Archaeology Research

1,500-year-old Religious Site with Viking Connections to be Uncovered at Archaeological Dig for Glasgow Residents

The free excavation at Govan Old - celebrated for the richness of its Viking-age sculpture - is being supported by Scotland’s oldest antiquarian society.

In August and September, Govan residents are invited to join experts from the University of Glasgow to survey and excavate in a corner of Govan Old churchyard, where the entrance to the early medieval church was once located and where a new fragment of early medieval sculpture was discovered in 2023.

Govan Old is home to one of the finest collections of early medieval and Viking-age sculpture in Europe. This group of over 30 sculptures includes a sarcophagus, cross and five hogback gravestones - Scandinavian-style funerary monuments which date to the 9th/10th centuries.

The corner being investigated this year was also the potential findspot of the 1,000-year-old Govan sarcophagus, which was discovered during grave-digging in 1855. It’s thought that the exterior depicts Constantine, King of the Picts, who was killed by Vikings in the 870s. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to investigate the stone building which was erected to house the Govan Stones before they were moved into the church.

The stone fragment found in 2023– nicknamed the “Govan Warrior” - portrays a figure side-on carrying a round shield and a shaft over their shoulder and probably carrying either a sword or a spear.

This year’s excavations – dubbed the ‘Dig Where You Stand’ Community Field School and supported by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland – will consist of two 3-day sessions that will allow volunteers to dig alongside professionals from Clyde Archaeology and senior academic staff and students from University of Glasgow Archaeology.

The first community dig will take place from 29 – 31 August 2024, and the second will take place from 20 - 22 September 2024, bookending the university’s September field school. Would-be volunteers can visit the Govan Stones Facebook page before 23 August to find instructions on how to apply for a free place. Visitors to the excavation are welcome to drop by during the entire period of the dig from 29 August to 22 September.

These excavations will form part of the celebrations of Govan’s heritage to mark the opening of the new pedestrian bridge over the Clyde to the Riverside Museum re-establishing Govan’s link to the north of the river.

The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland supports high-quality research and publication relating to Scotland’s past by making several grants and awards twice each year. This round awarded a total of £16,323 to 10 projects researching an aspect of Scottish history or archaeology, including: determining a precise date and geographic origin for 14 boat burials identified across Scotland and the Isle of Man; post-excavation analysis of a possible Neolithic butchery site on South Uist; investigating the antiquarian travels of Robert Wilson and the artefacts he brought back to Scotland, and more.

Professor Stephen Driscoll FSAScot RSE, Professor of Historical Archaeology at the University of Glasgow and Trustee of Govan Heritage Trust, said: “This year our team will continue to explore the Govan Old’s deep history by mapping the graveyard in detail and excavating at the find spot of the ‘Warrior Stone’, where we also believe the sarcophagus was found back in 1855. There is real sense of excitement about the coming season, not least because we hope to attract members of the local community to join the dig and participate in the reinvention of the ancient heart of Govan.”

Dr Simon Gilmour FSAScot, Director of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, said: “The discovery of the ‘Govan Warrior’ has stimulated renewed interest in Govan’s local heritage and the grant from the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland will ensure that during 2024 the community is able to actively participate in the archaeological fieldwork. We look forward to working with more community-based projects in the region over the next two years as part of our Clyde Valley archaeological research framework project. The Society’s Grants and Awards scheme is made possible through the support of our Fellows. If you would like to support high-quality research into Scotland’s past, why not join our 2,500-strong network of Fellows across the globe?” 

Dr Suzanne Lyle FSAScot, Vice President of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and Convenor of the Grants and Awards Committee, said: “In the year ahead we are awarding funding to projects undertaken by researchers across a range of fields relating to Scottish history. This exciting research is supported by Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and we very much look forward to seeing the outcomes which will help us all to learn more about Scotland’s past.”

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The Govan Heritage Trust

The Govan Heritage Trust assumed ownership of Govan Old in 2016, including the early medieval Govan Stones. In conjunction with sister charity Govan Workspace Ltd, they are currently undertaking a 5-year redevelopment of Govan Old church to provide a long-term future for the A-listed building, including a museum dedicated to the sculpture and the installation of a state-of-the-art River Sourced Heat Plant which will use green energy to power the heritage site. The improvement works have provided opportunities for archaeological research, education and community participation.

Govan church is open to the public until the 31 October, 1pm-4pm. The Govan Stones museum at Govan Old is managed by The Govan Heritage Trust SCIO. Govan Heritage Trust was formed in Jan 2015 to rescue two imperilled national assets, the former Govan Old Church and, within it, the Govan Stones.

The A-Listed Govan church is a Robert Rowan Anderson building, described architecturally as possibly the most influential post-Reformation church building in Scotland. The Govan Stones are one of the UK’s largest collections of early medieval sculpture.

For more information, visit https://thegovanstones.org.uk/about-us/

 

Archaeology at Govan Old

Govan’s recent history of community participation began with excavations linked to public realm works in 2019 which led to the discovery of three “lost” early medieval stones. In 2022, the Govan Heritage Trust initiated the current excavation programme and a probing survey of the graveyard to map and digitally document unrecorded monuments (17th-19th centuries). In 2023 many local people and over 500 school children had their first experience of archaeology through these excavations.  

Archaeological excavations in the 1990s uncovered two early Christian burials beneath the foundations of a later church; these burials were radiocarbon-dated between the 5th and 6th centuries AD (AD 435-601 and AD 474 -601).

The Govan Stones were produced by the Viking-age Kingdom of Strathclyde, a lost kingdom of Old Welsh-speaking Britons who dominated the Clyde valley from the 5th - 11th centuries AD.

For more information, visit https://thegovanstones.org.uk/the-stones/

 

The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland

The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has been around for over 240 years, actively supporting the study and enjoyment of Scotland’s past.

Founded in 1780 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1783, the Society’s purpose is “to investigate both antiquities and natural and civil history in general, with the intention that the talents of humanity should be cultivated and that the study of natural and useful sciences should be promoted”.

The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland grants are open to everyone, and the next deadline is 30 November.

For more information, visit www.socantscot.org

 

First published: 20 August 2024