Dr. Val Turner has been Shetland’s Regional Archaeologist since the post was created in 1986, and she lives in Shetland on a small croft with her husband. She has Project Managed two big excavations and public access projects on behalf of her employers, Shetland Amenity Trust: Old Scatness Broch saw the 12-year excavation of an Iron Age Broch and Village, which has rewritten the story of Scotland’s Iron Age; and Viking Unst saw the excavation of three longhouses and the construction of a replica longhouse and restoration of a replica Viking longship. Val is currently working on a project to conserve Old Scatness sustainably for the future; as well as the nomination for Old Scatness, Jarlshof, and Mousa to become UNESCO World Heritage Sites. She is a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London and of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and she is an Honourary Research Fellow at the University of Stirling. Her publications include a book about archaeology for children, accessible guidebooks and articles, as well as a wide range of academic publications about Shetland archaeology. Val frequently writes an archaeology column for the local paper and has presented, and currently co-presents, monthly programs about archaeology and the environment for BBC Radio Shetland. She loves surprising visitors with Shetland’s wealth of archaeology, and she has been guiding walks and tours in both Orkney and Shetland over many years, including several previous departures of this very AIA tour since 2015
Shetland’s Regional Archaeologist
