Editing Inverness (section)

== Prehistory and archaeology ==
Much of what is known about Inverness's prehistory comes from archaeological work that takes place before construction/development work as part of the planning process.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

Between 2009 and 2010, archaeological work in advance of the creation of [[flood control|flood defence]]s to the south of the city at Knocknagael Farm by GUARD Archaeology discovered an [[archaeological site]] that showed humans had been living in the Inverness area from at least 6500 BC, the Late [[Mesolithic Scotland|Mesolithic]] period. That same site showed people living/working in the area from the mid-7th millennium BC into the Late Iron Age (1st  millennium  AD) with most activity taking place in the [[Neolithic British Isles|Early Neolithic]] (4th millennium BC). The archaeologists also found a piece of flint from Yorkshire that showed that people in Inverness may have been trading with Yorkshire during the Neolithic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vol 64 (2016): Relieving Floods, Revealing History: Early Prehistoric Activity at Knocknagael Farm, Inverness {{!}} Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports|url=http://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/sair/issue/view/93|access-date=2021-08-29|website=journals.socantscot.org}}</ref>

Between 1996 and 1997, CFA Archaeology (then part of the [[University of Edinburgh]]) undertook [[Archaeological excavation|excavations]] of crop marks in the west of Inverness in advance of the construction of a retail and business park. A [[Bronze Age Europe|Bronze Age]] cemetery was discovered in 1996 and in 1997 the archaeologists found the remains of a Bronze Age settlement and an [[British Iron Age|Iron Age]] settlement, with an ironsmith. It is one of the earliest examples of iron smithing in Scotland. The Iron Age settlement had Roman brooches from the AD 1st–2nd centuries, indicating trade with the Roman Empire. Similarly, the Bronze Age site showed signs of metal production: finds included ceramic piece-moulds designed for the casting of Late Bronze Age leaf-shaped swords.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Vol 47 (2011): A Later Prehistoric Settlement and Metalworking Site at Seafield West, near Inverness, Highland {{!}} Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports|url=http://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/sair/issue/view/77|access-date=2021-08-20|website=journals.socantscot.org}}</ref> A {{convert|93|ozt|kg|2|abbr=off}} silver chain dating to 500–800&nbsp;CE was found just to the south of Torvean, during the excavation of the [[Caledonian Canal]], in 1809.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Torvaine, Caledonian Canal|url=http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/13495/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710205121/http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/13495/|archive-date=10 July 2012|access-date=17 April 2009|website=CANMORE|publisher=Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland}}. Silver chain was found at {{gbmapping|NH65424346}} when digging the Caledonian Canal in 1809.</ref>