Renovation work for the gift shop at Scotland's historic Stirling Castle has unearthed the castle's 16th century defenses, which were built using the latest techniques around 1540. The defences were demolished during modernization in the 18th century.

Two elaborately carved altar stones have been unearthed in East Lothian, Scotland. The stones are dedicated to the Roman god Mithras and is the northernmost location that evidence of Mithraism has been found.

Historic Scotland plans to use medieval techniques to stop rain damage to a 15th century Scottish tower between St Boswells and Kelso. The landmark will be capped with a turf and clay roof.

Looking for a female equivalent to the male Scottish kilt? Consider the arisaid, a patterned, wrapped garment worn by women. The website eHow includes instructions for constructing an arisaid.

In 1300, William Wallace was purportedly given a safe conduct letter from King Philip IV of France to visit the Pope. The letter was confiscated when Wallace was captured by the English and has remained in their hands since. Now the Scottish government wants the note back.

Happy Viking New Year to one and all! The BBC offers a few shots of the most recent Up Helly Aa celebration in Scotland's Shetland Islands.

Copies of the famous Stirling Castle heads have been returned to their rightful place on the ceiling of the King's Inner Hall. A slideshow of the newly carved and painted heads is available on the BBC website. (photos)

Construction of new viewing stands for the Edinburgh Tattoo at the Castle has revealed a previously unknown boundary wall.

We invite everyone to our annual Court of Love given in honor of M'lady Alaine ni Deorin and her champion, our Lord Protector, Lord Drell McIan Blackwood.

New research by experts from Bangor University in Wales may show that the Vikings were not the first to reach Iceland. The first may have been Irish monks from the Scottish islands who travled there 70 years before their Nordic neighbors.

The British Red Cross has threatened a Scottish production of the pantomime show 'The Magical Adventures of Robin Hood" for placing a red cross on a nurse's costume.

The skeletal remains of a knight found at Stirling Castle in Scotland have been identified as those of English nobleman Sir John de Stricheley, who died in 1341. De Stricheley was probably killed by a Scottish arrow.

Residents of Musselburgh, Scotland may have to wait a little longer for their health care while city officials and archaeologists decide how to proceed with the excavation of "human remains, the bones of horses and weapons and culinary tools" dating to the Roman era.

An historic, 16th century stone archway on the grounds of Scone Palace in Perthshire was destroyed recently when a van driven by a contractor crashed into it.

A team of archaeologists is hoping to find the remains of Bernard of Kilwinning, the 14th century Scottish bishop who drafted the Declaration of Arbroath. The team is excavating a medieval monastery in the Ayrshire town of Kilwinning.

Scottish history buffs with time on their hands will want to check out the BBC Scotland's website which features a links list of stories and videos relating to Scottish history.

Experts in Fife, Scotland believe a cross carved into the wall of a farm could be "holy graffiti" created by a 13th century pilgrim on his way to the tomb of Saint Margaret. The stone was later used to build the farmer's wall.

Fans of Monty Python and the Holy Grail are expected to come from around the world to Doune Castle in September, to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the movie. The 14th century Scottish castley features prominently in the movie.

For the first time in centuries, the 16th century site in Edinburgh, Scotland where Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, was killed, is being excavated. Darnley was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.

The debate continues among archeologists and linguists over the symbols on over 200 carved stones dating to the time of the Picts in Scotland. Archeologists feel that the carvings are "symbolic markings that communicated information."

British metal detectorist David Booth, who in 2009 discovered four Iron Age torcs, has made another important discovery: a 13th century silver seal bearing a carving of a Roman figure in red jasper. (photo)

Medieval skills and traditions are passed on to a new generation of stonemasons each year at the stonemasonry workshop at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland. The workshop is a joint effort by the cathedral and Telford College.

Experts have determined that Scotch whiskey was born on June 1, 1495 when King James of Scotland commissioned Friar Jon Cor to makes eight bowls of the potent drink. Wired Magazine celebrates the event in their "This Day in Tech" column.

State-of-the-art technology has been used to reconstruct the face of a medieval knight whose skeleton was discovered beneath Stirling Castle in Scotland. (photo)

Archaeologists in Scotland are excited about the discovery of Roman altar stones found in a cricket pavilion in Musselburgh, East Lothian, finding them "the most significant find of their kind in the past 100 years."

Come join us at the Rhode Island Scottish Highland Festival Demo and Clan war on June 12, 2010. We have the honor of having this event be a Royal & Highnesses Progress.

Long thought to be artistic images of hunters and animals, the engravings on the famous Iron Age Pictish Stones are now believed to be the written language of the Pictish people, an ancient language recognized by the Venerable Bede.

An ad campaign by the British Museum in which the famous Lewis Chessmen are referred to as "Norwegian" has angered Scottish Members of Parliament.

A visit to Westminster Abbey will show visitors the tomb of King Richard II - or will it? Researchers are wondering if tests on remains found at a former Dominican friary in Stirling, Scotland might determine them to be those of the 14th century king.

As workers carefully dismantled several roof pinnacles at Rosslyn Chapel during a UK£13M renovation project, they found that one of the pinnacles was deliberately hollowed out during its fabrication to make a beehive.