Within every historic graveyard, behind every gravestone there are fascinating stories from the past. Stories in Stone, a new learning resource for Greyfriars Kirkyard, explores some of these stories. Stories that uncover Scotland’s links to colonialism and the trade in enslaved African people.
The Stories in Stone learning resource, aimed at upper primary and BGE S1-S3 Social Studies pupils, includes background information, five PowerPoint presentations and additional support materials. It has been co-created by Archaeology Scotland, Edinburgh World Heritage, teachers, other educators and school pupils. All the resources are free to view or download below.
Focusing on the Riddell family gravestones in Greyfriars Kirkyard, this resource encourages learners to develop their historical enquiry skills by examining primary and secondary sources.
The resource helps learners explore the story of the Riddells – who they were, where they lived and where their wealth came from, exploring their links to colonialism and the trade in enslaved African people.
This project was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Educator Notes
PowerPoints
Greyfriars Artefact Investigation Kit
The kit contains real artefacts and engaging cross-curricular activities – take a look at the Educator Notes below.
To borrow the kit, contact the Archaeology Scotland Learning Team: education@archaeologyscotland.org.uk
The Artefact Investigation Kit was developed with primary school pupils from St. David’s Primary School who gave feedback on the activities.
