Scotland's early inhabitants were clearly skilled in their use
of the land's resources. The artefacts that have survived tell a
story of versatile and hardworking people, intent on survival.
Their tools, their weapons, their cooking utensils and jewellery
provide glimpses of what life was like.
Everyday objects
Every available material was put to work. Bone and antler were
versatile and widely used - the plastic of prehistory. Skins and
woven textiles provided clothes, shoes and horse trappings.
The display also explores how stone was used to make a variety
of objects, from tools and weapons to jewellery, as well as for
buildings and monuments.
Pottery and glass
A Generous Land follows the story of how the resources and
skills available to early people had an impact on eating, drinking,
working and living.
As people began to settle and farm the land, they developed
skills in making pottery and gradually Scotland’s inhabitants began
working with metal and glass.
Things to see
In A Generous Land you'll find all kinds of domestic objects,
from practical tools and clothing to decorative arts, including
objects found in Skara Brae, the neolithic group of houses in
Orkney. Fragments of a bow made from Irish yew form one of the
oldest exhibits, dating from 6000 BC, while a remarkably intact
woollen hood shows how people dressed over 1,200 years ago.