The Roman army was drawn from many corners of the vast Roman Empire

Discover how research and collecting at National Museums Scotland is reshaping understandings of Scotland in the past as we take a closer look at a very special Roman object with surprising Egyptian origins.

Archaeological finds from Rome's invasions of Scotland can be found throughout the country, from the Solway Firth to Moray. Three of the most prominent sites are Trimontium, Traprain Law, and the Antonine Wall.

Buried around the middle of the 5th century AD, this hoard of Roman silver from Traprain Law in East Lothian is the largest known from outside the Roman Empire.

See five highlight objects that summarise the legacy of Rome's invasions of Scotland

Grammar of Ornament was Owen Jones’ design masterpiece. First published in 1856, the lavish folio highlighted stunning patterns, motifs and ornaments in 112 illustrated plates.

Discover objects on loan to the new Trimontium Museum in the Scottish Borders

Discover the story and view the beautiful objects of an extraordinary ancient Egyptian tomb.

Forts were not just military bases, they became the heart of communities

Tools to help aid teaching and learning about the Romans in Scotland

In 1997, ferryman Robert Graham unearthed a sandstone sculpture from the mud of the River Almond, Cramond, Edinburgh. It turned out to be one of the most important Roman finds in decades.

Two detailed funerary papyri tell the stories of the high official Montsuef and his wife Tanuat, whose intact Roman-era family burial was excavated by Alexander Henry Rhind.

A unique, full-length mummy shroud, which is over 2,000 years old yet is still in remarkable condition, has been discovered in National Museums Scotland’s collections.

A unique jar of rock crystal and gold from the Galloway Hoard with a fascinating history – and an intriguing name on it.

Discover the story of Scotland’s early silver and how this precious metal helped to shape the first kingdoms of Scotland.

Our ancient Southern European collections offer a window onto the diverse cultures that flourished along the Mediterranean coast in antiquity.

This display highlights a small selection from our Scottish History & Archaeology collections, showing how research and collecting at National Museums Scotland is reshaping understandings of Scotland in the past, and reflecting the Scotland of today for future generations of museum visitors.

Our collections represent Scottish material culture from the earliest times to the present day.

Your journey of discovery starts here...

Join curator Margaret Maitland for a guided virtual tour of our Ancient Egypt Rediscovered gallery.

This sofa once graced one of London’s most splendid mansions, part of an opulent 18th-century interior scheme which was the height of Georgian fashion.

Uncover the history of this iconic Celtic trumpet, and find out how it has been reconstructed to bring the music of the past to life.

Tamworth pigs are well suited to the Scottish climate and are one of the oldest surviving pig breeds.

This Byzantine sardonyx bowl mounted on a 16th-century gold stand is truly a magnificent object.

Our stunning ancient Egypt exhibition The Tomb presented the story of one extraordinary tomb, built around 1290BC and reused for over 1000 years.

Alexander Henry Rhind (1833–1863) was the first archaeologist to conduct systematic excavations in Egypt in the 1850s.

The destruction of Hamilton Palace, the grandest stately home in Britain, was one of the greatest losses to national heritage ever to happen in this country. This is the story of how Scotland’s biggest treasure trove was won and lost.

Salvaged from a shipwreck, this pocket watch has lain under water for over 300 years. But now a high-tech process has uncovered the hidden secrets of this rusty artefact.

National Museums Scotland’s ancient Egyptian coffin collection remains largely unknown and has many exceptional items.

This witch's iron collar (or jougs) was owned by the parish of Ladybank in Fife in the 17th century.

A 10th-century hoard found on the Isle of Skye contained 19 dirhams, silver coins from the Islamic emirates of central Asia. These were not exotic curiosities collected by a Viking traveller, but evidence of trade routes connecting Scotland across vast distances at the turn of the first millennium.

The lidded vessel which contained the Galloway Hoard's most precious treasures is itself a revelation.

Our Scotland galleries guide you from the Palaeolithic era to the present day, from the earliest cultures to space age science, prehistory to pop culture.

This box inscribed with the name of Pharaoh Amenhotep II is one of the finest examples of decorative woodwork to survive from ancient Egypt.