Scotland has entered a “new golden age of archaeology” according to experts, with hundreds of relics uncovered every year.

Remote sensing and sophisticated devices such as x-ray guns means more discoveries are now being made than ever before.

Finds in Scotland are curated and distributed to museums by the Treasure Trove - which looks after rare archaeological discoveries. The Treasure Trove has seen the number of discoveries reach its highest level ever.

Among the artefacts uncovered are items belonging to ancient bishops, key figures in the wars of Scottish independence and the Glorious Revolution, as well as a haul of more than 200 rare Roman coins.

Stuart Campbell, Treasure Trove Unit Manager, said: “We have seen the number of finds that are reported to us annually and saved for the public benefit in museums more than treble in recent years, which is a result not only of our outreach programme across Scotland but demonstrates also an increased interest in the past on the part of the Scottish public.”

There are more than 100,000 sites of archaeological interest in Scotland – including the feted Skara Brae on Orkney. However, Dianne Swift, Development Manager at Archaeology Scotland, said: “Most archaeological finds are broken pieces of ordinary objects our ancestors threw away or abandoned. This does not stop thousands of people having a fascination with the remnants of life of a bygone age and hundreds of community groups and history societies across Scotland, as well as our national and local museums, celebrating our wonderful and rich past.”

September is Scottish Archaeology Month which will see 300 events held in almost every corner of the country, from academic lectures to public archaeology digs. There will be an excavation of Third Lanark’s former football ground at Cathkin Park in Glasgow in late August and a survey and exploration of Stobs First World War POW camp near Hawick, as well as events at the internationally renowned Neolithic remains of Skara Brae Orkney.

Eila Macqueen, Director of Archaeology Scotland, said: “This being the year of History, Heritage and Archaeology has helped to focus people’s minds on all manner of heritage and bring people together to both celebrate our rich culture and work towards protecting our national treasures from the very ancient to fairly recent. Advances in technology have accelerated many processes and helps to make this a new golden age for archaeology.”

Dr Jeff Sanders, Project Manager at Dig It! 2017, a year-long celebration of Scottish archaeology, said accessibility has “played a key role in Scotland’s golden age of archaeology”.

He said: “Initiatives like Adopt-A-Monument mean that volunteers can discover and care for local cultural heritage sites on their doorstep. Daily dig diaries and social media updates from sites such the Ness of Brodgar in Orkney are allowing people to follow the excitement from anywhere in the world.”

A two-week festival organised by the Council for British Archaeology, which draws to a close today, organised several events at Scotland’s most important sites. Dave Moore, of the Festival of Archaeology 2017, said: “There is an incredibly wide range of archaeology hidden away across Scotland that is now being opened up and explored. We had events that delved all the way back into Scotland’s prehistory, explored medieval Scottish life and even looked to the future of Scotland’s archaeology by looking at the physical remains we leave behind today that will become the archaeology of the future.

“One of our biggest participants, the Kilmartin Museum in Argyll, is celebrating it’s 20th year this year and hosted a lot of events. It is ideally situated to allow people to explore Kilmartin Glen which has an impres sively wide range of archaeology in one area - the Neolithic and Bronze Age Burial Cairns, Standing Stones and the Stone Circle of Temple Wood.

“Bringing this prehistory to life, we saw The Scottish Crannog Centre recreating Iron Age Gourmet and inviting people to eat as their ancestors did. Their menu was inspired by the discoveries of many foods at the 2,500-year-old Oakbank Crannog. The Newbarns Project opened up their live dig to the public and invited them to have a go at excavation at an ongoing dig of a medieval Motte and Bailey. Moving in to more recent history, the public were invited to tour the battlefield of Culloden and explore the artefacts that remain after the battle.”

Love, money, war and death - ten of the most exciting finds in Scotland from the last five years

A 17th century political button uncovered at Dalreach, West Dunbartonshire bearing the bust of King William II who overthrew King James during the so-called Glorious Revolution of 1688.

A small medieval bronze brooch with the inscription ‘AMOR VINCIOTI’, an abbreviation of ‘AMOR VINCIT OMNIA’, which means 'love conquers all', found at Cullen in Moray. Brooches of this type were given as gifts between husband and wife.

A rare document seal which belonged to William de Lamberton, Bishop of St Andrews from 1297 until 1328, discovered at Boarhills in Fife. He was a key figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence.

A gold coin known as the Merovingian tremissis dating to the 7th century AD, uncovered at Coldstream in the borders.

A 16th century gold finger ring found at Roslin in the shape of clasped hands and decorated with white enamel thought to have been given as a marriage gift or used as a wedding ring. The interior has been engraved in capitals with the inscription PRENE EN GRE, French for 'accept in gratitude', an abbreviated version of a phrase common at the time ‘accept with gratitude the gift of him who loves you’.

An 18th century Political medal discovered in Cowie, Stirling, it commemorates the defeat of Jacobite forces at the battle of Culloden. The Duke of Cumberland can be seen on horseback.

A hoard of 219 Roman denarii coins found at Ashkirk in the Borders. It included issues by Domitian (AD 81-96), Trajan (AD 98-117) Hadrian, (AD 117-138), Antoninus Pius (138-161) and Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-180). The range of coins would suggest a date of deposition of AD 200. It is thought to be connected with the bribing of the native population by the Roman Empire after it withdrew from Scotland.

A complete trade weight set commonly used by merchants and made shortly after the Union of 1707. It was found in Fortrose in the Highlands. This set would not have been legal to use in the tightly controlled burghs of Scotland and they are commonly found on the sites of markets or the fringes of burghs. Such finds indicate the type of unruly free enterprise which existed outside the tightly regulated confines of the burghs, made possible by the cheap and easily transportable goods from European trade networks.

A Bronze Age axehead discovered at Wanlockhead, typical of the form of axehead used in north Britain from the 15th to the early 12th centuries BC. This example was recovered from a stream bed while the finder was panning for gold.

A cast copper figure of Christ from a altar cross found close to the Cathedral of Dunkeld. The figure is crowned and clothed in a knee length robe, and its appearance suggests a mid-12th century date. The distortion of the arms suggests the figure has been wrenched from the cross to which it was originally attached.