Archaeology & History Section

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
The Neolithic Standing Stone at Murrayshall near Scone.

The Archaeological and Historical Section of the PSNS was founded in 1948 under the guidance of Dr Margaret Stewart, a very notable and distinguished local archaeologist. In the early years, the section carried out and published important excavations and surveys under her guidance, and she also organised courses and seminars to share her skills and knowledge with the section. Accounts of her excavations appeared in specialist journals such as Discovery & Excavation in Scotland.

Members of the section are still involved in occasional excavations and surveys under the guidance of professional organisations, but our main activities are a monthly lecture series during the winter, and excursions to monuments, historic buildings and excavations, generally in the summer. We have close links with Archaeology Scotland, Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust, Tayside and Fife Archaeological Committee and various professional and voluntary organisations.                         

A&H Summer Outing Programme 2024

A&H Winter Lecture Programme 2024-25

Date Speaker Description
9 October 2024 Michael Given Couples, Coins and Coffins: Archaeology, Storytelling and the Glencoe Landscape. Dr. Michael Given is Senior Lecturer in Archaeology at Glasgow University and co-director of the Glencoe Archaeological Project.
6 November 2024 Bruce Keith Scotland Beneath the Surface. Having already fascinated and entertained us with his knowledge of bridges and milestones, the surveyor and author will delve deep into our surroundings.
27 November 2024 Andy Drummond How To Dissect an Elephant. German, translator and author Andy Drummond will tell us about an elephant that travelled around Europe for 16 years before expiring in Dundee in 1706 and becoming the subject of a pioneering study by local apothecary-surgeon Patrick Blair.
15 January 2025 Gavin Lindsay Rome’s Caledonian Corridor: a Fresh Look at an Unresolved Case. Dr. Gavin Lindsay is a local archaeologist whose specialisms include community-based research approaches and the material legacy of recent conflicts.
12 February 2025 Steve Liscoe Fife Shipwrecks. Steve Liscoe is a former professional diver who specialised in historical shipwrecks. He works for Fife Council’s archaeology unit.
12 March 2025 Professor Richard Oram King David I. Richard D. Oram is Professor of Medieval and Environmental History at the University of Stirling.

Publications and Recorded talks by the A&H Section

HTT/PSNS Historical Map of Perth Project

The PSNS in partnership with the Historic Towns Trust have prepared a historical town map of Perth, highlighting sites of historical significance. For press coverage, see www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/perth-first-city-scotland-contribute-29657589.

The project launch meeting was recorded in May.

Any contributors requiring access to resources held on Cloud, please contact J. Jessop. 

For more information about A&H activities contact the section secretary, Percy Shelley, at psns019@gmail.com. We welcome visitors and new members.

 Over the years, as well as contributing papers to the Society’s journal, the Section has issued several important complete publications:

The following booklet by Dr Margaret Stewart describes an abandoned farmstead, Allt Lochan Nan Losgunn, near Queen’s View (Tay Forest Park) that was excavated in 1972 & 1974 (not a PSNS publication, reproduced by courtesy of Scottish Forestry).

All regular indoor meetings are held are held on Wednesdays at 7.30pm in the Soutar Theatre, AK Bell Library, York Place, Perth PH2 8EP. Evenings conclude over tea and coffee.

Recorded Talks

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZsd7snv6qGyMIbRn-6n0NE0KPBpnBmA2

Occasional newsletters of the Section

AGM and other papers circulated to Section members