Heather
@heatheronthehill.bsky.social
Archaeology PhD Student at UHI Orkney, Scotland. Mom, wife, teacher, writer, sewist, avid reader. Recovering actor/producer. I hang around graveyards and find out where people died for posterity (Necrogeography).
Find your stage door and open it
Find your stage door and open it
Pinned
Heather
@heatheronthehill.bsky.social
· Nov 7
My PhD's on island identities from 1825-1925 in Orkney based on memorial data to pinpoint death sites. My M.Litt was similar, but much smaller based on the kirkyard in my profile header above. Love the St. Magnus Cathedral kirkyard so much. Here's me there in July 2022, about 40 pounds heavier, too!
LIT REVIEW DRAFT SUBMITTED! Saw this beautiful sunset rainbow as I left the college. ❤️ Even nature is smiling!
January 12, 2026 at 3:43 PM
LIT REVIEW DRAFT SUBMITTED! Saw this beautiful sunset rainbow as I left the college. ❤️ Even nature is smiling!
It's a winter wonderland out there, so I turned into a faerie. 🤷
January 5, 2026 at 9:19 PM
It's a winter wonderland out there, so I turned into a faerie. 🤷
Old St. Andrews Burial Ground under Orkney snow. I braved the cold and walked across the road from the cottage to get these photos. 🥶 Thought you might enjoy these, @sarahtarlow1.bsky.social!
January 3, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Old St. Andrews Burial Ground under Orkney snow. I braved the cold and walked across the road from the cottage to get these photos. 🥶 Thought you might enjoy these, @sarahtarlow1.bsky.social!
I had a friend helping me to plan meals early this morning.
December 21, 2025 at 9:43 AM
I had a friend helping me to plan meals early this morning.
My literature review draft is done and I kind of want to drop some dynamite on it. Are these normal feelings?
December 17, 2025 at 3:31 PM
My literature review draft is done and I kind of want to drop some dynamite on it. Are these normal feelings?
Reposted by Heather
DEATH, COMMEMORATION, AND CULTURAL MEANING: Past and Present, edited by Robert Spinelli @librarianchef.bsky.social and Robyn S. Lacy @graveyardarch.bsky.social has now been published!
Find out more here: bit.ly/4oq7xqO
#CulturalStudies #History #Archaeology
Find out more here: bit.ly/4oq7xqO
#CulturalStudies #History #Archaeology
December 17, 2025 at 2:02 PM
DEATH, COMMEMORATION, AND CULTURAL MEANING: Past and Present, edited by Robert Spinelli @librarianchef.bsky.social and Robyn S. Lacy @graveyardarch.bsky.social has now been published!
Find out more here: bit.ly/4oq7xqO
#CulturalStudies #History #Archaeology
Find out more here: bit.ly/4oq7xqO
#CulturalStudies #History #Archaeology
First draft my literature review is done! It still needs a ton of revision, but it's out of my head on to paper. 🎉
December 5, 2025 at 2:47 PM
First draft my literature review is done! It still needs a ton of revision, but it's out of my head on to paper. 🎉
First ever PhD research poster and presentation! It was so much fun!
November 14, 2025 at 9:01 PM
First ever PhD research poster and presentation! It was so much fun!
Who said archaeologists aren't silly sometimes? Saw a bunch of mushroom fairy rings in the kirkyards today while out taking photos and kept jumping into them because I felt like tempting fate. Sadly, was not kidnapped by a hot fairy high lord. 🤷 Husband was not so amused. 😆
October 21, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Who said archaeologists aren't silly sometimes? Saw a bunch of mushroom fairy rings in the kirkyards today while out taking photos and kept jumping into them because I felt like tempting fate. Sadly, was not kidnapped by a hot fairy high lord. 🤷 Husband was not so amused. 😆
I climbed a medieval tower in an ankle length dress and nearly died on the stairs for this dumb photo. But it turned out pretty good.
September 25, 2025 at 9:12 PM
I climbed a medieval tower in an ankle length dress and nearly died on the stairs for this dumb photo. But it turned out pretty good.
At the Viking Festival a few weeks ago here in Orkney. I had to take 6 inches off that costume because I've lost so much weight!
September 22, 2025 at 7:53 AM
At the Viking Festival a few weeks ago here in Orkney. I had to take 6 inches off that costume because I've lost so much weight!
Playing hooky from Lit Review writing tomorrow to check out Tomb of the Eagles. I hear there's a trolley you can use instead of crawling in on hands and knees. Whee!
September 10, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Playing hooky from Lit Review writing tomorrow to check out Tomb of the Eagles. I hear there's a trolley you can use instead of crawling in on hands and knees. Whee!
@kfed-archaeology.bsky.social Have not seen the Stronsay Beast while living in Orkney. I did visit the Devil's Claw Marks in Sanday, though, while digging a Neolithic site. The story goes that he chased a minister who was committing adultery and got locked out of the church, so he clawed the stone.
August 18, 2025 at 2:55 PM
@kfed-archaeology.bsky.social Have not seen the Stronsay Beast while living in Orkney. I did visit the Devil's Claw Marks in Sanday, though, while digging a Neolithic site. The story goes that he chased a minister who was committing adultery and got locked out of the church, so he clawed the stone.
Lit Review Outline is almost 17,000 words and it needs to be 10,000. 😅I think I'm going to have to split this up and make some of this my Introduction chapter. On the other hand...I have a rough outline of two chapters only 6 months in? 🤷
August 18, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Lit Review Outline is almost 17,000 words and it needs to be 10,000. 😅I think I'm going to have to split this up and make some of this my Introduction chapter. On the other hand...I have a rough outline of two chapters only 6 months in? 🤷
This lit review outline went from one page to twelve in ten days and I'm not even half way through my sources yet. This is going to be a beast. It's due August 21 and I'm pushing to get through it all!
July 15, 2025 at 3:15 PM
This lit review outline went from one page to twelve in ten days and I'm not even half way through my sources yet. This is going to be a beast. It's due August 21 and I'm pushing to get through it all!
Back in the field!
July 13, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Back in the field!
@sarahtarlow1.bsky.social It just struck me how weird it feels to be reading your thesis literally across the road from St. Andrews. I still think it's hilarious that I wound up here. Only place available! I didn't know about the step that's a reused stone, so I just went over and found it.
July 7, 2025 at 1:15 PM
@sarahtarlow1.bsky.social It just struck me how weird it feels to be reading your thesis literally across the road from St. Andrews. I still think it's hilarious that I wound up here. Only place available! I didn't know about the step that's a reused stone, so I just went over and found it.
Two Camp Mystic girls found alive!!!! THANK GOD!
July 5, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Two Camp Mystic girls found alive!!!! THANK GOD!
I didn't go to Camp Mystic as a kid, but I went to Camp Flaming Arrow two camps downriver from Mystic. I also excavated in the area for 2 years for field schools. I know Kerrville and Hunt well and my heart is breaking for the parents of the missing girls. ☹️
July 5, 2025 at 10:25 AM
I didn't go to Camp Mystic as a kid, but I went to Camp Flaming Arrow two camps downriver from Mystic. I also excavated in the area for 2 years for field schools. I know Kerrville and Hunt well and my heart is breaking for the parents of the missing girls. ☹️
I'm not going too much into emotions in archaeology in my dissertation, just a brief lit review and acknowledging that memorials are emotional objects. Prime example: my late sister LOVED cookies. I didn't know what was on her stone, but I sure laughed my butt off when I first saw it. 😆❤️🍪
July 2, 2025 at 7:20 AM
I'm not going too much into emotions in archaeology in my dissertation, just a brief lit review and acknowledging that memorials are emotional objects. Prime example: my late sister LOVED cookies. I didn't know what was on her stone, but I sure laughed my butt off when I first saw it. 😆❤️🍪
Companies that suck and I will never do business with as either an author or a cosplayer: Dark Flame Society. I don't work with liars and bullies.
June 29, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Companies that suck and I will never do business with as either an author or a cosplayer: Dark Flame Society. I don't work with liars and bullies.
This Lit Review is giving me a headache.
June 9, 2025 at 2:58 PM
This Lit Review is giving me a headache.
Got a very part time job supply teaching in Orkney! Can't keep me out of the classroom for long! 😆
May 29, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Got a very part time job supply teaching in Orkney! Can't keep me out of the classroom for long! 😆
First visit to the burial ground across the road from our cottage, one of my research sites. @sarahtarlow1.bsky.social I bet this looks familiar! 😃
May 28, 2025 at 8:31 PM
First visit to the burial ground across the road from our cottage, one of my research sites. @sarahtarlow1.bsky.social I bet this looks familiar! 😃
Sold our house in Texas today! That's our last major tie with the USA and we have a nice tidy sum to tuck into savings for the future if we decide to stay in the UK down the road.
May 23, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Sold our house in Texas today! That's our last major tie with the USA and we have a nice tidy sum to tuck into savings for the future if we decide to stay in the UK down the road.