Archaeology InSites

Is a skatepark heritage? Here we look at how ‘The Vennie’ in Livingston became the first skatepark to feature in the National Record of the Historic Environment, and explore the meaning of heritage through the tool of community-led archaeology.

The Kelpies are two huge horse head sculptures that rise out of the carselands to the west of Grangemouth. They form a landmark on the edge of the M9 motorway, and are a well-known tourist attraction. Not only do these public art giants commemorate the contribution that horses have made to human endeavour, but they also exemplify public art as a vital part of our ever-changing landscape. The Kelpies are a great example of art that can be considered as one of the latest ways in which humans are affecting the landscape around them. By applying archaeological thought to the Kelpies we can begin to explore the role of public art as an archaeological ‘deposit’ that can be found across and beyond the rapidly-changing landscape of Scotland’s central belt.