Place Development: River of Stone, Caithness
AOC Archaeology Group recently joined forces with the Caithness Archaeological Trust in a bid to encourage regional economic benefit from the archaeology of Caithness. The exciting River of Stone project follows a feasibility study, supported by funding from Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, which outlines the advantages of working with communities to promote the fascinating history of sites as a way of adding to a region’s attraction as a place to visit or live.
The River of Stone Project is founded on a sophisticated analysis of the number, location, diversity, cultural value and accessibility of the 6,500 sites and monuments in the region, correlated with local community heritage groups and existing heritage initiatives. The heritage of Caithness constitutes a rich resource. However, only part of it is visible and a smaller part, accessible. All of it is capable of interpretation and presentation although a mere handful of sites are currently in that position. Many of the most visible monuments in Caithness are in a state of decay; and that decay is a reduction from the condition in which they were left by their Victorian investigators.
To present the Caithness sites effectively to the public AOC recognised the need for a larger scale of intervention, for the provision of public access and for the garnishing of sufficient information to facilitate their interpretation. The River of Stone sets out research agendas for Caithness that guide future initiatives. A programme of fund raising is now taking place.
Combined, these will attract and guide investigation of sites and monuments whose elucidation would greatly assist in the interpretation and presentation of the county’s rich heritage.