Picts And Hermits (Fife) | S12E08 | Time Team

After you watch this episode, check out the official commentary video on the Time Team Official KZbin Channel! • Time Team Commentary: ...
Wemyss Caves, on the shore of the Firth of Forth, have been a famous landmark for centuries. Legend has it that they were occupied by Pictish people who scared the Romans into building Hadrian's Wall and that later they were home to medieval Christian hermits and later to Jacobean nobles. Now the caves are under serious threat from erosion from the sea, but the caves have never been properly investigated.
Series 12, Episode 08
Time Team is a British TV series following specialists who dig deep to uncover as much as they can about Britain's archaeology and history.
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[@CP-Magma]

I'm a vonunteer at the charity devoted to maintaining those caves - it feels weird to see the time team roaming around and digging in the caves I walk through every week.

[@toomanyopinions8353]

Glad to hear they're still accessible! Have there been any more recent excavations?

[@mydogsareneat]

Id gladly move clean across the world to help you guys out. Happy you get a time team take around your labours im sure !😊

[@MetalDetectingWithBart]

Woooo ghosts (rthey haunted?)

[@deniswilliams2212]

Is it eroded very badly now? It seems ashamed to have lost it all🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@raerae3566]

no, its the same!

[@nzlemming]

As a Kiwi, I always enjoy hearing Bridget on Time Team. The familiar vowels amongst the varied British accents was like clear water in a desert.

[@Merylstreep1949]

I'm totally gonna steal "That's not enough to wash a dirty hermit" as the catchphrase of 2021 lol 😆

[@cherylkurucz8852]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@nigelprosser5692]

😝😝

[@alextw1488]

Trowelling through the 'party layer' to reach the floor level. All very relatable.

[@saraskold9631]

almost spit out my water at the screen when he said that

[@samscannell3292]

🤣

[@TheKencoffee]

I've had to do that a few mornings in my twenties.

[@jameswatters2012]

I live about 13 miles inland to the northwest of Wemyss in a village called Lochore. I was extremely happy that Time Team took the time to uncover history in my local area as it was one of my late dad’s and mine favourite shows. It really needs to be brought back onto our tv screens. ♥️

[@hydranmenace]

At least it will be back to our computer screens.

[@roonilwazlib3089]

Not underwater then 🤣

[@dalekundtz760]

We have to get older to appreciate programs like this. I heard stories and the history of my family from my elders, but it wasn't until I got older that I have appreciated that which I had been told. I hope my kids and grandkids are smarter then I. By the time I appreciated history, all my elders had passed and couldn't answer my questions.

[@jeneticallymodified1]

@@dalekundtz760 uh.... we watched it in my college archaeology classes and appreciated it. don't assume everyone is like you. ;-)

[@MossyMozart]

@@roonilwazlib3089 - it's coming, dear heart.

[@L0j1k]

I can tell maybe they thought this wasn't a good episode due to the finds, but honestly this is one of my favorite episodes.

[@BenLemay77]

The perfect video to show the scientific process. Each discovery could easily be taken blindly as a proof of pictish activity, but instead each discovery was challenged with more plausible explanations and the search continued. Great work

[@jamescooper-hope6930]

Confirmation bias be damned.

[@wendymiller3364]

They already have proof of pictish activity: carved pictures on the cave walls

[@SmithCaro]

Bridge's Kiwi accent ... was always and still quite proud of her time on Time Team ... fellow Kiwi

[@hannahpoynter7675]

Same here!!

[@madcowusa4277]

She was quite a looker in some earlier episodes. Not interested, but hard not to notice. I looked her up some time ago and appears she moved back to NZ to settle down/raise kids and teach archaeology/volunteer. Always enjoyed her input.

[@Tiger89Lilly]

I wonder if she'll make an appearance in the new series

[@52ponybike]

@@Tiger89Lilly New series? Where and about what?

[@jturtle5318]

Wearing her hard hat backwards.

[@guinevere4365]

🌈🎵🎶❤️🌿🤠🐾🐾🍀🌈 I love reading all these recent comments! I’m stuck in 2021 turmoil in the USA and so wish I could be transported back to a Time Team dig in Scotland. I’ve probably watched every episode several times over. Love to all fellow Time Teamers!!

[@NerdWorldHistory]

I've missed Time Team since it went off. Can't wait for the new episodes

[@dsloop3907]

I have watched every episode, twice.

[@Monica_Baja]

I just wish Tony was still the host 😢,but will give the BB new host(s) a chance

[@DrivermanO]

Look at Victor's drawing of the hermit in the pool at 42.43. That's a dead ringer for Mick!

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

Total coincidence. Honest ! 😉

[@northwall9243]

Incredible episode. Love seeing some archaeology on the Picts

[@paulbourdon1236]

That was just starting to really get interesting, they need a part 2!

[@madmaxmcinnes4102]

I used to live in East Wemyss, and those caves were just 300 yards walk from the house ......... there's more caves than they showed here though.

[@mac9743]

I lived in that area about 1200 years ago in a past life. I smoked some herb and banged a wench in that bathtub.

[@Dovietail]

That bull carving is amazing. T'aint what a bull looks like, it's what a bull BE.

[@juliajs1752]

Wait, is that a(n amended) Pratchett quote? GNU!

[@leostile8857]

What a brilliant episode, thoroughly enjoyed it. Great work.

[@irenecoermann2439]

I love Victor's pictures of horses. He was quite the horseman I understand.

[@wildcardgal]

I always appreciated how his humans weren't "pretty people" but relateable as ordinary humans living their lives.

[@alcidae]

I believe they prefer to be called ‘Centaurs’.

[@Lucius1958]

@@alcidae Wonder if he's related to the fellow on the Glamis Cross? 😉

[@susanmacdonald4288]

My grandfather was from Thurso, and I know that generations past were from the same area. I know that people move around, but I'd like to think that at least a few of my distant ancestors were Picts.

[@susierosido790]

Definitely warriors. Nice bloodline!

[@susanmacdonald4288]

@@susierosido790 And my 3 x great grandfather founded Glenmoranie Distillery. Pretty great bragging rights for a Scot, lol!

[@susanmacdonald4288]

@Napoleon Hercules My dad was fair, and his was the Scottish side. Four of us kids were fair, and four had dark hair. So maybe no Pict ancestry from that side. Mom had black hair, but she had some Irish ancestry, so I'm guessing that her hair was Black Irish colouring.

[@jonericus]

An ancient Pictish drinking game: Take a shot of Scotch every time you hear "rising sea levels".

[@jlselc]

Good lord, I'd be drunk 24/7. Guess that's one way to deal with the hype.(hysteria). LOL 2mm per year? Some land comes up and some goes down. Sad that people have bought in hook, line and sinker.

[@61shirley]

@@jlselc couldn’t agree more. It’s nice to see people seeing through it

[@phimister78]

I live in this town and the sealevel has never changed its exact same as he has always been. the erosion is the problem.

[@Lemma01]

How refreshing to find some sensible reflections on this topic. We know sea levels have risen 100m before industrialisation, and would appear to rise and fall on a regular cycle. Disturbed by the odd impact from space. Which worries me rather more than wet feet... 😉

[@phimister78]

@@Lemma01 Well that’s very strange because I have a picture of me standing with my father at the the harbour sea wall and the sea level is exactly the same today 50 years on . so I find it very difficult to believe your nonsense.

[@SteveMurnaghan]

First time seeing Tony with his goatee, interesting phase! In all seriousness, love Time Team!!!!

[@kokeshkokesh]

An episode I actually haven't seen! Great! Love it, it is so different from other episodes!

[@martialme84]

Love Phil so much...

[@MakeItWithJim]

The folk in Fife and Tayside still like their tattoos - I can imagine that the C16th painting is accurate

[@butchparks4273]

I can truly say that I have watched every show that time team has shown and I believe that my DNA is of the country in witch these findings are from.i can not get enought of them please make more

[@JesseP.Watson]

I've noted that 'two banded circles' motif elsewhere in pictish carvings and I personally wonder if it represents 2 buttons with a loop around them - I saw it in another collection of carvings on a monolith where a very obvious needle and thread was featured. Alongside the fish, it makes sense that they would focus on relating those things important in their crafts - the button fastener being a very useful invention (and distinct from the pins for example otherwise used).

[@lizdyson3627]

What a facinating Episode.

[@edwardndriskoll]

A car being driven inside the cave and set a fire. Has to be a first out of all the time teams ive watched. Haha. Watch Phill has a story that can beat it. Haha Love Team Time and Im from the States. A1. ✌ Peace and Ja Love 💘

[@nenyia6707]

i used to live in Buckhaven just a bit down the coast form wemyss, and we used to walk along the beach to the caves, nice to see it all again

[@Merylstreep1949]

Ooh, a Carenza episode!!!✨✨✨✨✨🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️👍👍👍🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳👌👌👌

[@DK640OBrianYT]

Funny. The piece of flint in the end of the intro is ever so reminiscent of the flint Phil's holding in his hand in the 1991 Time Signs. It's like the thread of the stroytelling is living on even to this day in 2021, 30 years later. Amazing.

[@soniahamilton9914]

This was Fascinating! So awful and sad that the silver got sold and melted down!😥

[@pinkyfull]

There is a way to save these, and that is simply for the government to pay the same amount as the peddler. Seems a bit ridiculous that anyone would not provide such a huge treasure trove just because they could actually get money for it from some less than scrupulous individuals. That way nobody would be tempted to just biff it for a cheap payday

[@nicolawebb6025]

@@pinkyfull that's not how treasure trove works. The artifacts are evaluated by appointed experts and given a value. The items then must be made available for sale to museums at that price. The profits go to the landowner and finder. If no museum is interested the landowner/finder can keep the objects. It was probably more about having to pay tax on the sale. Stupid really as their value as historic items would far outweigh their weight in silver

[@johnkeller6063]

As an American I stumbled on these videos. I'm enjoying them.

[@alexevans4877]

Must be weird to not have any history? Or do you see yourselves as like "1/18th, somewhere with a past."

[@claireandersongrahamkeller2744]

I love them, too! It is my exploration of my true HOME, as an American with Scottish roots from my father - born in Zetland - back to The Irish Dalriada, 490's AD. Roots hold and carry us all, from the love of thousands.

[@brucecollins4729]

@@claireandersongrahamkeller2744 well, the myth of the irish invading the west off scotland is what it is myth.

[@souloftheteacher9427]

@@alexevans4877 Must be weird to not have any awareness of history other than your own? A bit provincial are we?

[@alexevans4877]

@@souloftheteacher9427 What are you talking about? My strongest areas of history are Inca, Mayan, north west plains Indians, Sumerian, Thracian, Celts, Brythonic celts. But yes, I am provincial in the sense I dont come from one of the cities that are a big "Melting pot" My DNA, just like those that live around me can be dated back to the first humans to settle my lands after the last ice age. In an unbroken chain until today. My people have suffered invaders, but are still happy in our "Provincial lifestyle" Much rather that than come across as a sneering imperialist such as you. Maybe your comment would hold weight 300 years ago, before one could use a train to attend a school, or before the invention of the internet. You just show your disdain for people you think are beneath you, us provincial people could never be educated on any subject outside of our mono culture surely. There is no shame in being one people, even in a time when globalists seem to revel in the destruction of other races. So spare me your lecture on why whatever conquered land you inhabit is all fair in love and war, (but no not today, as you have evolved so much now surely) Trace your ancestry, and then go back, you are likely a blight on whatever peoples lands you find yourself in.

[@benmacdui9328]

Great to see they managed to find one Scottish person to appear on the show.

[@johnnypickles5256]

Hope youre not counting a gael as an original jock

[@benmacdui9328]

​@@johnnypickles5256 That makes zero sense. Not surprising coming from a thick Englisher like yourself.

[@SissysMa]

Ah the dig at Wemyss caves, very close to my hometown 🏡 One of my faves as I remember seeing the cave art whilst on a school trip to Wemyss caves many moons ago 😅

[@SissysMa]

@Marquee Mark not yet.....

[@timothygarrett2785]

I love the time team, despite their banter and everything else it is extremely interesting and informative

[@patiencehypatience9128]

BECAUSE of their banter.

[@MossyMozart]

@@patiencehypatience9128 - In SPITE of their banter and trips to bars and that Tony guy.

[@wakcackle3555]

Repeating seasonal bounty during good weather with a pool of collected fresh water. It's a vacation home.

[@TechGorilla1987]

"Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" ~~Pink Floyd

[@milliebanks7209]

I love the way the on-lookers stand around with arms crossed! They must be thinking that Phil does not know what the hell he is doing!

[@nicolawebb6025]

By the time they made this one EVERYONE in Britain knew Phil was an expert

[@davekinghorn9567]

The town that bears my Family name is just 6 miles to the south along the Fife road. Makes me wonder if they were digging through the family crypts. This is by far the most interesting TV show ever. I wonder why we never got it over here in USA? Thank God for the internet.

[@componenx]

As far as a US version of time team, we did get it, and it was terrible! Basically, they tried to make it exciting, and utterly failed. Typical US TV!

[@RKHageman]

We did, actually- season 5 and 6 were shown on Discovery Channel back in 2000 - 2001. That’s when I first saw it. Until I found it on KZbin in 2018, I had no idea that TT ran for 20 years!

[@malcolmformosa1772]

I'm watching from all the way down under from Mount Gambier in the State Of South Australian and I am watching and also sharing with my eldest daughter Amber to watch Yeah.🥇🇦🇺🦘⚜️👑⚜️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧

[@deltadom33]

Keep the episodes coming

[@misterfixie6003]

24:27 - silversmith almost takes a red hot spark in the eye.

[@Brinta3]

24:24

[@danielciurro4742]

Well, Rome my not have been built in a day, but Time Team has just three days to discover it.

[@alexpiper9475]

thank you !

[@lorisutherland7728]

That drawing on the earring with the two circles and tubish in between could be a sign of the way the Scottish got married tied together.

[@hokman1]

I want one made for my fiance

[@douglasruss2889]

Bravo !

[@deltadom33]

Tony looks so young here. He is perfect in maid Marian as he wrote it as the sherif of Nottingham. I know there is a time team episode on Robin Hood. I would love to hear his perspective on that and relating his blackadder days to time team.

[@coppertopv365]

I watched so many of these Multiple times

[@DuckReach432]

I could watch a separate entire episode just on an examination of the medieval castle.

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

Thank you.

[@AnnaBomBanana]

I wonder if the artwork, like the double disc, represent a PLACE of importance? Lots of circles in history all over Britain. Maybe the double circle, that’s linked with lines, represented two special sites that were connect by a walkway/causeway and that the image itself had a votive meaning?

[@ceeej1290]

Plough marks underneath all that earth amazing

[@danacomstock7598]

The serpent carving actually looked like a seal when they showed the bottom part.

[@michelleseager9782]

My closed captions are having the hardest time, figuring Phil’s words out lol

[@TheKencoffee]

Am I the only one that believes Phil is Hagrid's muggle cousin?

[@damianhoratiu2287]

:))))))

[@pollyrobinson3877]

@@TheKencoffee we call him Hagrid in our house.

[@paulreimann3444]

@@damianhoratiu2287 n

[@paulreimann3444]

@@damianhoratiu2287 n

[@JamesHurford]

I forgot Bridge was Australian till she said "Kewl". Lovely to hear, even if I'm a Kiwi

[@allegrolover]

When I first heard the Mr Speirs the county archaeologist speak, I thought it was David Tennant talking

[@mazarinf5130]

Wild! This is my family - two of the Wemyss younger sons emigrated to the US after their father died and their mother went to live with her brother in the US. My grandmothers family is descended from them, now just Weems.

[@arianafadroski6789]

I wish I lived near somewhere I could volunteer for digs that would be so cool

[@northcountry9095]

My ancestors are Wemyss of Fife. I hope to visit soon.

[@kendrad9933]

I'm a Canadian with blood from Fife. I come from down the coast at Caiplie! ❤TT

[@belight4686]

When are you coming home? ;-)

[@elainekayes8087]

My niece worked on time team

[@annafaber4007]

Great!!!!

[@davemonster2]

Bet they wish they had a go pro for the cave cam 😂😂😂

[@daveseddon5227]

First aired 20 February 2005 (UK)

[@georgedorn1022]

And filmed between 4th and 6th June 2004.

[@daveseddon5227]

@@georgedorn1022 Thanks for the info! 😊

[@georgedorn1022]

@@daveseddon5227 You're welcome :)

[@componenx]

I want to see more of the geophys tech at 18:57. (the girl!)

[@repetemyname842]

They should seriously consider cutting the Pictish carvings out of the walls and assembling them in a museum somewhere, no need to let the ocean have them.

[@benmacdui9328]

More than enough Pictish carvings have been removed from their intended location to museums outwith "Pictland". Good idea but they should be kept in Wemyss if anywhere , not a museum.

[@snazzypazzy]

They could also fortify the coastline with more sand put in front. That's what they do in the Netherlands. It does need repeating. But ir can also prevent further erosion and that town falling in to the ocean. Tbh, I also kind if like the idea of the ocean making these caves, and the ocean taking them back. Circle of life and all that. But on a much larger scale.

[@repetemyname842]

@@snazzypazzy : Good point.

[@dietrichess9997]

"... but it's not enough to wash a dirty hermit." -Tony, re: water in the pool. 42:21 😆

[@Libbathegreat]

33:31 That's Dougie from the Broch dig :)

[@alexritchie4586]

Oh cool! Anna and I should consider having a family reunion! :p

[@stargazer5960]

time team: looks like we mite have to dig. phil, did someone say dig!!!!?

[@jeanfischer7559]

My aunt married a Wemyss, an American. This is fascinating.

[@sbkenn1]

Carvings : I am reminded of "Little Grey Men" and the message left by Cloudberry

[@patriciareid437]

oh yeah...just hangin' round, eatting BBQ'd ribs and doing some carvin's

[@masterdrewanthony]

Pictish history is always interesting to learn. I get a strong Pre-Roman Brythonic, but also a Norse, vibe from them. I wouldn't be surprised to learn one day that there was very early prehistoric contact between the two. But what do I know? I'm just a silly Canadian with a bewildering Native American and Scandinavian ancestry... 😉

[@majorgruber5925]

Och, I dinnae ken this was coming.

[@adamtodd1329]

I wonder if the serpent is a Norse carving of jorgamandur but the Pictish specialists were seeing what they wanted it to be.

[@crow1066]

The dating of the layers with the charcoal in it from 200 - 400 AD suggests it was earlier. It doesn't rule it out of course but the earlier date fits the evidence better as an overall picture.

[@johnobrien6415]

Just think if "Stan" ever saw this episode. He'd be so proud.

[@Libbathegreat]

Haha no doubt

[@sherrylhenning5630]

On a sight like this, did you guys go in, establish whether there was any signifigant archeology, give them a jump start and exposure, so that another organization could move in and finish the site?

[@Tom-uv7ry]

That's probably the case it is with most of the digs they do

[@Oleandra-13]

You should go check out their other channel, Time Team Official. They have a lot of commentary and information about what all happened before and after they went to a site.

[@katerinakemp5701]

Lol your the man Phil, give Raksha the mattock you use the spade lol.

[@PeachysMom]

Raksha is cute as a button with braids!

[@davidsweeney111]

breaking news, tell Tony Robinson! 'Roman stately home unearthed at Scarborough housing development'

[@andybeans5790]

Look, a medieval trowel... oh, it's Phil's

[@deborahfielder4163]

What fun only sad that a long detailed study could be done.

[@warlockrobbie]

I grey up playing in those caves with my gran

[@catharinesmallwood1326]

the rock-lined structure was called a well because the people drank the freshwater that pooled in there, they didn't bathe in it, they would have bathed in the ocean

[@nicolawebb6025]

I would have thought so, it's horrendously cold and dangerous the North Sea

[@kqnunn]

The silver was work hardened and has to be annealed. A piece might need this done several times as it's worked

[@caiorochacaldas7281]

15:25 when someone ignores what you just said

[@stannousflouride683]

Viewable in 3D on Google Earth at North 56°09'38.0" by West 3°03'33.4"

[@mercedes523]

I love Phil’s leather bag embossed. Does anyone know if he’s still around?

[@dirkhallmann8941]

Yes, he is still around. Greetz from Germany 🙋

[@simon-ec5kv]

Do you have any data on rising sea levels in Firth of Forth?

[@adizmal]

I wonder what the Picts were saying with those cave carvings.

[@100amps]

Matt looks like he's 17 in this episode. 😎👍

[@Kurokubi]

23:26 that one story made my blood boil

[@JessicaStinson-og1rq]

About that snake, there are quite a few artists who have been known to work on their backs, and on their stomachs, snakes, crawl on the ground why couldn’t they have laid on their tummy in drawn that?

[@diamonddave2622]

next week it's the jpegs and the gifs...

[@CanChikMay]

Tony looks great with a gautee!

[@benediktmorak4409]

why can't they do an - Abu Simbel- on the caves? dig walls left and right and on the back. fill them up with concrete. than do the bottom. also fill up - trenches - with concrete. then lift up the whole thing.about 10 or 15m?

[@anotherbrickoutthewall9237]

Ohhhh arerr Toney stone the crows!

[@fingersTitan]

My GF was a dancer for Stone the Crows..

[@52ponybike]

If you could meet any ONE of these archaeologists, who would it be and why? To me, choosing just one would be very difficult as they've all got great character. I choose.........hmm..........Brigid or Raksha or ? Raksha is my choice because she is so utterly intelligent yet amiable and she has a great sense of humor. Yours?

[@Monica_Baja]

Mick is who I'd like to meet and talk to.

[@RKHageman]

Carenza Lewis, no question, followed by Stewart Ainsworth.

[@52ponybike]

@@RKHageman Yes! Stewart too.

[@therealpatriarchy]

The iron was likely salvaged from a nearby shipwreck.