Double delight for Ness of Brodgar at 2024 Current Archaeology Awards
For the second time in its history, the Ness of Brodgar has been named Research Project of the Year at the 2024 Current Archaeology Awards.
At a ceremony in London this afternoon Ness project director Nick Card was also awarded the title Archaeologist of the Year.
Both awards were collected on our behalf by Time Team stalwart and geophysicist John Gater.
John was responsible for the initial phase of the geophysical surveys that detected the presence of the large prehistoric complex on the Ness of Brodgar – a discovery he hailed “the main highlight of his career” in 2023.
Commenting on the success, Nick said: “We were up against extremely fine archaeologists and projects, so are both delighted and humbled by this recognition.
“To receive two awards is a great accolade to all the hard work that the Ness team has put into the project over the past 20 years and a fitting celebration to mark the end of two decades of excavation.
“Both awards I feel are for the whole team and thank you to everyone who voted and deemed us worthy of these awards.”
2024 marks a major milestone in the history of the UHI Archaeology Institute/Ness of Brodgar Trust project.
The final season of fieldwork will conclude in August, after which the archaeology will be covered over to preserve it for future generations. But although digging is ending, the project continues and will move into the vital post-excavation research and full publication phase.
Our thanks to all who voted for us and for your continued support.
It’s been a good day for Orkney, with the excavations at the Knowe of Swandro, in Rousay, named Rescue Project of the Year.
The site, with activity running from the Iron Age to the Norse period, is being destroyed by coastal erosion so, in 2010, work began to excavate and record as much of it as possible before the archaeology is completely washed away.
The project is run by the Swandro-Orkney Coastal Archaeology Trust and the University of Bradford.
