Outer Hebrides project secures funding to extend digital heritage experience

The team behind the Uist Virtual Archaeology Project and Uist Unearthed have been awarded funding for a new three-year digital heritage interpretation project.

Led by the archaeology team at UHI North, West and Hebrides, based at Cnoc Soilleir, South Uist, the funding will create brand new augmented reality experiences at six archaeological sites across Barra and Harris spanning the Mesolithic period to the early 20^th century.

The project is supported by £616,230 funding from Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the SSEN Transmission’s Regional Community Benefit Fund, and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

The Uist Unearthed app has been downloaded over 7,800 times since launching in 2021. Using innovative digital interpretation technology and augmented reality to bring five archaeological sites along the Hebridean Way to life, the project has helped support a growth in visitor numbers to archaeological sites across the Outer Hebrides.

Overall, the project directly engaged more than 11,000 people in Uist’s archaeology, through the app, exhibitions, engagement activities and pop-up events. In 2022 the Council for British Archaeology identified the Uist Virtual Archaeology Project as 2022 winners in three categories at the annual Archaeological Achievement Awards: Archaeological Innovation, Public Dissemination and Presentation, and Overall Outstanding Achievement.

Joanna Peteranna, director of area operations at HIE, said: “Following the success of the digital archaeology project in Uist, we are delighted to be able to provide support to this fantastic project that creates brand new augmented reality experiences at other sites across Barra and Harris.

"This is an innovative project that will use state-of-the-art technologies to provide a high-quality, engaging experience.  The project aims to empower the Outer Hebrides by boosting visitor numbers, creating and retaining jobs, and promoting Gaelic which is deeply rooted in the area’s history and daily life. We look forward to working with the archaeological team at UHI North, West and Hebrides as they develop the project.”

Read more on the UHI North, West and Hebrides website