Calum MacDonald MP, Minister for built heritage at The Scottish Office, officially launched a database and web site which provides access to the nation's antiquities, maritime data, plans, surveys and an index to corresponding photographs over the Internet.

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland's (RCAHMS) database and web site known as Canmore has been implemented by Oracle Corporation. The extensive data is held on an Oracle database and the web site was designed by Electra.

It will provide people with direct access to Scotland's past. There are 120,000 sites across Scotland recorded on the database and two to three million items in the collection comprise drawings, manuscripts, photographs, maps and printed books.

Canmore can be found at www.rcahms.gov.uk