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A number of ancient artefacts have been discovered during the construction of a £17m bypass project in the south of Scotland.
The find has been described as "remarkable" by Transport Minister Keith Brown.
It is understood he will share the details of the discovery shortly.
The discovery includes the earlier known Mesolithic dwelling in south west Scotland, as well as a Bronze Age cemetery complex, six Iron Age roundhouses and pottery. A jet bead necklace, thought to date to around 2000 BC is also set to be unveiled in the capital, as are flint arrow heads, stone hammers and a stone gaming piece.
The items were found on the bypass scheme at Dunragit, Dumfries and Galloway, where work is now coming to an end. The project on the A75 aims to move traffic away from Dunragit village and cuts out the height-restricted Challoch Bridge which has been struck by a number of vehicles in recent years.
(JP)
