a couple of weeks time for all.
This will be on Zoom Thursday 20th March at 7pm we are having problems with the web site caching badly and delivering corrupted pages. This should soon correct but in the meantime don’t worry about RSVP and here is the link for the talk.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84260186779

Talk: By Esther Renwick, Historic Environment Scotland
2025-04-30 19:00 - 21:00 | St Magnus Centre, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney
Esther is District Visitor and Community Manager (Orkney and Shetland) Historic Environment Scotland.
“Simply Amazing”: Managing Orkney’s Properties in Care
Esther Renwick of HES will speak about her route to the exciting job of managing some of Scotland’s most celebrated archaeological sites across Orkney and Shetland. HES has forty-four properties in Care across the two archipelagos, including six staffed properties: Skara Brae, Maeshowe, Broch of Gurness, Hackness Martello Tower and Battery, and the Bishops and Earls Palaces in Orkney and Jarlshof in Shetland.
Places are limited so you will need to register when they are available ( Members are being informed first by email ) The RSVP registration form will appear on this page later.

AGM 2025
2025-05-22 19:00 - 21:00 | OnLine
This meeting is being held entirely on-line so members can join wherever they are based. This will be a business meeting only, and the documents that we will be referring to will be available here before the meeting for you to review. All are welcome, but in the event of a vote only members will be allowed to participate. To get the link for the meeting, please click the RSVP button below
Documents all pdf:

Nominations-to-form-the-OAS-Board-for-2025
OAS-AGM-Agenda-2025
OAS-AGM-minutes-2024
OAS OSCR TAR 2023 to 2024 – draft, agreed by OAS Board – for 2025 AGM
OAS 2025 AGM accounts
Membership Secretary Report
Report Membership Stats

Video: A discussion between Nick Card and Mark Edmonds
2025-05-28 18:00 - 21:00 | Orkney Theatre, Kirkwall, Orkney
There is a report and photos on this talk on the Ness of Brodgar site
The video of the talk is here
This is an OAS Legacy talk: A discussion between Nick Card and Mark Edmonds
The film of the recent Ness Exhibition that was financed by OAS will be premiered and is viewable here.

Talk: Loch of Ayre with 'show and tell' beforehand
2025-06-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Holm Hall
Broch and Beyond: Past and Present Investigations at the Loch of Ayre
By Martin Carruthers and Amanda Brend
This event will showcase the recent geophysical surveys undertaken at Loch of Ayre broch by ORCA, UHI Archaeology Institute for the St Mary’s community and the Loch of Ayre Walkway Association.
The geophysical surveys were successful in revealing the probable existence of an extramural settlement associated with the Loch of Ayre broch and in helping to determine its character and extent. The survey also added to our picture of the landscape around, beyond the Scheduled Area of the broch site, hinting at the possibility of other settlement features, some of which may be associated with the broch, and cultivation remains from the Medieval/post-Medieval periods.
Meanwhile, the archaeologists will also discuss the excavations of the broch that were undertaken in 1901, in which the interior of the broch and its outer and inner walls were exposed. A range of objects; artefacts and animal bones, were excavated and some of these were beautifully photographed and we can discuss these in terms of other, more recently, excavated assemblages from Orcadian Iron Age sites and pace the old finds in context.
A special feature of the event is a ‘show-and-tell’ from 4:30 . The archaeologists encourage anyone attending to bring along any potential archaeological objects they might have found, and they will seek to identify these.

Open day: The Cairns
2025-07-11 | The Cairns, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Your chance to visit the current dig going on at South Ronaldsay

Open Day: Ness of Brodgar
2025-07-27 11:00 - 16:00 | Steness Community School
The digging may be finished but the post-excavation analysis continues. Find out what’s happening with the project now.

Meet the archaeologists and specialists
View and get hands-on with artefacts
Chat with the Ness Team
Ness Café by Stenness Community Association

Tour of St Magnus Cathedral ground floor.
2025-09-10 10:00 - 11:00 | St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, orkney, KW15 1DH
£10 per person, lasts 1 hour, no need to book
Meet at the West End, inside the Cathedral

Science at War a focus on 771 Sqd Photographic Unit
2025-09-10 10:00 - 16:00 | HMS Tern, Twatt, Twatt, Orkney, KW17 2JH
This is a temporary display of camera’s and new photographs from HMS Tern’s 771 Sqd. Local archaeologist and historian Andrew Hollinrake will be on hand to answer questions from the Public. This will be housed in a building which is not normally open to the public.
This event is organised by Birsay Heritage Trust and is also organised as part of the Orkney International Science Festival.
Entry is free, donations to the ongoing renovation are welcome

Private Guided Tour of the new Viking Exhibition at the Orkney Museum.
2025-09-11 09:30 - 10:30 | The Orkney Museum, Kirkwall, Broad Street, KIrkwall, KW15 1DH
A very special opportunity to view this new exhibition when the Gallery is closed to the public. This special guided tour is being put on for the festival by Orkney Islands Council.
Booking required, max 16. £16.96 per person (booking fee included)
Book on EventBrite here

Tour of St Magnus Cathedral ground floor.
2025-09-11 10:00 - 11:00 | St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, orkney, KW15 1DH
£10 per person, lasts 1 hour, no need to book
Meet at West End, inside the Cathedral

Ranger walk at the Stones of Stenness and Barnhouse
2025-09-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Stones of Stenness car park
Meet at the Stones of Stenness Car Park for this free talk with the HES Rangers.
Organised by Historic Environment Scotland
This is a free event, booking is not required

Upper Level Tour, St Magnus Cathedral.
2025-09-11 11:00 - 12:00 | St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, orkney, KW15 1DH
Upper Level tour lasts 1 hour 15 mins
£15 per person, all participants must be a minimum of 12 years old. Booking essential, call 01856 874894 to make your booking.
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

Informal drop-in show and tell event with the Ness Directorial team.
2025-09-11 12:00 - 14:00 | Maes Howe Visitor Centre, Stenness, KW16 3LB
Come along and meet the Ness Directorial team, There will Ness material to show and discuss.
You will also get a chance to look into the Conservatory where the Ness 2025 exhibition is on show (boards from 2024 Orkney Museum exhibition, no artefacts).
This is a free event, booking is not required

Ranger Walk at the Ring of Brodgar
2025-09-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Car Park Ring of Brodgar
Meet at the Ring of Brodgar Car Park for this free walk and talk by the HES Rangers.
Organised by Historic Environment Scotland
This is a free event, booking is not required.

Upper Level Tour of St Magnus Cathedral
2025-09-11 14:00 - 15:30 | St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, orkney, KW15 1DH

UHI Post Graduate Student research
2025-09-11 15:00 - 17:00 | Maes Howe Visitor Centre, Stenness, KW16 3LB
Holly Young – Shore Life: the Contribution of Marine Molluscs to Iron Age Subsistence in Northern Scotland

Kath Page – The Deer Turn: reimagining nature and culture duality through human-red deer relations in Scotland’s Archaeological Past

Lucille Rodrigues – Finding Mesolithic Time: assessing Scotland’s Mesolithic stone tools as an international heritage resource

This is a free talk but, given limit on numbers, tickets will need to be booked in advance

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

Talk: Behind the scenes of Time Team: over 30 years in the media limelight
2025-09-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Stromness Town Hall, 10 Church Rd, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BA
By Dr John Gater (Time Team/SUMO GeoSurveys)
This is a free event, but booking a ticket in advance is required
Please note: The links for tickets will go live at 6:30 pm on the 30th July
Book tickets on Eventbrite here.
This talk will not be recorded

Ranger walk at the Stones of Stenness and Barnhouse
2025-09-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Stones of Stenness car park
Organised by Historic Environment Scotland
This is a free event, booking is not required

Special Graffiti Tour, St Magnus Cathedral
2025-09-12 10:00 - 23:00 | St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, orkney, KW15 1DH
£15pp last 1 hour 15 mins. Minimum aged 12.
BOOKING ESSENTIAL, phone 01856 874894.
Please note, whilst some of this tour is on the ground floor, the majority of the tour is in the Upper Levels which contain uneven surfaces, many steps, and narrow corridors. This tour visits parts of the cathedral not normal seen on standard tours.

Special Graffiti Tour, St Magnus Cathedral.
2025-09-12 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-12 12:00 - 13:00 | St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, orkney, KW15 1DH

Protecting and Managing World Heritage in Orkney
2025-09-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Maes Howe Visitor Centre, Stenness, KW16 3LB
with Joss Durnan and Oliva Anderson, Historic Environment Scotland
This is a free event, but as the space is small, booking is required.
Please note: The links for tickets will go live at 6:30 pm on the 30th July
EventBrite Tickets here
