The BEST thing I ever found! | Tony Pollard. YouTube video by The Wars Beneath Our Feet

Trigger warning! Another short on Culloden has dropped. youtu.be/6d0Ui8DGrkc?...

Thanks Gary. We were very lucky with the weather!

What really happened on Britain's last Battlefield | Tony Pollard YouTube video by The Wars Beneath Our Feet

It’s been a long day but not as long as it was in 1746. If you enjoyed today’s video or haven’t watched it, here’s the 3 mins with a vital takeaway. Please like, subscribe & comment on the YouTube page so we can do more of this. youtube.com/shorts/PjfdA...

Two Planes, Three trains and two automobiles to get to Weimar in Germany today where l’m giving a keynote tomorrow. A long way from Culloden but l did pass through Halle which does have a connection.

What Really Happened on Britain’s Last Battlefield? | Tony Pollard YouTube video by The Wars Beneath Our Feet

On the 280th anniversary of Culloden we are pleased to release the first longer video on The Wars Beneath Our Feet. youtu.be/u_0gwZQ-FvI?si…

Thanks. Longer one out tomorrow

The Battle of Culloden Explained in 3 Minutes | Tony Pollard YouTube video by The Wars Beneath Our Feet

Retirement plans begin to come together. YouTube channel devoted to archaeology of conflict related topics. First up is a short take on Culloden. A longer video will debut tomorrow on 280th anniversary of the battle. Welcome to The Wars Beneath Our Feet! youtu.be/938hq-L16lk?...

I will and thanks. Sure we’ll both enjoy it!

Spent a chunk of weekend preparing keynote for a symposium in Germany late next week. Not the cheeriest subject matter, but important I think. It'll be the last academic presentation I give before retirement.

OTD 1461 Battle of Towton. Only place I've seen arrowheads come up on a medieval battlefield, thanks to Tim Sutherland & Simon Richardson for that day. Many thousands shot but only c.200 found. Type 16 with wings brazed onto shaft. Poss from bodies exhumed from battle graves.

Culloden yesterday. Never ceases to amaze me Jacobite right hit Cumberland’s left so hard after long run under fire. Here’s me in filmed recreation. My two post knackered observations - holding targe (shield) to cover me slowed me l lacked strength to raise sword above my head.

Measuring diameters with calipers and recording on worksheets

People weighing musket balls with small sets of digital scales

Fantastic day cataloguing all the lead shot from last year's fieldwork at #Culloden. Thanks to all the team of volunteer archaeologists and metal detectorists for helping weighing, measuring, photographing & colouring in @tonypollard.bsky.social

Two Men in Trench but not as you know it. Rich Herd l haven’t worked together since then but here we are 25 years later at Culloden, where it all started.

Today l taught my last session on the MLitt Conflict Archaeology and Heritage course before retirement at end of May, fittingly on Culloden. I co-founded the course with Dr Iain Banks back in 2005. In those 20 years l hope we’ve made a contribution to the field.

Recent fire in Glasgow, in same street as memorial to firefighters killed on duty, brought this 1941 painting to mind. Artist Leonard Rosoman was fireman in London Blitz & witnessed this 1940 incident which killed a colleague. He didn’t like it as felt too obvious. It’s stunning.

Spent a chunk of the day coming up with titles and writing abstracts for conference keynotes. Two down and one to go. Hope they have an overhead projector.

The things you find when clearing your office. A shot taken in 2001 when Ian Knight and I attended a ceremony at the old Zulu capital of oNdini to procure some Muthi (drugs) during the filming of the Secrets of the Dead episode on iSandlwana. A life time ago and a world away.

It is. Enjoyed seeing impact on youngsters who’d never seen it.

Enjoyed introducing the landmark 1964 Peter Watkins film Culloden and taking Q&A with my colleague Prof Andrew Mackillop for Scot Lit Film Club last night. Thanks to Dr Corey Gibson for the invite.

What a lovely thing to say, thank you.

Article in today’s Herald already posted by others but behind a paywall, so here’s an old school version. Apologies in advance to all those colleagues who never get credit in a feature like this.

Ralph on a recent visit to Culloden.

Digital illustration of a person kneeling down in a trench and picking up a tiny green bead with a trowel and their fingers

When uncovering traces of people from the past, evidence comes in all sizes, can be found everywhere and might not look like what we expect 🤔

Confused? Don't be! Learn more about how archaeologists uncover these stories and how you can get involved: www.digitscotland.com/what-is-arch...

A dreich day in Dunkeld showcasing two of my favourite spooky stories. The Wolf of Badenoch’s tomb has always been ‘Man-size in Marble’, but as a bonus the River Tay is doing a good job of standing in for the Danube with the island giving off strong ‘The Willows’ vibes.

No Ralph, they don’t do it on a T-shirt.

August 11, 1968. Three year old me on the shoulders of my grandfather witnessing the final run of a mainline steam-hauled passenger service in UK. The “Fifteen Guinea Special," ran from Liverpool to Carlisle, and marked the end of an era.

What colour is the boathouse, Ralph?

If they ever make a biopic of Peter Cushing, Tom Hiddleston’s yer man.

Cinematic takes on two battles appearing in my teaching tomorrow.