Abstract
This article presents the results of a program of investigation which aimed to construct a more detailed understanding of the character and chronology of crannog occupation in north-east Scotland, targeting a series of sites across the region. The emergent patterns for crannogs revealed through targeted
fieldwork in the region show broad similarities to the existing corpus of data from crannogs in other parts of the country. Crannogs in north-east Scotland now show evidence for origins in the Iron Age. Further radiocarbon evidence has emerged from crannogs in the region dating to the 9th–10th centuries ad, a period for which there is little other settlement evidence. Additionally, excavated contexts dated to the 11th–12th centuries and historic records suggest that the tradition of crannog dwelling continued into the later medieval period. The recent programme of fieldwork and dating provides a more robust framework for further work in the region and can help address questions concerning the adoption of the practice of artificial island dwelling across Scotland through time.
fieldwork in the region show broad similarities to the existing corpus of data from crannogs in other parts of the country. Crannogs in north-east Scotland now show evidence for origins in the Iron Age. Further radiocarbon evidence has emerged from crannogs in the region dating to the 9th–10th centuries ad, a period for which there is little other settlement evidence. Additionally, excavated contexts dated to the 11th–12th centuries and historic records suggest that the tradition of crannog dwelling continued into the later medieval period. The recent programme of fieldwork and dating provides a more robust framework for further work in the region and can help address questions concerning the adoption of the practice of artificial island dwelling across Scotland through time.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 147-173 |
| Number of pages | 27 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland |
| Volume | 147 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 21 Nov 2018 |
Bibliographical note
We kindly thank the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the Aberdeen Humanities Fund, the Findlay Harris Dick Prize for Pictish Research and the Archaeology Service for Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City, Angus and Moray for providing funding for the work carried out. The authors would also like to the thank the landowners who granted permission for this work to be carried out, but in particular we would like to thank Catriona Reid and Thys Simpson for their help in facilitating access to sites. Thank you NTS curators Vikki Duncan and Lauren Jackson for their help with the Loch of Leys bronze artefacts. Thank you to Bruce Mann for his support throughout this project. Thank you also to Susan Ramsay and Anne Crone who have assessed samples from these sites. Thanks go to the large number of volunteers who have helped dive, survey and excavate over the past four years. And thanks to the three reviewers whose helpful comments have improved this paper, all errors remain our own.Keywords
- Crannog