Get hands on with history with Archaeology Scotland’s loan kits.
To book any of our kits or if you have any questions please email education@archaeologyscotland.org.uk with ‘loans’ in the subject line.
Artefact Investigation Kits
There are six Artefact Investigation Kits, containing real and replica artefacts. The kits come with information about the artefacts and have ideas for activities and where to find out more. Because the kits are very versatile, they can be used at all levels, although the support material is primarily aimed at beginners.
These documents relate to all the kits:
Kit Introduction Handling guidelines Artefact Recording Sheet Evaluation
Each kit is themed and the themes are as follows:
- Fantastic Flint covers flint knapping/working in the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Ages (c. 8500 BC to c. 500 BC). Full description here.
- Fantastic Facts Activity Ideas Further Information Curriculum for Excellence
- What’s in the Kit?
- Iron Age Scotland looks at artefacts, houses and settlements from c. 500 BC to c. 500 AD. Full description of contents here.
- Fantastic Facts Activity Ideas Further Information Ideas for Sharing
- What’s in the Kit?
- Roman Scotland (80 AD c. 200 AD) considers the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire. Most of what we know about the Romans in Scotland comes from archaeological, not historical, sources. Full description here.
- Fantastic Facts Activity Ideas Further Information Ideas for Sharing
- What’s in the Kit?
- Viking Scotland discovers what life was like in Scotland during the Scandinavian period (796 AD to mid-1400s AD). A description of the contents here.
- Fantastic Facts Activity Ideas Further information Ideas for Sharing
- What’s in the Kit?
- Industrial Archaeology has four topics, each with its own set of activities and artefacts: the earth’s natural resources; man made materials; working and living with coal; and taking it outside – finding out about Industrial Archaeology in your area. Contents description here.
- Group Leaders guide Taking it Outside – Group Leaders Guide
- What’s in the Kit?
- Storytelling Kit explores the past through archaeological artefacts and the stories they can tell. The kit is primarily aimed at the Early Years and introduces learners to the idea that artefacts can help us to understand the past. Description and pictures here.
- Archaeology and Story-telling Activity Ideas Further Activities
- Curriculum links
Activity Kits
Use these hands-on resources to explore:
The work of an archaeologist
- Survey equipment for either basic survey and/or tape-and-offset survey and/or plane table and alidade survey. You may need to have some experience to use this equipment although it is ideal for numeracy and literacy.
- Skeleton Investigation Kit. Why not have a go at forensic archaeology. The kit contains an anatomically correct skeleton with a mysterious extra skull! Investigate what diseases this person may have had? How old were they? Can you tell if they are male or female, if so which skull is the correct one? Great supporting documents to help you get going.
How people lived in the past
- Roman Writing Kit focuses on Roman Scotland as well as the writing tablets found at Vindolanda on Hadrian’s Wall. Learners use replica Roman wax tablets and wooden styli to complete four activities.
- Historic Writing Kit inspires learners to create their own Gothic script and illuminated letters.
- Grinding Kit – rotary and saddle querns that can be used to make flour.
If you would like to borrow any of these kits please email us saying which kit(s) you’d like to borrow, the dates you’d like to borrow them, and put “loan” in the subject line:
education@archaeologyscotland.org.uk