archaeology in the ploughlands

Many sites which were built in what are now the agricultural areas of Scotland have been flattened. The plough has removed their uppermost layers. But valuable evidence survives underground. Sometimes they can be seen from the air while crops are ripening.

Ploughing destroys these sites, usually slowly but eventually surely. Sometimes, however new deep ploughing reveals burials or buildings.

If the possibility of new sites is suggested by pottery, building stones, or bones coming to the surface after ploughing, the best first contact is the Local Council’s archaeological staff. They can usually offer advice.