Overview
Despite increasing burial and environmental evidence and a number of diagnostic objects, all showing the presence of people throughout the Highlands in the early medieval period, there is very little evidence of the types of settlements people lived in or structures themselves. The historical evidence suggests that the land division of davochs may well go back into the Pictish period, providing a basis for taxation and duties, and even underlying religious parishes. See Ross (2011, 14ff) for a detailed discussion of evidence and interpretations. This evidence presents possible implications for landscape management, and leads to questions of how archaeologists might identify this evidence in the archaeological record. Table 8.2 provides a list of all dated evidence related to settlement in the early medieval period.
| Site | Area | Dates | Lab No | Evidence | Comments | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brotchie’s Steading | C | AD 420-620; AD 550-670 AD 710-980 AD 770-980 | SUERC-6711; SUERC-6715; SUERC-6712; SUERC-6706 | Hearth, gully, occupation layers | MHG46260; Holden et al 2008; Case Study; Brotchies Steading | |
| Freswick Links | C | AD 580-798 AD 640-862 AD 694-1000 AD 540-980 AD 240-670 AD 230-865 | GU-2284 GU-2285 GU-2286 GU-2386 GU-2387 GU-2390 | Bone near dune Bone near s. cliff Bone near s. cliff Seed near cliff Seed near south cliff Seed near north cliff | MHG1669 Morris et al 1995; Case Study; Freswick Links | |
| Kilearnan Hill | S | AD 220-620 | GU-1918 | Occupation layer (charcoal) | Roundhouse (Hut 4) excavated in 1980s | MHG9986; McIntyre 1998 |
| Dornoch Business Park | S | AD 675-878 AD 774-994 AD 773-994 AD 774-1014 AD 775-1156 | OxA-9353 OxA-9349 OxA-9351 OxA9513 | Pit with grains. Structure associated with metalworking | Industrial activity | MHG28197; Hastie 2008; Coleman & Photos-Jones 2008 |
| Portmahomack | ER | various | Monastic workshops | Industrial structures | MHG42936; Carver et al 2016 | |
| Dun Morangie, Tarlogie | ER | AD 235-385 | Beta-280908 | Floor level of remodelled Iron Age stone roundhouse | Possibly a metalworking workshop in this period | MHG8706; Hatherley 2015b |
| Broad Cave | ER | AD 895-1022 | SUERC-63374 | Elm charcoal in possible midden | Cave; Rosemarkie Caves project | Dates Steven Birch pers comm |
| Urquhart Castle | I | AD 450-660 AD 670-948 AD 650-1010 AD 690-1160 | GU-1768 GU-1769 GU-1837 GU-1836 | Occupation layers from Early Medieval fort | Samples taken from 1983 excavation | MHG45240; Alcock and Alcock 1992, 242-267 |
| Craig Phadrig | I | AD 343-654 AD 416-556 | Hillfort; Palisade ditch base | First date from 1970s | MHG3809; Small & Cottram 1972; Peteranna & Birch 2018 Hatherley forthcoming | |
| Culduthel, Inverness (Phase 7 & 8; Group 5 ) | I | AD 570-655 AD 770-990 | Metalled surface and pits with industrial debris | Phase 7 and 8; Group 5. Preserved by hillwash; artefacts include unfinished iron dress hook, pin | MHG56080; Hatherley & Murray 2021 | |
| Slackbuie, Inverness | I | AD 400-560 | SUERC-34984 | Pit | MHG55813; Kilpatrick 2016 | |
| Torvean, Inverness | I | AD 410-540 AD 700-890 AD 890-990 | Grain drying kiln Grain storage pit Fire-pit or hearth | Mainly barley & oats | Peteranna 2019, 14 | |
| Fanellan | I | AD 687-883 AD 777-984 | SUERC-62624 SUERC-66189 | Pits with slag | Re-use of Iron Age roundhouse for ironworking | MHG61055; Masson-Maclean 2014; Sneddon forthcoming |
| Lochloy | N | AD 650-780 | SUERC-16046 | Pit | MHG52442; Farrell 2007 | |
| Lochloy | N | AD 680-890 | SUERC-16043 | Grain drying kiln | MHG54241; Farrell 2007 | |
| Meall Mor (Rhue) | WR | AD 259-426 | SUERC-47084 | Roundhouse | Date inside wall. Possibly re-use as animal pen | MHG7820; www.wedigs.co.uk |
| Applecross Broch | WR | AD 340-540 | SUERC-35369 | Soil overlying hearth slabs | Inside courtyard | MHG7680; Peteranna 2012 |
| Crowlin 1 | WR | AD 650-852 | OxA-9250 | Midden in cave | Test pitting. Multi-period | MHG34256; Hardy & Wickham-Jones 2009 |
| Camusteel 2 | WR | AD 686-881 AD 688-945 AD 777-989 | AA-50691 AA-50688 AA-50689 | Midden in cave | Test pitting. Multi-period | MHG37291; Hardy & Wickham-Jones 2009 |
| Toscaig 9 | WR | AD 625-984 | AA-50677 | Midden in rockshelter | Test pitting. Multi-period | MHG58718; Hardy & Wickham-Jones 2009 |
| Coille Gaireallach | Skye | AD 760-890 | SUERC-33771 | Oval building: Smithy | Test pitting. LS08 | MHG61719; Wildgoose 2016 |
| Coille Gaireallach | Skye | AD 664-778 | Enclosure | LS06: re-used burnt mound site | MHG59428; MHG55550; Wildgoose 2016 | |
| Coille Gaireallach | Skye | AD 379-429 | GU-32926 | Enclosure | LS14; Re-used EBA roundhouse | MHG59526; Wildgoose 2016; |
| Uamh an Dòbhrain | Skye | AD 665-822 | GU-20361 | Midden in large cave | Limited excavation. Multi-period | Wildgoose 2014 |
| Rhiconich | NWS | AD 421-641 | GU-4245 | Round house | Possibly non-domestic use | MHG12143; Donnelly et al 1997 |
| Stronchrubie | NWS | AD 892-1014 | SUERC-43972 | Occupation layer | Re-use of BA burnt mound | MHG13052; Cavers et al 2013 |
| Between Morar and Arisaig | L | AD 780-1020 | SUERC-2443 | Pit (fill) | MHG58041; Carter et al 2005 |
All dates cal at 95.4% probability. For full details of dates, see Datasheet 2.1
8.3.1 Landscape Patterns
8.3.2 Identifying the Settlements
8.3.3 Evidence of Buildings
