About Us

A History of Archaeologists

In 2020, Douglas and Angus met Erik – the former two farmers with a passion for history, the latter an archaeology and anthropology student at the University of St Andrews. Together, a plan was hatched to involve the Fife community in exploring their history, studying the changing landscape in and around Pittarthie Farm. The Petardy Historic Landscape Project was born.

We started small. A group of six plucky students – ‘the Frozen Chosen’ – conducted an initial field survey of the farm in the winter of 2020-2021, identifying key sites of exploration and drawing up a project plan for our first field season.

Then we began to grow. With the generous advice of academics at the University of St Andrews and the financial help of the University and Students Association, the project embarked on its foundational field season in June and July of 2021. Over four weeks, a group of twenty students placed trial trenches across the farm to begin to shed light on key sites in the farm’s history. Here, Kristoffer and Joe joined Erik in the field and in the project’s management.

We continue to grow today, and would like to encourage you to join us in discovering Fife’s past!

Our Team

Director — Erik Crnkovich (ec829@cantab.ac.uk)
GIS technician — Kristoffer Naas (2906791n@student.gla.ac.uk)
Site supervisor — Joe Lippitt (jpl24@st-andrews.ac.uk)
Head of archaeobotany — Anna Robinson (ar324@st-andrews)
Communications — Emma Macartney (em300@st-andrews.ac.uk)
Historical researcher — Calum Muir (calum.john.muir@gmail.com)

From left to right: Erik, Kristoffer, Joe, and Anna

Acknowledgements

Our sincerest thanks and appreciation to Patrick, Douglas, and Angus Bowden-Smith for permitting our research, for their stewardship of the land, and for often being a source of great insight, encouragement, and delightful mischief!

We also owe an enormous debt of gratitude to a number of scholars: to Professor Richard Bates for conducting and instructing us in geophysical survey; to Professor Rebecca Sweetman and Mr Tom Dawson for continued support and invaluable advice on establishing this project; and to Mr Derek Hall for crucial instruction and insight on our ceramics.

Finally, our heartiest of thanks to members of the team who have moved on to new projects and adventures:

Katrina Bolman — Museum Curator (2021-22)
Tai Sherman — Archaeobotany Assistant (2021-22)