- Literature from the Early Medieval period paints a vivid picture of an unstable world in which unrest and warfare were rife. Early annals recorded by monastic scribes record episodes of conflict, while Celtic sagas like the Gododdin relate the epic deeds of a heroic warrior elite. Germanic peoples like the Anglians/ Northumbrians had a similar tradition of epic storytelling, as did the Norse.
- Archaeology has revealed some evidence of violent unrest in the region. At some point, the Anglian/Northumbrian settlement at Whithorn was burnt down. While the fire may have been accidental, it is also possible that the site was deliberately razed during a Viking raid. As well as being recorded in historical sources, there is archaeological evidence which associates those affiliated with a Norse or Viking cultural group with warfare and a warrior culture. A Viking sword burial was identified at St Cuthbert’s kirkyard in Kirkcudbright, and a Viking war-axe was recorded as an unprovenanced stray find from the region (Scott 1966).
- It has also been postulated that the violent destruction seen at some of the region’s nucleated forts is evidence of large-scale warfare, rather than sporadic episodes of unrest. In particular, the evidence for the in situ burning of ramparts, such as Trusty’s Hill and the Mote of Mark. The excavators of Trusty’s Hill argued that substantial effort was made to cast down the ramparts (Toolis and Bowler 2012, 45), with significant time, energy and manpower involved in their destruction. Firstly, the timber framework which formed the rampart’s substructure had to be set alight, which is a difficult enterprise in its own right, before the remains of the defences were physically cast down. Toolis and Bowles also point out what an impressive and terrifying sight would have resulted from such a conflagration, with the burning visible from across the surrounding landscape. Following the destruction, some kind of settlement appears to have continued at Trusty’s Hill, however, as an occupation layer built up over the remains of the slighted rampart.
- Viking boat burials, such as the example from Kingscross and Millhill, Lamlash, indicate that some Norse leaders died during their expeditions in and around the region and were laid to rest in a fashion befitting their rank and pagan religion. It is not known, however, if these men would have died of injuries sustained during combat or through other causes. Some of the items buried with these individuals, in particular the shield bosses of Irish Sea Type recovered from sites like Millhill, Lamlash, do show evidence of wear and breakage consistent with battle damage (Harrison 2000).
- It is possible that the Talnotrie and Balmaghie hoards consist of spoil derived from a variety of sites – secular and religious – that were looted by war parties and then buried for future retrieval. The contents of both hoards show signs of fragmentation, but this is unlikely to reflect yet another form of performative violence. Instead, this damage probably reflects efforts to divide the spoils fairly amongst the group. The fact that no one ever returned to claim the goods is perhaps another indication of the violent times in which they lived. It is possible that all of the party died, either through conflict or through natural means, before they could retrieve their treasure.