School pupils will hand over time capsules to be buried along the new stretch of the M74 today, as part of a special event to mark the end of the M74 Dig archaeology project.
While archaeologists on the M74 Dig have spent many months uncovering and piecing together the past, the dig team is hoping to make it a little easier for those in the future by burying time capsules along the route of the road to provide a snapshot of life in Glasgow today that will become the history of tomorrow.
Memories of the past will be celebrated today at a special event at Scotland Street School Museum to mark the end of the M74 Dig, the archaeology project which preceded construction of the M74 Completion. As well as handing over the time capsules, today’s event will also offer visitors an exciting opportunity to view a display of artefacts uncovered along the route and view the work done by the many schools and organisations involved in the dig.
Pupils from Glendale, St. Albert’s and Pollokshields Primary Schools in Glasgow and Burgh and St. Columbkille’s Primary Schools in Rutherglen were asked to select items to go into the time capsules. The children chose items that they felt illustrated everyday life such as maps, tickets and magazine clippings as well as modern toys and entertainment. Whether Star Wars Playstation games and High School Musical books will seem as unusual to the children of the future as the bone domino and simple piggybanks uncovered by the dig remains to be seen.
The M74 Dig, the largest project of its kind in the UK, took advantage of the opportunities offered by the construction of the M74 Completion to unearth, preserve and record some of the undiscovered history of Glasgow and its surrounding areas. The dig team excavated several sites along the route of the motorway including the Caledonian Pottery in Rutherglen; Govan Ironworks, known locally as Dixon’s Blazes, and a group of buried tenements off Pollokshaws Road. Knowledge was also gathered through the M74 Dig Oral History Project where people who lived or worked around the areas in which excavations took place and their relatives shared memories
By filling in the gaps of previously recorded history, the M74 Dig enables a more accurate picture of the area’s history to be painted and the project’s extensive public archaeology programme has allowed people of all ages to get involved. From exhibitions and archaeology masterclasses that let the public to get hands on with history to a packed schools outreach schedule which saw the creation of artworks, websites and even a theatre production, thousands of people played their part in preserving the past.
Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson said:
“The M74 Completion project is one of Scotland’s biggest transport infrastructure projects and demonstrates this Government’s commitment to investing in transport projects that will help increase sustainable economic growth. Completion of this vital missing link will reduce congestion and provide strategic transport links for industry in the West of Scotland.
Before beginning construction it was important to ensure that the local history and heritage was recorded and preserved as a lasting legacy for future generations. I was delighted to see so many schools getting involved with this project, giving children the opportunity to learn about their local history in such a fun and interesting way.
The hard work and effort that has gone into this project has paid dividends and I hope as many people as possible take the opportunity to learn more about what life was like for residents living in Glasgow many years ago.”
Councillor Ruth Simpson, Executive Member for Land & Environmental Services at Glasgow City Council, commented:
“The M74 Dig has been a vital part of the M74 Completion project as it has enabled sites of archaeological importance along the route, many of which were lying derelict, to be excavated. Information, artefacts and memories which may otherwise have remained undiscovered have now been recorded. This ensures that the history of these areas is not lost to our and future generations. The public archaeology programme has engaged with schools, community groups and individuals from the area and beyond giving them a unique opportunity to learn more about their local history and be involved in preserving it.”
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