Student Blog I Orkney Dig
“The soil gets into your fingernails, but the site enters your heart!”. New Digital Student Ambassador and BA (Hons) History and Archaeology Student, Neil Barker, shares his experiences both as a student and volunteer in the excavation of an Iron-age Broch/Roundhouse in Windwick Bay in South Ronaldsay, Orkney with UHI Orkney and the UHI Archaeology Institute.
“The Broch we are working at dates from 1st Century BC to the late 2nd Century AD with further developments around the edges after that date. Picture the Doune Carloway Broch in Lewis- this is how the building may have looked like.
Excavation began is 2006 and has carried on to present day, with 2025 potentially being the final year. I spent two weeks here during my excavation skills module and then returned for a week this year as a volunteer. I have plans to return again for three weeks next year!
The soil gets into your fingernails, but the site enters your heart!
This year, in my allocated area, I unearthed whalebone, a rare find that may prove to be from the same Fin whale that has been found in other parts of the site. Other finds include animal bone, and possible gaming counters. It’s amazing what searching a midden can throw up!
On Friday 21st July, Alice Roberts, TV presenter, author and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham joined us in Orkney! Alice presents the BBC ‘Digging for Britain’ TV programme and spent the day with the Dig team at the Broch learning more about the project, the history here and some of the finds so far.
.png "Archaeology student with Alice Roberts in Orkney")
In a time when there was no recorded history, archaeology provides a means of establishing what happened here 2000 years ago and how people lived. By volunteering I peer into this world and get to work with archaeologists and learn so much from participating. It’s great fun too! Theory is great, but practice brings this to life.”
Big thank you to Neil for sharing this story being such an inspiring Digital Student Ambassador. Thank you also to the team at UHI Orkney and the UHI Archaeology Institute for providing such a wonderful opportunity for our students.
Find out more about UHI Archaeology Institutes The Cairns- Windwick Bay Field Project.