AN ARCHAEOLOGIST can speak for those who haven’t spoken in hundreds of years with a turn of a spade, as it’s all about the thrill of a new discovery and embracing Scotland’s rich history, a top expert has said.
For Dr Murray Cook, an archaeologist for Stirling, Falkirk and South Lanarkshire councils, the profession isn’t just for academics but it’s for everyone as he sees it as a fundamental tool for people to learn about their own cultural identity through the past.
A boyhood interest in the Indiana Jones trilogy sparked a lifelong love for archaeology, as much as a cliche it may be he said, as it was one of the driving forces for him to study the profession at university.
From there Dr Cook has spent decades working for local authorities and private companies digging across the UK uncovering hugely important remains of the past like the recently discovered musket holes from a likely attempted assassination of Bonnie Prince Charles.
READ MORE: I went digging for a lost Roman fort in Stirling – here's what we found
He is now joined by volunteers, some who have travelled halfway across the world, to take part in his archaeological digs which he does working predominantly for Stirling Council uncovering the past of the local area.
“Archaeologists can speak for people that have never spoken for things, that there are no written records,” Dr Cook said.
“I mean for most of Scotland's history there’s no written records.”
He added: “There are parts of Caithness that history doesn't really begin until the 16th century, and archaeology is the only witness to that.
“At the same time, we will find out new, astonishing things that have never been found before, and the excitement, the turn of a spade, might reveal a new secret that no one's seen before.”
A rich history has helped attract a total of four million visitors to the country in 2023, according to Visit Scotland.
Dr Cook states that a number of iconic historical figures, locations, and monuments all help to fuel the fascination of tourists with Scotland and how archaeology plays a pivotal role in promoting the country’s heritage.
Stirling is a prime example to the veteran archaeologist, as years' worth of exploring the city and preserving its abundant history helps make it feel “authentic” to visitors.
He said by understanding the city you are able to share its remarkable history with others and that’s what makes it so attractive.
“If I walk for five minutes, I could walk past the oldest royal park in Scotland, I could walk past the best-preserved city wall in Scotland, which is internationally important,” he said.
“I could walk past the coronation place of a king, a Jacobite siege, a Cromwellian siege, a Celtic fortification destroyed by the Romans and that’s literally just on my doorstep.
“So, when people from America, from Australia, from the continent come to Scotland, everything is there, it's on their doorstep and it is amazing.
“We're a beautiful country, our past is vital, it’s internationally interesting and it’s internationally significant.”
Despite more archaeology being done than ever before, it is mainly funded by private developers and done in response to planning applications submitted to local authorities, Dr Cook said.
According to him, only around five to 10 percent of private land developments have an archaeological impact, but he and his team of volunteers will investigate at any opportunity.
Development is a double-edged sword, as he said on the one hand it is seen as a threat to Scotland’s history and heritage but on the other hand, archaeology is significantly funded by it.
“None of this would happen without development,” he said.
He added: “I mean it’s something like 90% of archaeological research in Scotland and in Britain is done off the back of development.
READ MORE: Archaeologists discover rare early medieval workshop on Scottish island
“It is the biggest source of funding.”
Although working for Stirling Council takes up the majority of the week for Dr Cook, he has managed to build a large network of volunteers to help him, as he offers night schools and guided walks throughout the week.
He also helps armature archaeologists learn the ropes from how to dig trenches for excavations to how to identify possibly historically significant artefacts.
For him, archaeology isn’t just about documenting the past as he believes it can help shape the future by learning from those who came before us.
“We need to understand the past in order to understand how to respond to the future.”
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