Welcome to Ancient Lothian — the online guide to the cultural traditions behind Scotland's capitol region, from times primeval to medieval and beyond. Here, you can explore the deeper side of Edinburgh and its historical outer limits — the bits you won't find in the average guide.

Summer Solstice Sunrise, Cairnpapple Circle-Henge, West Lothian, 2008

The faithful will notice that things are finally changing 'round here. Indeed, after sleeping for many cloudy moons beneath many vanishing mounds, the once and future thing of old is finally stirring again — to be born again, in a rather healthier-looking skin. For some five long years, Ancient Lothian has languished under a shadow of neglect, becoming little more than a quaint museum-piece, an unpolished remnant of the Digital Stone Age. But although its steward was guilty of neglecting his charge, it seems that a steady stream of pilgrims have still continued to turn up, and in surprisingly festive numbers. The steward gives his thanks, and his apologies, to the loyal band of travellers while he was fiddling elsewhere. But now, it's time for the future, re-building the ruins of the past.

For sure, things have moved on rather rapidly since the steward threw away the keys and turned to other quests. But he's also learned a few things on his travels — things he now brings back home for the entertainment and edification of all who care to listen to the twists in the tale. Indeed, somewhere along the way, he remembered his roots in minstrelsey (and ScotMus.com is now online!). And in his absence, the cyber-world has magically transformed itself into a powerful new tool of learning. Empty babbling must now be brooked — higher standards must take up the flow. The Digital Stone Age is over — we are cautiously entering a Heroic Age of exploration, expanding horizons and broadening fields. New legends are being forged as keener minds are cast on ideals of more eternal bronze. Overall, it seems an auspicious time to kick open the museum doors, dust off this shabby old lump and polish it up in this sparkling new dawn.

So yes, Ancient Lothian has a new design, crafted far more cunningly than before. Frankly, that wasn't too hard. But new and rare gems will soon be unearthed and worked into the frame. Ivory towers will be plundered, noble treasures liberated, redistributed for the enrichment of all. It's a grand claim to stake, to be sure. But the struggle already bears curious fruits. Even so, things could get a little wonky now and then, 'till all the dust settles into place — don't expect all the new trinkets to shine in an instant, they'll all need a little more polish. And so the steward begs your indulgence, but one more final time, to trust in his new forms of judgement.

The time-scale as such? Well, it only seems right to renew the ancient thing at Brigantia's time of the year, which is as much to say Saint Bridget's, the Candlemas feast, and the Scots Quarter-Day of The Laws with sagacious old asses in wigs. You can't get much more ecumenical than that — one of them's even a wee bit secular, although the point's a bit courteously moot! But anyway, the opening cycle of renaissance began around 00:28am, an astronomical mid-night, on 02 Feb 2009. Expect further turns of the wheel throughout the year, on equally-auspicious days. The Easter Equinox is far from far-off as I write, and a pageant of pages is promised. Like I said — just stay tuned... ;-)

Yours aye,
Brigantius CyberScoticus (aka "Steve")
Y Strad Broch, Lleuddiniawn, Yr Alban
05 February 2009