Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 65

A reassessment of Stuart Piggott's ground-breaking excavation of the henge. Using comparable material from elsewhere in Scotland, it is argued that the phasing should be revised. The lasting value of Piggott's clear, detailed and (as far as possible) objective account of the investigations is emphasised.

Describes a unique discovery and analyses the contents of the cache in detail. It is concluded that the cache represents artefacts imported from the north of Iceland during the Neolithic. Two earlier finds of caches of flint artefacts from Portpatrick are also described (see appendices).

Looks at architecture and constructive sequences; longevity of sites; the lifecycle of settlements; the content and distribution of finds assemblages from roundhouses; unusual depositional practices and their significance; the ordering of space in roundhouses; and considers the possible cosmological symbolism embodied in the design of houses.

Lithic assemblages from a variety of English later Bronze Age and Iron Age contexts are examined in an effort to stimulate debate about the later prehistoric exploitation of flint. It is concluded that flint finds should not be automatically written off as residual from earlier activity on settlement sites.

Reports on the investigation of a rock-cut chamber containing a cist, which was accidentally discovered in 1989 near Sandwick, on Mainland. The cist was exceptionally well constructed and contained cremation and inhumation burials. Radiocarbon dates indicate that the tomb had been used for burial over nearly two millennia, with the three main deposits dating from 2900--2500 BC, 2200--1900 BC and 1000--800 BC, respectively.

This paper, delivered as a Millennial Lecture to the Society of Antiquaries of London on 27 October 1999, considers the future of cultural heritage in the new Millennium. It briefly discusses recent developments towards the protection, management and conservation of archaeological remains and monuments at an international level and public attitudes towards cultural heritage. The power of certain heritage sites to attract visitors and their indispensable role in the tourist industry are considered, with plans for Stonehenge presented as a case study. Research frameworks for archaeology were defined in the early 1980s and the role of the Prehistoric Society in formulating these, and the extent to which they have been implemented is described. The paper concludes by suggesting four main themes for the new Millennium, of concern for the discipline in general and the Prehistoric Society in particular.