Lair Longhouses, Glenshee - 800

This video was created in conjunction with Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust and the University of St Andrews, School of Computer Science, Open Virtual Worlds Research Team as a Student Project in the Summer of 2019. For more information on the project, visit http://pkht.org.uk/projects/current-projects/glenshee/. Glenshee, in north-east Perth and Kinross, is a beautiful and distinctive landscape that is remarkably rich in archaeological remains - from prehistoric stone circles and burial cairns to Pictish longhouses, and the fermtouns and sheilings of the 19th century. The Glenshee Archaeology Project was developed by Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and delivered in partnership with Northlight Heritage between 2012 and 2017. Through ‘citizen science’, the project aimed to address the neglected narrative of north-east Perth and Kinross, uncover the fascinating story of prehistoric and early historic life in Glenshee and share this with residents and visitors. The initial thrust of the project was concerned with the so-called 'Pitcarmick' style buildings in the uplands around the glen and investigated several rare Pictish turf and stone longhouses dating to around 500-1000 AD. It also explored related features of the wider landscape, such as clearance cairns, trackways and boundaries. The Pitcarmick buildings were first identified in the uplands of north-east Perthshire in the late 1980's (RCAHMS 1990). Their date, function and relationship to other archaeological sites remains poorly understood, as very few have been excavated, the notable exception being the site in Strathardle (Carver et al 2013) from which the group takes its name. The site-type is important as early medieval buildings are rarely found elsewhere in Scotland, with the exception of Viking settlement in the Outer Isles (ScARF 2010). Like Pitcarmick, the Lair site comprises a relatively dispersed settlement of long-houses around an earlier prehistoric settlement (itself consisting of round houses of probable late Bronze Age or possibly Iron Age date). These are all set around a ring-cairn of probable earlier Bronze Age date.

Jack Horsburgh (University of St Andrews), David Strachan (Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust), Alan Miller (University of St Andrews)

David Strachan (Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust)

The Gannochy Trust, Historic Environment Scotland, and the Hunter Archaeological and Historical Trust supported two years of excavations from 2013-2014. This comprised a topographical and geophysical survey and excavated over 20 trenches across five long houses, with at least 2 dating to the 7-9th centuries AD. Pollen studies revealed an almost treeless contemporary environment, and that the inhabitants of the longhouse were growing crops, including wheat or oats, barley and rye. Excavations in 2015-17, funded by the Gannochy Trust, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and Historic Scotland, aimed to excavate a remaining complex of longhouses.

A digital landscape was created using survey data and height map. Models were created in 3D modelling programs and imported into UNREAL (a cross-platform game engine for creating virtual worlds). The models were then scaled, orientated and assembled. The landscapes were populated with flora and fauna. Where applicable, models of characters and animals were imported and animated.