Gil Paterson, the SNP MSP for Clydebank & Milngavie, has lodged a motion at Holyrood praising the work completed by the University of Glasgow on the Cochno Stone.

The stone, which lies on land next to a housing estate near Faifley, in West Dunbartonshire, is regarded as one of the United Kingdom’s most important, but also one of its most neglected, prehistoric sites.

A two week excavation, lead by archaeologists from the University of Glasgow and digital scanning and mapping experts from the Factum Foundation, provided an opportunity to use cutting-edge 3D imaging technology to make a detailed digital record of the site.

It is hoped the digital mapping and data of the Cochno Stone could shine more light on its history, its purpose and the people who created the artwork around 5,000 years ago. The stone has now been reburied.

Dr Kenny Brophy, from the University of Glasgow who specialises in urban archaeology, lead the excavation and described the experience of seeing the stone for the first time in 51 years as a "once in a life time opportunity".

Gil Paterson's motion reads: 

That the Parliament acknowledges the magnificent work by the acting head of the University of Glasgow's archaeology department, Dr Kenny Brophy, and his team at the Cochno Stone in Clydebank; acknowledges that a replica of the stone is being created and that this will be placed near the site at Faifley to permanently show the ancient inscribed petroglyphs; recognises that, at 6,000-years-old, the stone's cup and ring marks are some of Europe's oldest; believes that they are among the finest examples of prehistoric art and an important asset to Scotland's history, and commemorates the enthusiasm and work of the late landowner, David Marks, who was instrumental in facilitating the work on the stone. 

FemEng

The Glasgow Kelvin SNP MSP, Sandra White, has also been commending a UofG initiative - this time the recent FemEng mission to Rwanda:

That the Parliament welcomes the work of FemEng Rwanda, which is a project led by students from the University of Glasgow to encourage participation of young women in science and engineering fields; notes that it is a collaborative initiative with the University of Rwanda, where three weeks of practical engagement commenced in June 2016; further notes that the team consists of eight female students in engineering and computing science from the University of Glasgow, eight female students in engineering and architecture from the University of Rwanda and eight girls from various secondary schools in Rwanda and that, together with multiple academics and organisation leaders, they are constructing effective ways to promote science and engineering to 12- to 15-year-old students in Rwanda, and wishes the project and the participants every success in the future.

 

First published: 28 September 2016

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