Strongholds of the World

Interdisciplinary lecture series of the

Marburger Arbeitskreises für europäische Burgenforschung e.V., Germany,

and Aarhus University, research programme “Materials, Culture and Heritage”, Denmark

in 2022

5th meeting:

Kevin Kerr BA, Msc

Gurness: A new chapter for an old story

Among the hundreds of Broch structures in the Atlantic zone of modern Scotland, Gurness stands iconic. The brooding, two-thousand-year-old remains convey a real sense of the strength, power and success of a middle Iron Age community in Orkney. Interpretations have traditionally placed the towers as defensive, acting both as a village refuge and as a deterrent from coastal raids. Modern excavation elsewhere in Orkney, however, is proving that Broch complexes were much more integral to the lives of the communities they served. In this lecture, my aim is to introduce Gurness both as an existing icon of Broch studies but also to highlight its potential as a contributor to new interpretations.

Our speaker:

Kevin Kerr BA, Msc

Kerr has been involved in field Archaeology for the last 13 years with the last 6 based on Orkney. He currently works for the Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology (ORCA) as a field archaeologist. Kerr has been heavily involved on most of the major research digs on Orkney and has been the small finds officer for The Cairns Broch excavations since 2016. He is also a seasonal custodian at the Broch of Gurness for Historic Environment Scotland. Kerr currently is completing a Master of Research degree at the UHI based on the findings of excavations at The Cairns and their implications for older excavations such as Gurness.

When: Friday, February 11, 2022

Entry: 12:30 CET. Begin: 13:00 CET

Topic: Gurness: a new chapter of an old story

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://aarhusuniversity.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_q8a_6BChSR-sbWdl6LU1Pw

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.