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°what we do
Here are some examples of our work so far. This showcases past projects by members of the team before they joined Northlight, as well as new initiatives.
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Castle Craig, Broch, Auchterarder
In August of 2011 Dr Heather James directed excavations at Castle Craig as part of the Strathearn Environs And Royal Forteviot (SERF) Project which is run by the University of Glasgow. Prior to these excavations this site was thought to be a prehistoric hill fort, but the dig soon revealed a previously unknown broch lying beneath a metre of rubble. The massive walls of the broch are about 5m thick and over 1.5m high with evidence for the entrance and an intra-mural cell. The students and volunteers being trained on the site were delighted to find numerous artefacts dating to the 1st and 2nd century AD, including a Roman patera, a stone bowl, fragments of Roman vessel glass, glass bangle fragments, melon beads, fragments of copper alloy bracelets, a bone comb, and a spindle whorl. The presence of these objects all indicate the occupation of a significant Celtic chieftain who was trading with the Romans. The broch was deliberately destroyed and later used as a palisaded fortress possibly during the Pictish period.
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Publications
The team at Northlight Heritage are experienced in directing substantial pieces of fieldwork and subsequent post-excavation analysis on both commercial and research projects. They have authored numerous popular and academic articles and co-authored monographs on a linear route construction project, the excavation of a medieval monastery, a Pictish symbol stone and the St Kilda World Heritage site. Northlight Heritage has the proven skills and expertise to undertake similar projects on your behalf.
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Coastal Communities
Northlight Heritage staff directed the community archaeology project on Unst, Shetland for The SCAPE Trust. This innovative project resulted in the excavation of a prehistoric settlement in conjunction with the local archaeology group, culminating in the consolidation and presentation of the buildings, for display to visitors. Our staff also directed coastal zone assessment surveys in the Firth of Clyde (124 kilometers), Firth of Forth (170 kilometres) and East Sutherland (109 kilometers) to assess the threat of coastal erosion on archaeological sites.
(our thanks to Tom Dawson of The SCAPE Trust for the image)
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Cutting Edge Survey
Northlight Heritage surveyor Charlotte Francoz recently completed her MSc in Geospatial and Mapping Sciences at the University of Glasgow (congratulations Charlotte!). Her dissertation Assessing Coastal Erosion of Four Archaeological Sites with Terrestrial Laser Scanner focused on coastal erosion modelling and monitoring. Charlotte is able to offer a wide range of quality surveying and geospatial and mapping services, using the latest range of HDS, GNSS equipment and total stations.
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Working Together
Northlight Heritage is developing some interesting research projects and are collaborating with both academics and local communities to generate knowledge and enhance engagement with the past. Please contact us if you would like to work with us on such initiatives, and watch this space for more news.
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Landscape Heritage
Northlight Heritage staff are actively researching how we can better understand, manage and enhance landscapes. We are collaborating on a Royal Society of Edinburgh funded series of workshops exploring potential research on the inter-relationships between landscape philosophy, practise and policy. In September this year we met in Oslo with colleagues from across Europe to discuss integrated landscape research.
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Learning & Teaching
Whether it is helping communities develop skills to learn about their past or contributing to University teaching, Northlight Heritage is committed to helping people to learn. Our team have considerable experience of running field schools and training people on community projects. For the past ten years, they have coordinated and tutored the Certificate in Field Archaeology, University of Glasgow. Our team regularly deliver papers at academic conferences and are always keen to learn through CPD and research collaboration.
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Forensic Archaeology
Northlight Heritage has skills in problematic body and trace evidence gathering to maximise evidence recovery, determine events at the scene and identify duration of deposition through environmental indicators. We have worked for police forces across the UK and on the majority of high-profile Scottish murder enquiries over the past 15 years. We have helped secure satisfactory convictions in numerous cases tried under Scots and Crown Law, are on the police NPIA credible experts register, have represented Scotland on the Home Office Forensic Archaeology Standards Committee and sit on the Expert Panel of the IfA Forensic Archaeology group. Recognised as the top UK experts in stomach contents analysis, we are supported by Pathologists and the Home Office as providing vital assistance to criminal investigation. We are happy to discuss casework enquiries on a confidential basis without prejudice or cost.
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Environmental Benefits
Northlight Heritage is developing its own environmental policy, and we aim to put a green approach at the heart of our operations. We believe conducting good business and interesting research can be done in sustainable ways.
Northlight Heritage is a trading name of York Archaeological Trust for Excavation and Research.