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Title: DISCOVERING THE PAST

Reference number: 5016

Date: 1975

Sponsor: Educational Films of Scotland

Production company: Templar Film Studios Education Unit

Sound: sound

Original format: 16mm

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 17.57 mins

Description: Magnus Magnusson introduces the story of a two year rescue dig at a prehistoric long-barrow near Edzell in Kincardineshire, Scotland. Under the supervision of Professor Stuart Piggott, members of the Department of Archaeology at Edinburgh University carefully dismantle the Dalladies barrow recording information before it is destroyed to create a gravel pit. Their findings proved that there were farmers in North East Scotland long before scholars previously thought possible. [Intended for secondary school pupils aged 12 - 15 years]

Also known as DIGGING UP THE PAST.

Credits: educational adviser Professor Stuart Piggot, B.Litt., F.S.A.
introduced by Magnus Magnusson

[ph. David Low, Maurice Ford
ed. D. Thomas]

Shotlist: ints schoolchildren looking around archaeological displays at Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery (0.36) archaeological dig in progress (0.50) title, superimposed over exts Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (1.20) introduction by Magnus Magnusson (1.56) gvs archaeological dig at prehistoric long-barrow near Edzell in Kincardineshire, Scotland (2.40) Professor Stuart Piggott (Department of Archaeology, Edinburgh University) explaining the making of accurate plans of site using cameras (3.51) c/u resulting plan showing contours etc (4.18) gvs dig getting underway, includes shot of men scything long grass (5.31) c/u diagram showing where stone walls were found (5.48) elevated shots of dig focussing on walls (6.52) shot of scientist taking soil sample from mound wall (7.29) ints lab, soil is analysed and examined (8.20) gvs dig and shots of carefully labelled pebbles and various samples in plastic bags (9.39) Magnus Magnusson to camera describing status of dig after four weeks (10.26) shots of people recording information, taking photographs and discovery of loose boulders (11.38) c/u diagram showing mortuary burial ground (11.49) gvs same in reality (13.19) ints lab where carbon dating is carried out on charcoal samples (13.57) gvs burial mound, featuring a surprising absence of bodies (14.23) large stone slab with unidentified curious indentations and a flint knife, both discovered in excavations (14.53) bulldozer starts demolishing mound under careful archaeological supervision, they discover later burial grounds including 'kist burials' (16.23) final demolition of site using bulldozer (16.47) Magnus Magnusson to camera, rounding off story and gvs archaeologists recording information (17.28) ints schoolchildren looking at archaeological displays in Kelvingrove Museum (17.52) ecs (17.57)