The inventory was published for consultation in December 2010 by Historic Scotland, an agency of the Scottish Government,[1] and launched as the Inventory in May 2011.
[4] As of 2019[update] there are 40 battlefields on the inventory, the most recent addition being the Battle of Sark which was listed in 2016.
[5] The list of battlefields is intended to guide landowners, developers, local authorities and the Scottish Ministers in the future development of these areas to protect the historic significance and archaeological potential of these sites.
The inventory entries summarise historic sources, archaeological evidence and finds, significance, and provide a map defining the extent of the battlefield.
Selection criteria used for identifying nationally important sites were: historical association; physical remains and archaeological potential; cultural association; and landscape context.