A MAJOR survey by German archaeologists has uncovered important fresh finds on historic sites near Melrose and Galashiels.

Last week members of the German Archaeological Institute helped carry out the largest single geophysical survey ever performed in the Scottish Borders at Trimontium.

And they also undertook extensive work at Torwoodlee.

The week-long expedition, which was co-sponsored by the Trimontium Trust and the German government, was led by RGK's Dr Ruth Beusing.

Along with her team important new geophysical discoveries were made at and around the hillfort at Torwoodlee.

And the survey of Trimontium has produced never before seen details of the site.

Dr John Reid, chair of The Trimontium Trust, told the Border Telegraph: "This has been a fantastic once in a lifetime collaboration with such a well-organised and efficient team.

"We have been privileged to have the full resources of the RGK behind this project which has revealed the site in astonishing detail.

"The team has worked from dawn until dusk to create what represents the most detailed images ever produced of a Roman fort in Scotland.

"Many new discoveries have been made which will be revealed over the next couple of months as Dr Beusing and her team process the terabytes of data on their return to Frankfurt.

"The Trimontium Trust is hugely grateful to Mr James Pringle at Torwoodlee and Mr Paul Rooney at Newstead for their generous permission to investigate the sites.

"It has moved forward our thinking on a number of key aspects of the Roman occupation."

The project was aimed at investigating the possible relationship between the invading Roman forces of Trimontium and the indigenous population living at the Torwoodlee hillfort.

James Pringle, owner of Torwoodlee, told us: "The more we can discover about our past and our history, the more we will be able to understand what has made us the people we now are.

"Perhaps that will help us to plot a path through the future with greater and better vision for our community's well-being."

Dr Beusing and her team will return to Torwoodlee next year to carry out further survey work.

And in the coming weeks the Trimontium Trust will unveil details of the discoveries made on the Roman site near Newstead.

Dr Christopher Bowles from Scottish Borders Council believes the week-long survey is vitally important for helping to understand our local history - and it carries on the work of other great archaeologists.

He said: "In the early part of the 20th century two brothers from Melrose, James and Alexander Curle, revolutionised archaeology not just in Scotland, but across northern Europe.

But their interests stayed local.

"James excavated the now famous Roman fort of Trimontium at Newstead, and helped the Galashiels Ramblers Club excavate the mysterious site of Torwoodlee Broch.

"Just over 100 years later the Curle brothers' influence on Scottish archaeology is still strong, and it's only fitting that following in their footsteps the Trimontium Trust, along with the German Archaeological Institute, have provided exciting new insights into both Trimontium and Torwoodlee Broch using cutting edge geophysical techniques.

"This is no doubt the beginnings of a new revolution in our understanding of the Borders' rich archaeological heritage that will still be celebrated 100 years from now."