Scottish history tours self drive and escorted tours of Scotland with Mclean scotland

battle of bannockburn ancient arrow head ancient graves at kilmartin celtic brooch

MCLEANSCOTLAND arrange & host Historical & Archaeological tours of Scotland with expert guides. We can arrange for you to join in the dig, certain times and locations only, must be booked in advance. There are so many ancient graveyards in Scotland, we can show you them if that is your request. BRINGING SCOTTISH HISTORY ALIVE! Come with us and let us show you where you can see, touch and visit ancient Celtic and Scottish historic sites, with our enthusiastic guides, can this really be a thing of the past? NO! All can be self drive or guided, groups welcome!

DON'T LET HISTORY BE A THING OF THE PAST also see our historic tours

Useful links;

www.pkht.org.uk The Trust aims to provide and promote high quality opportunities for the conservation, enhancement and promotion of the historic environment of Perth and Kinross. www.kilmartin.org There are more than 350 ancient monuments within a six-mile radius of the village of Kilmartin and its glen, Argyll: www.socantscot.org The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland & National Museums Scotland www.britarch.ac.uk Council for British Archaeology

www.rcahms.gov.uk The Royal Commission on Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland www.carvedstonesscotland.org The National Committee on Carved Stones in Scotland. www.scottishgraveyards.org.uk

Perthshire Archaeology Month 2010 is the annual celebration of archaeology in Perth and Kinross. From its origins as Perthshire Archaeology Week in 2003, the programme is now widely recognised as offering first class events by providing expert guidance to the best archaeological sites in the area. This year's programme has taken Perth 800 as a key theme, with many events and activities organised to celebrate the history and archaeology of Perth. www.pkht.org.uk or www.perthshire.co.uk/archaeology

Allow MCLEANSCOTLAND to take you on a dig, get your hands dirty and see what you find! We can design a tour to include a dig or two!

Perthshire Tomb reveals secrets of a 4000-year-old power lord

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare example of a grave that has been kept almost intact for 4000 years. The burial chamber was found in Forteviot. Few visitors notice the plaque in the village of Forteviot, that records the death of Kenneth Mac Alpin, the 9th century king of Scotland. The death of King Kenneth mac Alpin, one of the first kings of a united Scotland, was recorded at the ‘palace’ of Forteviot in AD 858 and at this time it is clear that this site was the most important royal centre in a fledgling Scottish nation. Forteviot is also the location of the largest and most extensive concentration of prehistoric ritual monuments in mainland Scotland. It is these two widely separated but physically linked episodes of landscape use at Forteviot that has drawn the founders of SERF to explore what it is about Forteviot and the wider Strathearn region that created this regional centre in such different social and political situations.

The fact that this important individual was buried at a location which we know was one of the main power centres in the country almost 3000 years later is remarkable. A giant crane was brought in to lift the stone, which had sealed the grave so well that several materials buried alongside the person survived intact. The only remains of the person left consisted of "grave wax", the residue left after a body decays. The archaeologists said the dagger buried in the grave suggested it was a man and carvings which decorated the underside of the stone indicate that he was a significant person.

On 13 August, Paul McLean (mcleanscotland) and Ray visited the site and were shown around by the team, told what and where was found and found out much from the "men who know". www.gla.ac.uk/news/headline_127216_en.html

On 13 August, Paul McLean (mcleanscotland) and friend Ray visited Scone Palace near Perth where another "dig" was happening. We chatted to Dr Oliver O'Grady, whom Ray knew, getting a much better insight as to what they were looking for.

Archaeologists at Scone Palace: Seat of Scottish Medieval Kingship

August 2009 witnessed a team of archaeologists working in the grounds, as they begin a further episode of exciting excavations to uncover the lost rich abbey of Scone and investigate the famous Moot Hill, where Scotland's Kings were inaugurated from the 9th century AD. The Moothill and Abbey of Scone Project (M.A.S.) aims to find out more about the origins and development of Scone, and is being led by Dr Oliver O'Grady and Mr Peter Yeoman. Visitors to the Palace and grounds were able to see the archaeologists at work and find out more about the excavations.

24 January 2009 A HUMAN skeleton thought to be 4,000 years old has been discovered on The Isle of Lewis. Soil erosion caused by a gale is believed to have exposed a small stone kist at Uig, on the west side of the island. The bones, thought to be almost a whole adult skeleton, were in the cramped stone coffin and buried. Two researchers from Glasgow University have been investigating the site on behalf of Historic Scotland.

24 July 2009 WORKERS have discovered centuries-old human remains while digging tram works on Leith Walk. Archaeologists are said to believe that the skeletons, found near Elm Row, may be up to 500 years old, and there could once have been a graveyard on the site. Archaeologists have already uncovered human remains dating from medieval times while working alongside the tram route in Leith.

Above and below; taken at the superb Kilmartin Glen. A glen where history comes alive, more than 5000 years of history just waiting for you to touch and see, we can take you there when in Scotland.

DALMALLY KIRK, is this a Knights Templar Kirk? There are definite reasons to think so, plus, grave slabs in the graveyard seem to point to them. And the shape of the Kirk and the proof starts coming in.

These photos below were taken by Paul, its a wee old Kirk no far from Tullibardine distillery in Perthshire, many old graves and really good examples of masonry carving, it is just accessible to a car located as it is high on a hill. Do you want to see it yourself? Let us know, we can take you there.