ACFA comprises holders of the Certificate of Field Archaeology from University of Glasgow. Membership is also open to those with similar or greater archaeology qualifications and associate membership to those who have demonstrated an interest and experience in field survey.
With over thirty years of experience our membership, of varied backgrounds mostly retired, are active field archaeologists surveying, publishing reports and taking part in voluntary excavations. Interests include archaeology, local history, rock art and settlement history.
ACFA has three rock art teams, Glasgow North working north of the Clyde, approximately from Gairloch to Rutherglen; Glasgow South working south of the Clyde, approximately from the South Lanarkshire border to the area between the White and Black Cart rivers, and the Clyde to the upper Irvine Valley; Glasgow West working mainly in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. We are also interested in surveying elsewhere as opportunities present themselves. Current examples of these would include (but are not restricted to) Glen Lochay, Pitlochry, the Pentlands.
Three aspects in particular draw us to this project; firstly, the value for interpretation purposes of the Scotland-wide dimension of the project; secondly, the sheer mystery of their purpose, and what light the project might throw on this aspect; and thirdly, to locate and record currently unknown rock-art panels. We welcome the opportunity to address the rock art distribution enigmas and to perhaps qualify, eliminate or direct attention to the many unresolved or currently undetectable sites which appear in the record and frustrated aspirant searchers over the years. In terms of additional activities, we would be particularly interested in publications, surveys of other archaeological evidence nearby, and the recruitment of individuals from the locality both to participate in projects and to join ACFA.
Training in Faifley with ACFA (November 2017)