Celebrating 25 Years of Highland Archaeology: NOSAS 1998 - 2023
The North of Scotland Archaeological Society (NOSAS) was formed in 1998 (see our Original Nosas page). 25 years later we are still going strong, have a plethora of projects, reports and publications to our name, and have more members than ever before.
To mark the occasion we have a week of celebrations in Autumn 2023, from Saturday 28th October through to Sunday 5th November. Download the flyer here. See below for further details and to see which events are Open to the Public. Or why not Join NOSAS and participate in them all?
We have two high profile speakers booked in for evening talks:
Sat 28th October 7.30 pm. Adrian Maldonado Talk at Strathpeffer Community Centre
Dr. Adrian Maldonado from National Museums Scotland will speak about the artefacts and carved stones from the end of the Pictish period and Viking Age in the northern mainland.
The talk will be followed by birthday cake.
NOSAS members and their guests are welcome.
Sat 4th November 6.30pm. Tony Pollard Talk and Dinner at The Drumossie Hotel, Inverness.
Tony Pollard, Professor of Conflict History and Archaeology at the University of Glasgow, will talk about the archaeology of Culloden Battlefield. The event will take place in the Culloden Suite of the Drumossie Hotel, with dinner (for NOSAS members and their guests) preceding the talk.
Talk at 8pm will be open to the public. Book a place here through Eventbrite. Prebooking essential.
We also have a number of field trips to exciting archaeological sites taking place throughout the week. Please check our What's On page for full details, including how to book.
Monday 30th October: Bridge of Grudie Surveying
Field visit to a probable shieling site on the south shore of Loch Maree, near Kinlochewe. The site has a selection of hut footings, a stone wall, a howfe, storage cleats and a small area of cultivated ground. Join us for a walkover of the site and help record some of the features. 10 am - 3 pm approx. NOSAS members only, see What's On for booking details.
Tuesday 31st October: An Old Mill at Breakachy. Open to the public.
A NOSAS Field Trip to Breakachy on the braes west of Beauly. The visit will be to the mill ruins and the associated pond and lade. It will also encompass the ruins of the settlement at Milton. We'll consider drove roads, river crossings as well as mills in the 18th century. 2 pm - 4 pm approx. Email roland.spencerjones@gmail.com. Prebooking essential.
Weds 1st Nov: Prehistoric Rock Art at the Clava Cairns. Open to the public.
The Clava Cairns are on the ‘tourist trail’ around Inverness. Lots of people visit these impressive monuments, but few take time to examine the rock art built into them. Alan Thompson will lead a walk around the cairns where we will find and talk about the panels there. 2 pm - 4 pm. FULLY BOOKED.
Thurs 2nd Nov: Along the Banks of the Ness, Inverness. Open to the public.
Join us on a walk from outside Inverness Town House, down Bridge Street and across the River Ness. The route will then go past the Cathedral and across the Infirmary Bridge to the War and Edith Cavell Memorial heading for the Ness Islands. Along the way archaeological and architectural changes besides the river and islands will be discussed. 10 am - 12 pm approx. FULLY BOOKED.
Fri 3rd Nov: Mulchaich Settlements Visit. Open to the public.
NOSAS originally uncovered and surveyed remains at Mulchaich, near Alcaig on the Black Isle, between 2009 and 2013. These were long thought to be related to the distilling of Ferintosh whisky in the 1700s. Join us for a field visit to the two settlements, where will discuss our latest findings from geophysical survey. We will also visit a nearby prehistoric chambered cairn. 1.30 pm - 4 pm. Email james@comacodirect.com. Prebooking essential.
Sunday 5th November: A Guided Walk at Culloden Battlefield
Join us for a tour of the archaeology of the battlefield led by Tony Pollard. Culloden may have been the last battle of the Jacobite risings, but it was also the first battlefield in Scotland to be subject to archaeological investigation. This has included topographic, geophysical and metal detector surveys along with archaeological excavation. 10 am - 12 pm approx. FULLY BOOKED.