Reconstructing Battles and Battlefields: Scientific Solutions to Historical Problems at Bannockburn, Scotland

Richard Tipping; Gordon T. Cook; Dmitri Mauquoy; Aden Beresford; D. Hamilton; John G Harrison; Jason Jordan; Paul M Ledger; Stuart Morrison; Danny Patterson; Nicola Russell; David Smith

doi:10.1179/1466203514Z.00000000030

Reconstructing Battles and Battlefields: Scientific Solutions to Historical Problems at Bannockburn, Scotland

Richard Tipping, Gordon T. Cook, Dmitri Mauquoy, Aden Beresford, D. Hamilton, John G Harrison, Jason Jordan, Paul M Ledger, Stuart Morrison, Danny Patterson, Nicola Russell, David Smith

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The need for scientists to add objective data to historical studies is argued using as a case study the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The terrain was critical in this battle, as in so many others, but cannot be understood from the few primary sources, which are not contemporary and are strongly biased. Scientific techniques can cut through hyperbole. The methodology and techniques used to better understand the landscape around the battle are briefly discussed, particularly new advances in radiocarbon dating which enable analysis to approach the chronological precision of the archaeologist, if not the historian. Our data are argued to have clarified muddled interpretations.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	119-131
Number of pages	13
Journal	Landscapes
Volume	15
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1179/1466203514Z.00000000030
Publication status	Published - Nov 2014

Keywords

battlefield archaeology
environmental reconstruction
environmental history
Bannockburn 1314

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title = "Reconstructing Battles and Battlefields: Scientific Solutions to Historical Problems at Bannockburn, Scotland",

abstract = "The need for scientists to add objective data to historical studies is argued using as a case study the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The terrain was critical in this battle, as in so many others, but cannot be understood from the few primary sources, which are not contemporary and are strongly biased. Scientific techniques can cut through hyperbole. The methodology and techniques used to better understand the landscape around the battle are briefly discussed, particularly new advances in radiocarbon dating which enable analysis to approach the chronological precision of the archaeologist, if not the historian. Our data are argued to have clarified muddled interpretations.",

keywords = "battlefield archaeology, environmental reconstruction, environmental history, Bannockburn 1314",

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AU - Tipping, Richard

AU - Cook, Gordon T.

AU - Mauquoy, Dmitri

AU - Beresford, Aden

AU - Hamilton, D.

AU - Harrison, John G

AU - Jordan, Jason

AU - Ledger, Paul M

AU - Morrison, Stuart

AU - Patterson, Danny

AU - Russell, Nicola

AU - Smith, David

PY - 2014/11

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AB - The need for scientists to add objective data to historical studies is argued using as a case study the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The terrain was critical in this battle, as in so many others, but cannot be understood from the few primary sources, which are not contemporary and are strongly biased. Scientific techniques can cut through hyperbole. The methodology and techniques used to better understand the landscape around the battle are briefly discussed, particularly new advances in radiocarbon dating which enable analysis to approach the chronological precision of the archaeologist, if not the historian. Our data are argued to have clarified muddled interpretations.

KW - battlefield archaeology

KW - environmental reconstruction

KW - environmental history

KW - Bannockburn 1314

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DO - 10.1179/1466203514Z.00000000030

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EP - 131

JO - Landscapes

JF - Landscapes

IS - 2

ER -

Reconstructing Battles and Battlefields: Scientific Solutions to Historical Problems at Bannockburn, Scotland

Abstract

Keywords

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