Lorn Archaeological & Historical Society

04/06/2026

We have a NEW edition of Ancient Luing: a historical guide to the Isle of Luing, written by Mary Braithwaite!

It includes information that has emerged since the first edition was published with new perspectives on some of Luing’s prehistoric and historic sites, including the promontory forts and duns at Ardinamar and Ardluing, the roundhouse at Park and the Kilchattan church graffiti. And it now includes some of Luing’s historic characters, not least Hector of Ardluing and his dramatic rise and downfall in the 16th century.

The only thing that hasn’t changed is the price. Ancient Luing: a historical guide to the Isle of Luing costs £12.50 and is on sale now at the Atlantic Islands Centre!

Atlantic Islands Centre - Isle of Luing

04/06/2026

04/06/2026

04/06/2026

Last chance this week to see the Archaeology finds in the museum as they are only being displayed until Tuesday 9 June 2026. Your history, your heritage your accredited museum. A gem in the heart of the island.

04/06/2026

Dr Sarah Laurenson is Principal Curator of Modern and Contemporary History at National Museums Scotland. Sarah is a material culture historian of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, with particular expertise in historical development of craft skill among Scotland’s jewellers and goldsmiths. Her recent book, The Material Landscapes of Scotland’s Jewellery Craft, 1780-1914 was published by Bloomsbury in 2023 and shortlisted for History Book of the Year at Scotland’s National Book Awards in the same year. Sarah is representing research on the brooch of Lorn, including scientific analysis of its construction, on behalf of several colleagues at National Museums Scotland.
Book your place for the Brooch of Lorn study day at https://argyllestatesarchives.org/shop

03/05/2026

03/05/2026

27/04/2026

📣New Exhibition! Rock Art: Archaeology and Community

New Exhibition at Kilmartin Museum Reveals Discoveries from Prehistoric Rock Art Excavations.

Kilmartin Museum announces a new temporary exhibition, Rock Art: Archaeology and Community, opening on Sunday 19 April 2026. The exhibition presents the results of archaeological excavations at prehistoric rock art sites in Kilmartin Glen - one of the most significant landscapes for rock art in Britain.

In 2023, archaeologists from Kilmartin Museum and Archaeology Scotland undertook excavations at three rock art panels at Carnasserie Farm in Kilmartin Glen. A distinctive feature of the project was its strong community focus. More than forty volunteers, many from the local area, took part in the excavations, alongside school groups and students.

Co-curated by Dr Aaron Watson and Dr Sharon Webb, the exhibition explores how and why these enigmatic carvings were created between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago. Visitors are invited to consider how these ancient markings may have shaped prehistoric people’s experiences of place, and how they continue to resonate today. Artefacts uncovered during the excavations, some of which date to around 4,500–4,200 years ago, will be on display. These discoveries offer new insights into the technologies, practices, and beliefs of the Neolithic and Bronze Age communities who created rock art in Kilmartin Glen.

👉 Find out more here: https://www.kilmartin.org/rock-art-archaeology-and-community