Cathy MacIver BSC (Hons), MLitt, MCIFA, FSA Scot
Project Manager - Fieldwork
Cathy joined AOC Archaeology in 2015, having previously worked as a freelance archaeologist on a wide range of commercial and research projects. From 2007 she has been involved in the University of Glasgow SERF project, researching the archaeological origins of Strathearn and Forteviot. She was responsible for student training and coordinating community participation at the annual fieldschool and latterly she also worked as Co-Director of the SERF Hillfort Programme. Cathy has directed or managed a significant number of field excavations for various clients over the past years, including sites such as; The Craw Stane, Rhynie, Dunnicaer Sea Stack, Tap O’ Noth, Rhynie and Burghead (University of Aberdeen); Iona (University of Glasgow); Ardmolich (Forestry Enterprise Scotland); Allt Moraig Shieling (The Shieling Project); King’s Seat (PKHT, Dunkeld and Birnam Historical Society) and excavation at Dunmore and Auchenlaich (Callanders Landscape). She has also managed various archaeological excavations, watching briefs and evaluations as part of the planning process, including working on large linear infrastructure projects across Scotland such as the A9 and A96 dualling. Cathy has worked on a number of projects in England including Grantham Bypass, East West Rail, HS2 North, HS2 Central and M54 evaluations on behalf of Highways England.
She has a strong interest in community archaeology, especially in teaching and training students and volunteers, and has designed and delivered workshops on the use of open-source GIS in community research. Recent GIS and database work has included the development of an on-site digital recording resource for use on portable tablets for recording excavation and survey data. This project was piloted in 2017 for HES and University of Aberdeen and is undergoing further development.
Cathy is an experienced surveyor, having undertaken work on a wide range of monuments of all periods across Scotland, including at early medieval Kirkmadrine, Runicaleach and Eynort townships on Skye and a large number of later prehistoric fortified sites with SERF.
She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and a research affiliate of the University of Glasgow.
Key Projects
2022: A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy Excavation
2022: A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy Evaluation
2019 & 2021: Callanders Landscape
2021: HS2 Central: Wormleighton North
2021: HS2 Central: Southam Central
2021: HS2 Central: Windmill Hill
2021: M54 Junction Evaluation
2020: East West Rail SMS and Watching Briefs
2020: Grantham Bypass Excavation
2019: New Housing, Stratton Excavation
2018: Elgin South: Evaluation (Linkwood, Glassgreen)
2017-2019: King’s Seat Excavation, Dunkeld
2018: A9 Dualling: Archaeological Monitoring on GI works: Tay Crossing to Ballinluig
2018: A9 Dualling: Archaeological Monitoring on GI works: Tomatin to Moy
2018: A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam Evaluation
2017: Runicaleach and Eynort Township Surveys
2018-present: Burghead Fort Excavation
2017-present: Developing On-site Digital Recording for Excavation
2017-2019: Tap O’Noth Hillfort Excavation
2017-2018: Iona Research Project
2012-2017: Rhynie and Environs Excavations
