The archaeological heritage of Scotland is to the focus in April as BBC Alba brings viewers a six-part series exploring what lies under the surface of Scotland's landscape.

Presented by keen amateur archaeologist Kirsty MacDonald from North Uist, Talamh Tròcair, (Revealing Scotland's Past) has been produced by mactv for the BBC station.

The series will cover the most advanced and dynamic excavation projects taking place in Scotland including the more conventional processes of buried landscape, accidental discovery, coastal archaeology, plus the less conventional categories of the ritual and the extreme.

Each programme will be dedicated to exploring one theme of archaeology with Finding Archaeology featuring one of the most important sites in the country, at Forteviot beside the A9 and just south of Perth, where archaeologists are trying to find the palace of Scotland's first king.

-- Advertisement --

Programme two is Submerged Archaeology on the search for a hidden legendary village off the coast of North Uist between Baleshare (Bailesear) and the Monach Islands (Heisgeir).

Programme three, Community Archaeology, centres on local communities in Pitlochry and the Isle of Harris who help archaeologists understand Scotland's past and four – 'Extreme Archaeology - follows Kirsty MacDonald as she explores some of the unusual methods used by archaeologists to reveal Scotland's past including reconstructing an Iron Age crannog based on underwater research and using the methods people would have employed 2000 years ago.

Programme five is on Eroding Archaeology and features some of the valuable sites and artefacts around Scotland's coasts that are in danger of being lost forever such as a 3,000-year-old site opposite Lerwick on the Shetland Isle of Bressay while six is on Ritual Archaeology.

It will provide an insight into the current thinking on some of the unusual ancient burial practices and a recently discovered cemetery in Skye dating back to a Scotland of 4,000 years ago.

Talamh Tròcair, the six part series will commence on Tuesday 6 April at 8.30pm and each consecutive Tuesday thereafter.

(BMcC/GK)