This is an archive of the NMS website

Wider Horizons

Find out how early peoples discovered more about the world around them.

Most early people probably lived out their lives without moving more than a few kilometres from their place of birth. But there were other ways in which they became aware of wider horizons. All kinds of goods came from further afield, some from thousands of kilometres away. Travellers and incomers brought with them new objects and new ideas.

Getting around

Scotland is a country of islands, lochs and rivers, and it was often easier to move people and goods by water than by land. The Getting around display begins by looking at boats, for example the log boats carved from a single tree trunk used for navigating rivers and lochs.

However, often the only option was to travel on foot. Carts pulled by oxen or horses were being used by 1000 BC and the Romans built a road system through southern Scotland.

Moving things, travelling people

The Moving things, travelling people display shows how objects, ideas and people moved around the country, and often came to Scotland over great distances. Objects moved from place to place within Scotland, some exchanged, some as gifts or booty. The hoard found at Balmashanner, north of Dundee, shows a mix of goods with origins in northern and central Europe, England, Ireland and Scotland.

Things to see

See artefacts from Viking, Romans and European peoples, brought to Scotland through travel or exchange, including magnificent gold and metal jewellery, and see the influence of diverse regional styles on artisan craft and everyday objects.