A farmer's field in Moray could hold the key to the Romans failure to conquer Scotland.

A major archaeological dig is drawing to a close at Birnie, near Elgin, which has revealed interesting links between the Celts and the Romans.

On Wednesday archaeologists were busy unearthing the remains of a Celtic roundhouse dating back to the Iron Age.

It is the latest in a number of fascinating finds at the site where the National Museum of Scotland has been digging annually for the last decade.

The site was first discovered in the 1980s but is still revealing the secrets of the past - one recent valuable find was a Roman brooch.

Dr Fraser Hunter of the National Museums of Scotland said: "Birnie was a major power centre 2,000 years ago. It was one of the high spots of the Moray coastal plane and because the people here were so important it drew the gaze of Rome.

“So we've had a whole range of Roman imports coming on to the site because the Romans wanted to build up connections with important groups beyond their own frontier as a way of keeping the frontier safe."

Other discoveries, including a hoard of Roman coins, are on display at Elgin Museum, where this year's artefacts will also end up.

Next year the dig will enter its final phase before it is brought to an end and the team compile a major report, laying bare the lives of the ancient Celts who settled in the area centuries ago.