Kirsty Lilley

Calling all rock enthusiasts! Come join us in Edinburgh next year #archaeology #rockcut #quarries

The world needs more Google reviews of stones like this one

🏺 Always intrigued about potential that such things existed in prehistoric settlements. Identifying multi-storey buildings from stone remains are one thing, but organic superstructures might not preserve.
e.g. what if these Neolithic house models aren't symbolic, but show real architecture?

Looking up at the tree canopy and the patterns created by the leaves and branches. The image is in sepia colour.

Our brains are wired to feel good when we see the fractal patterns of trees.

Make some time for tree gazing if you can. It will be worth it.

Photo: Mike Selby

Archaeologists mildly disappointed by trench full of postholes with nothing in them.

Call for Papers - TAG 2025

So happy to see this! These are exactly the sorts of conversations that @archaeolu.bsky.social and I are hoping to foster at our session at this year’s TAG conference - including how storytelling can be a form of archaeological enquiry itself! tag2025.hosted.york.ac.uk/en/call-for-...

A beautiful article about writing about archaeology - with so much to say about factual storytelling and documentary-making more generally. (I’m off to chat with my friend, the Cheshire Cat).

That certain portal tombs have fallen down and been rebuilt by the local communities around them is not a failing of the Long Neolithic, but a sign of its success. The stones are so alive among their neighbours, they will not see them tumble. – Dr. K. Brophy #StandingStoneSunday

⚠️DEADLINE EXTENSION⚠️

Did you miss the deadline for submitting your abstract to TAG? Not a worry! Due to popular demand we've extended our submission deadline another two weeks! The final deadline is now the 18th of August.

Check the website for more info: tag2025.hosted.york.ac.uk/en/call-for-...

How brilliant is this www.weregildcalculator.com

A sign at Rough Castle Roman fort featuring text in both English and Latin.

I love the bilingual signage at Rough Castle Roman fort in Scotland - England and Latin of course, handy if any ancient Roman soldier happens to be walking their dog in the area...also useful if you have ever wondered how to say 'car park' in Latin. #RomanFortThursday

Sardinia sketches, when locked out of our “office” and so unable to sort pottery… 🏺 Featuring rock-cut tombs at Mesu ‘e Montes (Ossi), a middle BA pottery handle, and a bronzetti who looks like they’re holding a pane zichi #archaeology #sardegna

Only 2 weeks left to submit a proposal for our storytelling session (and indeed the other fantastic sessions) at this year’s @tag2025york.bsky.social!

Fantastic news for Sardinian archaeology!

Today, the unique Neolithic rock-cut tombs of Sardinia (domus de janas) have been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A much deserved recognition! whc.unesco.org/en/list/1730

Aerial view of Middle Bronze Age round house ST8.4 at Punta Ferulosu (Bonorva) during the 2025 excavation

Middle Bronze Age decorated sherd from Punta Ferulosu (Bonorva) 2025 excavation

Middle Bronze Age spindle whorl from Punta Ferulosu (Bonorva) 2025 excavation

Aerial view of Middle Bronze Age rectangular buildings ST8.1 and ST8.3 at Punta Ferulosu (Bonorva) during the 2025 excavation

End of the 2025 excavations at Punta Ferulosu (Bonorva, Sardinia). This year we explored a Middle Bronze Age cluster of round and rectangular stone houses, representing a later phase of occupation at the site.

Florian Soula and Antonio d’Agostino from @inrap.fr Corsica have just joined the excavation team at the Chalcolithic settlement site of Punta Ferulosu (Bonorva, Sardinia). They will dig with us until the 26th June. Ben tornati (welcome back) Florian and Antonio!

A Lincoln longwool sheep. Wool droops over its eyes.

this is an actual sheep that existed. AI will never come close to creating a fleece like this

Excavations have resumed this week at the Chalcolithic settlement site of Punta Ferulosu (Sardinia) with archaeology students from @edinburgharchaeo.bsky.social

@bbcspringwatch.bsky.social great to see dry stone walls on Springwatch this evening. Since the 1950s we've seen a gradual decline all over the white peak. Gradual feature loss, resulting in shifting baselines.

Really excited to be part of @tag2025york.bsky.social again this year, and what a fab lineup - come join @archaeolu.bsky.social and I at our storytelling session, where we will explore the power of imaginative narrative for archaeological interpretation!

Participants of the Culloden Rock Art workshop exploring the rock art found at the Clava Cairns © ScARF

Participants of the Culloden Rock Art workshop exploring the rock art found at the Clava Cairns © ScARF

Participants of the Culloden Rock Art workshop inside a cairn at the Clava Cairns © ScARF

Tertia Barnett introducing the rock art of the Highlands at the Culloden Rock Art workshop © ScARF

We had a wonderful day at our third @royalsoced.bsky.social funded Rock Art Workshop last Saturday in the sunny Highlands!

A huge thanks to our speakers, facilitators and participants for a day of lively discussion at Culloden Battlefield and exploring rock art at the Clava Cairns.

Aerial view of rectangular cropmarks in a field with a hill in the background in a rural landscape

Occupied over 1,800 years ago, Trimontium in the Scottish Borders is of international importance as the largest Roman fort and settlement founded north of Hadrian’s Wall ⚔️

Want a closer look? Register for one of @trimontiumtrust.bsky.social's guided walks: www.digitscotland.com/events/trimo...

Nature having a go at a lichen version of Atlantic rock art (cups and rings!) - spotted on Lindisfarne yesterday 🌀 #rockart #archaeology #prehistory #lichen

Tertia and Joana showcasing the rock art at High Banks farm © ScARF

Participants of the workshop listening to Joana's introduction to the rock art to Scottish rock art © ScARF

Participants of the Kirkcudbright Rock Art Workshop walking up to High Banks cup & ring mark stones © ScARF

Participants discussing the rock art at High Banks, Kirkcudbright © ScARF

Another fantastic day at our second @royalsoced.bsky.social funded Rock Art Workshop last Saturday in Kirkcudbright, led by the wonderful @joanavaldez.bsky.social and Tertia Barnett.

Huge thanks to everyone who came along. Looking forward to the Culloden workshop later this month!

Charting the rise of imaginary worlds in history - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications Humanities and Social Sciences Communications - Charting the rise of imaginary worlds in history

The full paper is open access, for those who want to dive deeper into methods, robustness checks, and open datasets. Thanks for reading. Thanks to my co-authors! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

So pleased that @david-alexander.bsky.social @kirstylilley.bsky.social & @southdownsnp.bsky.social are using MapReader to identify places where hedgerows would likely have been present on @natlibscot.bsky.social OS maps to help target areas for replanting and protection!

Because everyone needs more brochs in their lives!

Thank you everyone 🙏🏻 Today I’ve picked myself up and am spending the day in sunny Glasgow where we are running the first @scarf-scot.bsky.social Rock Art Research Framework. We’ve visited the stones and will be back to discussion in the afternoon. So far it’s been great and in lovely company!

So excited for this piece on text on maps to be out as part of a Forum on uses of and reflections on MapReader! #maps