Search Constraints
Search Results
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Journal article
Anatomy: A matter of death and life
Dr Tacye Phillipson explores what was behind the demand for a supply of dead bodies in 19th-century Edinburgh - and how and why this grisly practice cam to an end.Phillipson, Tacye
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Book
Curious devices and mighty machines: Exploring Science Museums
Science museums have paradoxes at their core. They must be accessible and fun while representing increasingly complex science. They must be both historic and contemporary. Their exhibits attract millions, but most of their objects remain in deep storage, seldom seen. This book delves into these conflicts, revealing the secret lives...Alberti, S J M M
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Blog post
Collecting Scottish constitutional politics: 5 representative objects
Scottish politics is currently undergoing one of the most consequential and controversial periods in its modern history. Recently, important questions about the status of Scotland within a political union, the United Kingdom, have been posed. These politics are not only played out in formal debates and institutions, but in the...Vullinghs, Georgia
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Blog post
Dedicated collector: Michael Daniels and his Eocene birds
A stunning collection of over 700 bird fossils has been bequeathed to National Museums Scotland. Collected in Essex by Michael Daniels, the fossils date from 54-56 million years ago, the beginning of the Eocene period. They represent the early stages in the evolution of modern birds and contain many species...Kitchener, Andrew C
Conservation , Fossil Hunters , Palaeontology, Birds , Collections, Fossils , and Natural Sciences
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Book
Hugh Miller: stonemason, geologist, writer
Hugh Miller was born in 1802 in Cromarty, Ross-shire. He started his working life as a stonemason’s apprentice; he later became a social commentator and crusader. He also inspired in others an interest in fossils. His was a household name in his lifetime, not only in Scotland but across the...Taylor, Michael A
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Blog post
Flying without wings: The conservation of a DC-10 aircraft mode
How do you conserve a model aircraft? The DC-10 in our aviation collection was in need of repair to bring it back to its former glory. In this blog Suncana Marochini gives us a quick blow by blow of the conservation process. Prepare for lift-off, Suncana!Marochini, Suncana
Aviation , Aircraft, DC-10, and Conservation
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Journal article
Noninvasive Characterization and Quantification of Anthraquinones in Dyed Woolen Threads by Visible Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy
The anthraquinone components of the roots of various species of madder (like Rubia tinctorum L. and Rubia peregrina L.) have been used for millennia as red colorants in textiles, carpets, tapestries, and other objects. To understand the selection and preparation of dyestuffs in various cultures and historical periods, these dyes...Chavanne, Clarisse ; Troalen, Lore G ; Fronty, Isabelle Bardies ; Buléon, Pascal ; Walter, Philippe
Dyes and pigments, Optical properties, Color, Extraction, and Liquid chromatography
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Book
Weapons in Late Shang (c.1250-1050 BCE): China beyond typology and ritual
Weapons in Late Shang (c.1250-1050 BCE) China explores the large quantities of bronze and jade weapons, such as dagger-axes, spears and arrows, found at the World Heritage site of Yinxu, the late Shang capital located near today’s Anyang city in central China Qin Cao’s innovative research presents new insights into...Cao, Qin
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Journal article
Matriarchal Journeys: Identity and Generational Exchange in the Travels of Lady Grisell Baillie and Margaret Calderwood of Polton, <i>c.</i> 1730–1757
In 1731 Lady Grisell Baillie began a tour through Europe to Naples with her husband, two daughters, son-in-law and eldest granddaughter. Prompted by an order abroad for her son-in-law’s health, the journey to and from Naples took in cultural sites and offered unique opportunities for shopping. In 1756 Margaret Calderwood...Taylor, Emily
Scotland, women, dress, learning, shopping, and 18th century
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Journal article
Nouveaux départs ? Écrire l’histoire de l’art par ses déplacements
Depuis une dizaine d’années, on observe un glissement dans l’historiographie française des institutions culturelles et dans les études sur la vie sociale et culturelle des œuvres. Dans le cadre d’une histoire classique des collections, qui perçoit l’artefact surtout à travers la formation des collections privées et publiques, des logiques de... -
Lecture
The Ballachulish Goddess
Come along to Glencoe Folk Museum to learn about the mysterious Ballachulish Goddess from an expert in the field.Hunter, Fraser
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Blog post
Weather at the Museum
COP27 is currently underway in Egypt, with various nations working to tackle the global challenge of climate change. In this post, our Principal Curator of Science Rebekah Higgitt showcases our historical weather recording instruments, how they were used and what they can tell us about the changing climate.Higgitt, Rebekah
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Blog post
Confronting 200 years of Egyptological histories and legacies
2022 is a landmark year in Egyptology. It’s been 200 years since the decipherment of hieroglyphs, which unlocked access to written sources from ancient Egypt, and 100 years since the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, whose splendour further fuelled global Egyptomania. Many have celebrated these milestones, but it is...Maitland, Margaret
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Journal article
An exhibition like no other
IN AUTUMN 1961, THE DOORS OF GOLDSMITHS’ HALL opened for an exhibition like no other. This, according to the late Graham Hughes, Art Director of the Goldsmiths’ Company and curator of the show, was to be ‘an art exhibition of a high order, intended to raise the standing of jewellery...Rothwell, Sarah
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Book chapter
The suit, perfection for purpose
Fashion has been discussed, questioned, criticised and admired for centuries, often without the historical knowledge of how or why it takes the form it does. This applies above all to menswear, since fashion has often been associated primarily with women’s fashion. In historical terms, fashion from the 18th century onwards...Breward, Christopher
masculinity, mens fashion history, fashion culture, fashion history, cultural anthropology , fashion, and menswear
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Journal article
African Queen: an intact royal burial from Egypt reveals new insights into cultural connections
The identity of the ancient Egyptian ‘Qurna Queen’ remains a mystery over 100 years after the excavation of her intact burial. However, new research on her burial assemblage is revealing historic biases in interpretation and shedding light on Egypt’s place within African culture, as Margaret Maitland explains.Maitland, Margaret
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Journal article
Scottish heart brooches a re-evaluation of the luckenbooth
This article presents a study of Scottish heart brooches, primarily from the 18th century, using the collections of the National Museums Scotland, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, the Highland Folk Museum and those reported to the Treasure Trove Unit. By researching over 350 heart brooches it has been possible to...McGill, Lyndsay
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Journal article
A survey of Roman, medieval and post-medieval coin finds from Scotland 2016–20
Coins and other numismatic finds from 276 locations across Scotland are listed and discussed.Savage, Carl E ; Freeman, Emily A ; Paul, Ella B
Medieval, Post medieval, Numismatics, Seventeenth century, and Coins
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Journal article
Joseph Anderson (1832–1916) and the Scottish historical collection in the Antiquities Museum, 1869 to 1892
Joseph Anderson (1832–1916) was an influential figure within the history of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and Scottish archaeology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But while Anderson is best known for his contribution to the development of Scottish prehistoric and early medieval archaeology, there has been...Holder, Julie
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Journal article
A new genus within the tribe Lonchaeini (Diptera, Lonchaeidae) based on two species from the Neotropics
Hydrolysa gen. nov. is erected within the tribe Lonchaeini to include Central American species which possess distinctive and unique male genitalia. Two species are described within this new genus, namely Hydrolysa tanetzensis MacGowan sp. nov. and Hydrolysa oaxacana MacGowan sp. nov. A revised key to the genera within the Lonchaeini...MacGowan, Iain
new species, Lonchaeidae, Diptera, Mexico, and new genus
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Journal article
Biogeography in the deep: Hierarchical population genomic structure of two beaked whale species
The deep sea is the largest ecosystem on Earth, yet little is known about the processes driving patterns of genetic diversity in its inhabitants. Here, we investigated the macro- and microevolutionary processes shaping genomic population structure and diversity in two poorly understood, globally distributed, deep-sea predators: Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius... -
Lecture
Carrion Beetles: Nature's Undertakers
Meet the unsung heroes of the natural world: carrion beetles. Important decomposers and recyclers, most carrion beetles feed and breed on dead animals. Museum curator and carrion beetle specialist, Ashleigh Whiffin introduces us to these delightful decomposers, digs deeper into their complex ecology, and highlights some of the current work...Whiffin, Ashleigh
Silphidae and Coleoptera
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Lecture
Scottish Agates of the National Museums Scotland collection
Join Emily Brown, Assistant Curator of Earth Systems at National Museums Scotland on a journey though agate formation and agate collecting in Scotland, through the lens of the world famous Scottish agate collection at National Museums Scotland. Agates have fascinated people for thousands of years and have particular cultural relevance...Brown, Emily
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Book chapter
Monochrome Man
At a moment of unprecedented creativity in men’s fashion, and continuing reflections on gender, contemporary designers are questioning established forms, seeking to liberate wearers from traditional models of masculine dress. This book combines fashion with artistic and broader cultural histories – looking at the designers, tailors and artists who have... -
Book
The art of tapestry
Extensively illustrated, this is the first accessible publication on the history of tapestry in over two decades. Woven with dazzling images from history, mythology and the natural world, and breath-taking in their craftsmanship, tapestries were among the most valuable and high-status works of art available in Europe from the medieval... -
Journal article
Phenotypic plasticity determines differences between the skulls of tigers from mainland Asia
Tiger subspecific taxonomy is controversial because of morphological and genetic variation found between now fragmented populations, yet the extent to which phenotypic plasticity or genetic variation affects phenotypes of putative tiger subspecies has not been explicitly addressed. In order to assess the role of phenotypic plasticity in determining skull variation,... -
Abstract
STICKing Together
This talk considers the role of the Subject Specialist Network (SSN) in the industrial heritage sector through an examination of STICK, the Scottish Transport and Industrial Collections Knowledge Network. STICK was formed in 2006 and has become one of Scotland’s most successful SSNs. Its newsletter, social media and events bring...Swinbank, Ellie
Agents and processes for safeguarding and conservation and Training of professionals in conservation of industrial and technological heritage
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Abstract
Deep Impact: Analyzing a De Havilland Comet’s Historic Paint Layers
A De Havilland Comet is one of three aeroplanes exhibited outdoors at the National Museum of Flight (Scotland), which has created different conservation challenges over the years, as the aeroplane is subjected to a harsh and uncontrolled environment. Unfortunately, a plan to relocate the Comet indoors had to be postponed,...Marochini, Suncana ; Troalen, Lore
Decision making, Paint analysis, Micro-FTIR, Paint layers, Outdoor heritage, Exterior deterioration, Aeroplane, SEM- EDS, and Aviation collection
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Learning object
Conserving a Blaschka model
Holly Daws is Assistant Artefact Conservator in the artefact conservation team at the National Museums Collection Centre. She was faced with the delicate task of mending a broken Blaschka model of a Thick Horned Anemone. Holly describes the step-by-step process of how the model was brought back to life.Daws, Holly
Invertebrates, Collections , Blaschka Glass Models , Art , Sea Creatures, Glass , Blaschka, and Conservation
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Conference paper (unpublished)
Displaced masculinities: Intersections of blackness, queerness and ‘otherness’ in photography of the male nude
The lecture was part of a two-day symposium exploring how masculinity has been fashioned and refashioned from Renaissance Europe to the global contemporary. The symposium—organised by the V&A Research Institute in collaboration with the Centre for Fashion Curation and the Masculinities Research Hub at London College of Fashion, University of...Ripley, Georgina
Blackness, Otherness , Photography, Masculinity, Queerness , and Male nude
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Presentation
Ancient African Queens: New Perspectives on Black History
See our panel discuss how reassessing 19th and 20th century colonial attitudes can bring new perspectives to fascinating aspects of ancient Egyptian culture and its place in African history. In the 19th and 20th centuries European and American Egyptologists appropriated ancient Egypt into an idea of ‘Western civilisation’ and set... -
Journal article
A tale of two African mongooses (Carnivora: Herpestidae): differing genetic diversity and geographical structure across a continent
Phylogeographies of African mammals reveal patterns that correlate with Pleistocene environmental fluctuations and geographical barriers, which may affect species differently according to their habitat preferences and dispersal capabilities. The marsh mongoose Atilax paludinosus, a widely distributed African carnivoran, is a good model to compare with other African mammals. Here, we... -
Lecture
"Northern Battle of Britain" With air attacks over southern Britain during World War II, what was happening in the north?
In the early morning of 9 April 1940 Germany occupied Denmark and invaded Norway. The evening before, German bombers had launched their biggest attack so far that spring on the British fleet in Scapa Flow. On the night of 10 April they came back, around 60 aircraft, to face a...Brown, Ian ; Hobbs, David ; Beaver, Paul ; Cumming , Anthony J ; White, Rob
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Blog post
An Edinburgh institution: Jenners in our collections and archives
With the approach of Christmas and festive shopping reaching a frenzy, this is the perfect time to revisit the history of an Edinburgh icon – Jenners department store. At National Museums Scotland we hold the Jenners Archive along with several objects from Jenners that have entered the museum’s collection. Join...Holder, Julie
Fashion, British, Retail history, Womenswear, Shopping history, Department stores, 20th century, Jenners, Edinburgh, Women's, Christmas, 21st century, 19th century, and Department store
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Blog post
The Jenners Archive: your ultimate guide to unrationed chic
The Second World War was a time of clothes rationing. We hold the Jenners Archive in the museum’s library which documents the clothes that were available. Library Assistant Linden Williamson delves into the archive to guide us through the fashion trends of the day through the eyes of a housewife... -
Journal article
Biogeography in the deep: Hierarchical population genomic structure of two beaked whale species
The deep sea is the largest ecosystem on Earth, yet little is known about the processes driving patterns of genetic diversity in its inhabitants. Here, we investigated the macro- and microevolutionary processes shaping genomic population structure and diversity in two poorly understood, globally distributed, deep-sea predators: Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius... -
Journal article
When did Alexander Philipp Maximilian, Prinz zu Wied-Neuwied, first describe Felis macroura?
The margay, Leopardus wiedii Schinz, 1821, is a Neotropical small spotted cat, whose nomenclatural history has long been confused (Thomas 1903; Pocock 1917; Allen 1919). This confusion began with Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, in Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière, avec la description du Cabinet du roi published in 1765,...Kitchener, Andrew C ; Sanderson, James G
Leopardus macrourus, margay, Leopardus wiedii, wild cat, Heinrich Rudolf Schinz, Reise nach Brasilien, and Felis wiedii
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Journal article
The ecological diversification and evolution of Teleosauroidea (Crocodylomorpha, Thalattosuchia), with insights into their mandibular biomechanics
Throughout the Jurassic, a plethora of marine reptiles dominated ocean waters, including ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and thalattosuchian crocodylomorphs. These Jurassic ecosystems were characterized by high niche partitioning and spatial variation in dietary ecology. However, while the ecological diversity of many marine reptile lineages is well known, the overall ecological diversification of...Johnson, Michela M ; Foffa, Davide ; Young, Mark T ; Brusatte, Stephen L
Jurassic ecosystems , thalattosuchian crocodylomorphs, and Teleosauroidea
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Journal article
Tough to digest: first record of Teleosauroidea (Thalattosuchia) in a regurgitalite from the Upper Jurassic of north‐eastern Italy
Postcranial remains of a small teleosauroid from the Upper Jurassic of north-eastern Italy are described in detail. The specimen, discovered in 1980 on a slab of Rosso Ammonitico Veronese (RAV Fm.; Bajocian–Tithonian), is represented by partially articulated thoracic, sacral and anterior caudal vertebrae, fractured and displaced osteoderms and pelvic girdle...Serafini, Giovanni ; Gordon, Caleb M ; Foffa, Davide ; Cobianchi, Miriam ; Giusberti, Luca
Rosso Ammonitico Veronese, SEM-EDS analysis , regurgitalite, Aeolodontinae , and Upper Jurassic
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Podcast
Iona and the Vikings: how raids on Iona introduced a new age
In this week’s episode of the podcast, Jackie discovers what brought the invaders from the north to Scotland, and what encouraged them to stay. Joined by Dr Adrián Maldonado, the Glenmorangie Research Fellow at National Museums Scotland and an expert in the Scottish Viking Age, Jackie looks at how the...Bird, Jackie ; Maldonado, Adrián
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Journal article
2. SCOTLAND
Sites explored in North of the Antonine Wall, The Antonine Wall, City of Glasgow, Falkirk and South of the Antonine Wall.Hunter, Fraser
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Lecture
Metal Detecting and Treasure Trove in Scotland
Did you know that in Scotland, archaeological artefacts found by members of the public are considered 'Treasure Trove' and can be claimed to enable them to end up in museums. But what is Treasure Trove, and how do you make sure you're following the rules and metal detecting responsibly, in...Flynn, Sophie
Scotland, metal detecting, portable antiquities, recording and processing finds, and Treasure Trove Unit
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Other
Library Special Collections: Jenners Archives
Self-described as ‘the most fashionable shopping centre in Scotland’ and commonly known as the ‘Harrods of the North,’ the luxury retail store Jenners was founded as a drapery business in 1838. Its founders Charles Jenner and Charles Kennington became known as ‘Kennington & Jenner’. Kennington retired in 1861 and in...National Museums Scotland
Library, Jenners Archive, Retail, Edinburgh, Fashion, and Department stores
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Journal article
‘Is Radioactive Iodine Present Equally in the Cream on Milk as in the Milk Itself?’: Lonely Sources and the Gendered history of Cold War Britain
This article argues that one way to foreground and privilege women's perspectives on the Cold War is by re-interpreting their historical experiences of food and drink. The article develops this argument by analysing one letter, from an unknown woman to the BBC, in the context of nuclear health concerns in...Douthwaite, Jessica
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Blog post
Air Personnel of Colour: Recovering their experiences in Scottish wartime aviation
A new project looks to recover and reconstruct the presence of personnel of colour within the RAF in Scotland during the two world wars. PhD researcher Isobel Westbury will explore the diversity of people connected to flying in Scotland during this period and talks us through the aims, and her...Westbury, Isobel
Wartime Experience , War , World War Two, Aircraft , World War One , Black History Month , Research , and Colonial Histories And Legacies
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Blog post
Exchange: Exploring experiences of empire, migration and life in Britain
Over the last year, the ‘Exchange: Community-Led Collections Research’ project has helped galleries, libraries, archives and museums to work with South Asian, African and Caribbean diaspora organisations to answer research questions identified by these community groups. National Museums Scotland and Royal Museums Greenwich, London, worked as a hub to gather...Barry, Yahya
Scotland's Material Heritage, Exchange , Black History Month , Colonial Histories And Legacies , and Partnerships
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Newspaper article
We’re revisiting our stories of Empire in museums and galleries - Dr John Giblin and Dr Yahya Barry
Across the UK, galleries, museums, libraries and archives hold collections which tell many millions of stories. Some of these are better known than others, while some are yet to be properly explored.Giblin, John ; Barry, Yahya
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Presentation
Loyal Exchange: the material and visual culture of Jacobite exile, c.1716 - c.1760
‘Exile’ was fundamental to shaping the experience of Jacobitism – loyalty to the Stuart dynasty – during the eighteenth century. This talk considers how the Stuarts and their supporters used material and visual culture to negotiate exile and absence. Expanding on the work of Edward Corp, it explores the physical...Vullinghs, Georgia
exile, network of exchange, Stuarts , Jacobitism, and material culture
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Journal article
Conceptualizing ‘Science’ in the Photography Collections at the National Science and Media Museum
Focusing on the internationally significant photographic collections at the National Science and Media Museum (Bradford, UK), this article explores the central questions: What counts as ‘scientific’ in a museum dedicated to the history of photography (as well as film, television, and digital media)? And what is the place of photography...Geoffrey, Belknap
Photography, Visual Culture, History of Science, Collections, and Museums
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Doctoral thesis
Bombers, bunkers, and badges: The Cold War materialised in National Museums Scotland
How does an object become a Cold War object? Through its military installations, defence industry as well as the strength of its peace movement, Scotland was a key site of the Cold War in the UK. While there has been some research on how to classify such sites in the...Harper, Sarah Alexandra
Biography , Object , Cold War , and Material Culture
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Blog post
Viewing museum objects through a Cold War Lens – eye-opening possibilities
In museums, Cold War history is often hidden in plain sight. Objects are silently relevant. Timelines skip across well-known dates of the postwar period. Maps steer visitors’ eyes towards ‘hotspots’. Thematic exhibitions shake up narrative. Omission is the natural by-product of curatorial focus. Coupled with the false but detrimental view...Douthwaite, Jessica
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Other
Robert Riddell Manuscript Collection
Robert Riddell (d1794) was a gentleman antiquary who inherited the Glenriddell estate and lived at Friars Carse near Dumfries. Riddell's "Collection of Scottish Antiquities" (1786-1792) were a series of bound manuscripts containing accounts of the history, families and antiquities of Dumfriesshire and Galloway, with some material relating to the rest...National Museums Scotland
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Journal article
Butterfly–parasitoid–hostplant interactions in Western Palaearctic Hesperiidae: a DNA barcoding reference library
The study of ecological interactions between plants, phytophagous insects and their natural enemies is an essential but challenging component for understanding ecosystem dynamics. Molecular methods such as DNA barcoding can help elucidate these interactions. In this study, we employed DNA barcoding to establish hostplant and parasitoid interactions with hesperiid butterflies,... -
Journal article
Characterisation of some species groups of Brachymeria (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), with a review of the B. tibialis-group and description of a new species parasitizing Zygaena pupae (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae)
The Brachymeria tibialis species group is newly recognized and diagnosed together with the Brachymeria annulata, femorata, kassiliensis and lasus species groups also newly defined. In these diagnoses a few morphological characters of the ventral part of the mesosoma, discovered in this study, are proposed to help differentiate the groups. The...Delvare, Gérard ; Shaw, Mark R
BIOLOGY, HOSTS , LEPIDOPTERA , DISTRIBUTION , MORPHOLOGY , and SPECIES GROUPS DIAGNOSES
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Journal article
Rearings of four European Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), three new to Britain including a new species of Cotesia Cameron, 1891
Cotesia carterocephali sp. nov. is described from a single gregarious brood reared from a posthibernation final instar larva of the hesperiid butterfly Carterocephalus palaemon in Scotland. Details of English rearings of two other Microgastrinae recorded from Britain for the first time are also given: Distatrix pompelon, gregariously from the erebiid... -
Journal article
Life in death
Whiffin, Ashleigh
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Abstract
At the edge of the waterscape: Interaction at the boundaries between drainage basins in early prehistoric Britain and Ireland
River catchments and drainage basins are being increasingly used as units of ecological and socio-political organisation. There is also ample evidence in the archaeological record that knowledge of drainage basins was important in the past. This paper will explore a wide array of archaeological evidence that the watershed boundaries of...Goldberg, Martin
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Journal article
New fossils from the London Clay show that the Eocene Masillaraptoridae are stem group representatives of falcons (Aves, Falconiformes)
The Eocene taxon Masillaraptoridae includes long-legged, raptorial birds, the phylogenetic affinities of which are poorly resolved. Here, fossils from the London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, U.K.) are described, which corroborate the hypothesis that masillaraptorids are stem group representatives of the Falconiformes (falcons). Two partial skeletons are assigned to a new...Mayr, Gerald ; Kitchener, Andrew C
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Journal article
Oldest fossil loon documents a pronounced ecomorphological shift in the evolution of gaviiform birds
We describe a stem group representative of Gaviiformes (loons or divers) from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK). The holotype of Nasidytes ypresianus gen. et sp. nov. is a partial skeleton including the mandible and all major limb bones. The new species is the oldest unambiguously identified...Mayr, Gerald ; Kitchener, Andrew C
Nasidytes ypresianus, Walton-on-the-Naze, Aves, fossil birds, and London Clay
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Journal article
Early Eocene fossil illuminates the ancestral (diurnal) ecomorphology of owls and documents a mosaic evolution of the strigiform body plan
We describe a partial skeleton of a fossil owl (Strigiformes) from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK). The holotype of Ypresiglaux michaeldanielsi, gen. et sp. nov. is one of the most complete specimens of a Palaeogene owl and elucidates the poorly known ecomorphology of stem group Strigiformes....Mayr, Gerald ; Kitchener, Andrew C
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Journal article
The expensive-tissue hypothesis may help explain brain-size reduction during domestication
Morphological traits, such as white patches, floppy ears and curly tails, are ubiquitous in domestic animals and are referred to as the ‘domestication syndrome’. A commonly discussed hypothesis that has the potential to provide a unifying explanation for these traits is the ‘neural crest/domestication syndrome hypothesis’. Although this hypothesis has...Lesch, Raffaela ; Kotrschal, Kurt ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Fitch, W Tecumseh ; Kotrschal, Alexander
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Journal article
Evidence that Temminck described Felis aurata in 1825, not 1827
The African golden cat, Caracal aurata, ranges from west through central to east Africa and is categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Coenraad J. Temminck (1778–1858) described Felis aurata (African golden cat) and other new felid species in the fourth of seven monographs collected in... -
Journal article
Biological and morphological studies on the parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) of Aprosthema tardum (Klug) (Hymenoptera, Argidae, Sterictiphorinae) in Var, southern France
Field surveys at four neighbouring but discrete sites in southern France revealed the presence of five ichneumonid parasitoids of the -feeding sterictiphorine argid sawfly . Four of these parasitoids, , (both Ctenopelmatinae), and (both Tryphoninae), could be identified and, by also incorporating laboratory studies, the developmental biology of each was... -
Journal article
Identity of wasp parasitoids (Hymenoptera) attacking Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) in South Africa
The alien invasive large cabbage white, Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pieridae), although introduced into South Africa more than 27 years ago, has not dramatically expanded its distribution, possibly because it is effectively attacked by two parasitoid wasp species. Even though there is a cohort of parasitoid species associated with P.... -
Journal article
Larval parasitism in a specialist herbivore is explained by phenological synchrony and host plant availability
Parasitism is a key factor in the population dynamics of many herbivorous insects, although its impact on host populations varies widely, for instance, along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients. Understanding the sources of geographical variation in host–parasitoid interactions is crucial for reliably predicting the future success of the interacting species under...Stefanescu, Constantí ; Colom, Pau ; Barea‐Azcón, José Miguel ; Horsfield, David ; Komac, Benjamin …
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Journal article
Edmund Jarzembowski at 70: An appreciation
Edmund Aleksander Jarzembowski (BSc PhD FGS FRES) is currently a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow; Scientific Associate (researcher) at The Natural History Museum London (NHMUK); and Professor at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), Nanjing, specializing in the study of fossil insects (palaeoentomology).Austen, Peter A ; Wang, Bo ; Ross, Andrew J ; Coram, Robert A
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Newspaper article
Taking another look at the past
There are over 12 million objects in Scotland’s National Collection, ranging across natural sciences, Scottish history and archaeology, art, design, science, technology and ancient and living cultures from around the world.Giblin, John
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Blog post
Capturing the present with 20th century photographic equipment
In the 20th century, camera technology was very different to the digital cameras we use today. As part of the Scotland 365 Youth Project, Julie Gibb explains how a group of young people used this older photographic technology to capture objects in the collection with a connection to their local...Gibb, Julie
National Museums Collection Centre, Scotland 365, and Photography
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Journal article
Dairying, diseases and the evolution of lactase persistence in Europe
In European and many African, Middle Eastern and southern Asian populations, lactase persistence (LP) is the most strongly selected monogenic trait to have evolved over the past 10,000 years1. Although the selection of LP and the consumption of prehistoric milk must be linked, considerable uncertainty remains concerning their spatiotemporal configuration and...Evershed, Richard P ; Davey Smith, George ; Roffet-Salque, Mélanie ; Timpson, Adrian ; Diekmann, Yoan …
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Book
The late Roman silver treasure from Traprain Law
Excavated from Traprain Law, East Lothian, Scotland, in May 1919, was one of the most spectacular discoveries of Roman silver ever made in Europe - and the biggest hoard of `hacksilver': 23kg, battered, crushed and chopped up. Blame for the destruction has hitherto been laid at the door of `barbarians'...Hunter, Fraser ; Kaufmann-Heinimann, Annemarie ; Painter, Kenneth
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Book chapter
AA: Vessel fragments not allocated to types
Among the material not catalogued by Curl was a box of 'scrap' (see Chapter 31). It is presented here in the following categories: decorated elements; other unusual elements; feature sherds (rims, base); fragments with lathe grooves; body sherds and non-diagnostic material.Hunter, Fraser
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Book chapter
Other hoards with Roman Hacksilber
This appendix offers background and analysis of all Hacksilber hoards, defined here as hoards with cut, folded or crushed Roman plate.Hunter, Fraser
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Book chapter
Technical case studies of particular vessel types
The objects in the Traprain Law hoard have been grouped according to their shape and function. The characteristics and construction of each major group are discussed below, with examples. Radio-graphs referenced here can be found in the Catalogue section.Lang, Janet ; Troalen, Lore
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Book chapter
The Treasure of Traprain: conclusions and questions
Tackling the Hacksilber hoard from Traprain Law is an imposing project. Not only in the primary publication by Alexander Curle a masterly analysis that has survived the test of time, but the sheer scale of the material is daunting. Our work suggests that the surviving 23kg consisted of 327 individual...Hunter, Fraser ; Kaufmann-Heinimann, Annemarie ; Painter, Kenneth
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Book chapter
After the Traprain Treasure: Hacksilber hoarding in 5th/6th-century Scotland
After the supply of late Roman silver was cut off in the 5th century, this precious metal became a finite resource in northern Britain until new supplies were introduced during the Viking Age. In between these two periods of abundant supply, the chronology of silver use and recycling in early...Goldberg, Martin ; Blackwell, Alice
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Book chapter
Hacksilber in the Roman period and beyond
Although Alexander Curle was able to call on the Ballinrees (Coleraine) hoard from Northern Ireland as a parallel for the hacking of Traprain, it was not until Wilhelm Grunhagen's 1954 study of the Großbodungen hoard (Thüringen/Germany) [Illus 41.1] that Hacksilber saw serious study as a concept in the Roman period....Hunter, Fraser
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Book chapter
Hacking the Traprain Treasure
The Traprain Law Treasure1 has traditionally been viewed as a group of late Roman silver that met an unfortunate fate. Most vessels had been completely distorted, often by multiple hacking phases, with fittings removed, rims severed, footrings pushed out of position and sometimes even split lengthwise. Many had been crushed...Hunter, Fraser
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Book chapter
'I have had a great day': A O Curle and the discovery of the Traprain Treasure
The recovery of the Traprain Treasure was by far the greatest moment in Alexander Ormiston Curle's antiquarian career [Illus 1.1]. It is safe to assume that at the outset of the work in East Lothian on behalf of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, he had no expectation of such...Clarke, David
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Book chapter
Introduction
On 12 May 1919, a workman was digging on the Iron Age hillfort of Traprain Law in East Lothian, some 30km east of Edinburgh in south-east Scotland [p1]. The work had only restarted for a fortnight: excavations had been in abeyance for three years in the turmoil of the Great...Hunter, Fraser ; Kaufmann-Heinimann, Annemarie ; Painter, Kenneth
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Book chapter
Foreword
The late Roman silver hoard from Traprain Law is one of the treasures of National Museums Scotland and has excited international attention since its discovery a century ago.Breward, Christopher
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Blog post
The many lives of the Traprain Treasure’s Roman silver
One of the greatest treasures of our museum is the late Roman silver hoard from Traprain Law in East Lothian, which fills three display cases in the Early People gallery. Found in excavations in 1919, it’s been on display pretty much constantly since 1920. Now, more than a century after...Hunter, Fraser
Traprain Treasure, Silver, and Roman
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Book
Little black dress: a radical fashion
In 1926, Coco Chanel designed a simple, short black dress described in American Vogue as 'the frock that the entire world will wear'. This lavishly illustrated book with contributions from experts explores interpretations of the 'LBD' throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.Ripley, Georgina
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Journal article
William Littler in West Pans; His Marriage to Jane Booth
The hamlet of West Pans, 1 1/4miles east-north-east of Musselburgh on the south side of the Firth of Forth, included a rocky foreshore on which stood the saltpans from which the name is derived. However, it is not just salt production there from at least the 12th century, but the...Haggarty, George R ; Gaskell, Tony
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Blog post
Dressed to kill? A 16th century doublet in historical context
A dazzling Renaissance silk doublet is now on display in the Fashion and Style gallery at National Museums Scotland. In this blog Helen Wyld, Senior Curator of Historic Textiles, and Calum Robertson, Curator of Modern and Military History, take a deep dive into the history of the doublet, and its...Wyld, Helen ; Robertson, Calum
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Podcast
The Galloway Hoard
Listen in as Dr Adrián Maldonado and Dr Tim Carlisle discuss: ‘What is a hoard?’ and ‘what makes The Galloway Hoard so unique?’Maldonado, Adrián ; Carlisle, Tim
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Journal article
Synchrotron tomography of a stem lizard elucidates early squamate anatomy
Squamates (lizards and snakes) include more than 10,000 living species, descended from an ancestor that diverged more than 240 million years ago from that of their closest living relative, Sphenodon. However, a deficiency of fossil evidence1,2,3,4,5,6,7, combined with serious conflicts between molecular and morphological accounts of squamate phylogeny8,9,10,11,12,13 (but see...Tałanda, Mateusz ; Fernandez, Vincent ; Panciroli, Elsa ; Evans, Susan E ; Benson, Roger J
Skeleton, Herpetology , Phylogenetics , and Palaeontology
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Journal article
'Polished stone axehead' In: Claire Christie, Magnar Dalland. The excavation of a prehistoric settlement at Lower Slackbuie, Inverness
The expansion of Inverness southwards has led to the uncovering of a landscape rich in archaeological activity, dating from the Neolithic period onwards. The abundance of archaeological evidence as been interpreted as indicating that the area was a hub for prehistoric activity (Hatherley & Murray 2021). The excavation of an...Anderson-Whymark, Hugo
Grooved Ware, axe, linseed, scraper, flax, palisade, roundhouse, Carinated Bowl, and bangle
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Blog post
Objects in Place: Kilmartin Glen, Argyll
Every part of Scotland is historic, with stories for the telling. Whether rural or urban, landscapes and communities are the ultimate source of the objects we collect and display. Yet, it is easy to be so preoccupied with the objects themselves that we lose sight of where those objects were...Weinczok, David C
Scottish History, Bronze Age, Archaeology , Early Medieval Scotland , and Prehistory
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Journal article
Review of nose picking in primates with new evidence of its occurrence in Daubentonia madagascariensis
Nose picking (rhinotillexis) is a common behaviour in humans which remains, however, poorly studied. Several species of primates are known to pick their nose and ingest the nasal mucus suggesting that this behaviour may actually be beneficial and showing it is not restricted to humans. Here, we review relevant literature...Fabre, A.‐C ; Portela Miguez, R ; Wall, C E ; Peckre, L R ; Ehmke, E …
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Journal article
Ecological signal in the size and shape of marine amniote teeth
Amniotes have been a major component of marine trophic chains from the beginning of the Triassic to present day, with hundreds of species. However, inferences of their (palaeo)ecology have mostly been qualitative, making it difficult to track how dietary niches have changed through time and across clades. Here, we tackle...Fischer, Valentin ; Bennion, Rebecca F ; Foffa, Davide ; MacLaren, Jamie A ; McCurry, Matthew R …
palaeoecology, feeding guilds, high-density morphometricss, Cetacea, and marine reptile
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Newspaper article
Shedding new light on some of Scotland's greatest Roman silver treasures - Dr Fraser Hunter
One of the greatest treasures on display in the National Museum of Scotland is the late Roman silver hoard from Traprain Law in East Lothian, which fills three cases in the Early People gallery. Found in excavations in 1919, it’s been on display pretty much constantly since 1920. Now, more...Hunter, Fraser
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Blog post
Collecting Stories: How objects came into collections
Our new Collecting Stories gallery at the National Museum of Scotland looks the development of the National Collection and explores how and why we have acquired objects over two centuries and continue to do so today. John Giblin, Keeper of Global Arts, Cultures and Design, tells us more.Giblin, John
Black History Month , National Museum Of Scotland, Galleries , Colonial Histories And Legacies , and Collecting Stories
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Journal article
Scottish Edwardian hoards, 2019
The following three hoards were submitted to the Scottish Treasure Trove Unit in 2019, but Covid restrictions led to severe delays in identification and analysisHolmes, N M McQ. ; Savage, Carl
numismatic hoards, metal-detecting, coins, Treasure Trove Unit, Roslin, Midlothian, Cockburnspath, Berwickhire, and Caverton, Morebattle, Scottish Borders
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Book chapter
Ancient DNA and modelling the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in Britain and Ireland
The current paradigm-changing ancient DNA revolution is offering unparalleled insights into central problems within archaeology relating to the movement of populations and individuals, patterns of descent, relationships and aspects of identity – at many scales and of many different kinds. The impact of recent ancient DNA results can be seen...Sheridan, J A ; Whittle, Alasdair
Neolithic Studies Group, Britain, DNA, Ireland, and human migration