A local historical society has helped discover the remains of a major early medieval ecclesiastical centre in north-west Scotland, shedding light on the spread of Christianity in Scotland and highlighting the importance of collaboration between archaeologists and local communities.

Analysis and radiocarbon dating of rusted iron objects uncovered during industrial gravel extraction reveals they are the largest mass find of Iron Age iron bars in Europe. Large enough to equip around 500 warriors with swords, they indicate production and trade of iron on an unprecedented scale.

Analysis of insect remains from a cave in Gran Canaria reveals how it was used by the island’s Indigenous people, questioning many pre-existing interpretations of Indigenous Canarian societies and helping refine our understanding of life in the Canary Islands prior to Spanish colonisation.