The recommendations below apply specifically to the medieval period in the Highlands. Some research recommendations in the Land and Environment section 3.10 may also apply to this period.
Many research questions from the original National ScARF and other regional research frameworks are also relevant and applicable in the Highlands. These will soon be all be searchable and available all together through our our new digital platform facility.
General
HARF Agenda 9.1: More interdisclplinary studies are needed, combining detailed research into documents, together with topographic survey, dating (especially dendrochronology and dating of mortars), and environmental studies including pollen and charcoal.
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01/09/2024Found in the following Frameworks:
The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkEnvironment
HARF Agenda 9.2: The information already obtained from previous fieldwork should be pulled together from the grey literature and publications, to try and build a local and regional picture.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.3: Woodland cover should be mapped. There is great variety in the Highlands during this period, with some areas mainly treeless, but others able to source large timber.
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Charcoal studies can help compile this picture, and aid in assessing information of woodland management. More work on dating Medieval oak and pine will allow comparisons with elsewhere in the country.Status:
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01/09/2021Date of next review:
01/09/2024Found in the following Frameworks:
The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkSettlement
HARF Agenda 9.11: Evidence for local markets should be compiled.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.12: The nature, dating and construction of shielings should be explored, for different areas of the Highlands.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.4: There is great potential for further investigation where detailed surveys have taken place, for example in the Borralie, northwest Sutherland area (see Lelong and MacGregor 2003) and Rubha an Dùnain on Skye (Martin and Martin 2018).
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.5: Further investigation at Freswick is needed, with investigation and dating of Norse structures, to combine with the good environmental data which exists. The huge amount of metal detected and other material which has been gathered should be plotted.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.6: The search for rural settlements and building traditions remains a key issue. Areas with documentary evidence (admittedly sparse) provide one focus. Building on landscape survey already carried out, further landscape survey work with documentary evidence provide one focus for research. Intensive survey, geophysics and test-pits to assess soils, stratigraphy and the range of dating on sites with potential Medieval occupation, followed by large scale excavation are needed.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.7: Further investigation of activity in caves would be warranted, given the fact we now know of Medieval occupation on east and west coasts. The Rosemarkie Caves project is providing good information for the east. This should be matched now by projects in the west, building on identification by the Scotlands First Settlers project.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.8: Further investigations of castles (see RARFA), with attention towards different characteristics in different areas of the Highlands is needed. Those most at risk should be prioritised. Analysis of artefactual evidence is needed, including pulling together finds from Urquhart Castle.
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Dendrochronology and dating of mortars should be incorporated in studies.Status:
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.9: The evidence for beach markets should be explored further to put them into local context.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkDaily Life
HARF Agenda 9.13: A large number of midden sites have been identified, and hold potential to tell us more about diet and subsistence. These should be targeted in areas which have had less attention (northwest Sutherland, Badenoch & Strathspey, Lochaber, Wester Ross), allowing comparison to Freswick, Portmahomack and Cromarty.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.14: Further isotope analysis of human remains needed to gain understanding in mobility and diet.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.15: Detailed analysis of the diagnostic finds from metal detecting (and in museum collections) for the detecting hot spots.
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Data from the Dornoch area, Tain, Cromary, Rosemarkie/Fortrose, Redcastle, Kiltarlity/Beauly, Auldearn and Inverness to Nairn, especially Ardersier, should be analysed and integrated with other settlement information in these areas.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.16: The evidence of coins holds potential to show economic transactions and coin losses. There is much data which can be pulled together to provide local and regional patterns.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkReligion and Ritual
HARF Agenda 9.17: Further dating of churches is needed.
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The churches at Tain provide great potential, with three reputedly Medieval. The excavations at Portmahomack provide a type site to compare with other churches.Status:
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.18: Investigation and dating of chapel sites are also needed, including those not part of parish structure. There are a large number in the Highlands, in all three areas, providing dating potential.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.19: Skeabost Island on Skye would benefit from further investigation, providing evidence of what a cathedral/mother church on the west looked like, as well as possible early medieval occupation.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.20: Further work is needed on holy wells, and in particular to gain an idea of dating, longevity and practices.
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01/09/2024Found in the following Frameworks:
The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkCraft and Industry
HARF Agenda 9.21: Further analysis of redware found on Highlands sites, to complement studies from Portmahomack, Inverness and Cromarty would provide an idea of further places of production and trade.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.22: Limekilns were likely to have been present near some castles. Investigation with dating would provide information about lime production in the medieval period, with then potential to compare with post-medieval Improvement limekilns.
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkHARF Agenda 9.23: More investigation of commercial fishing, particularly freshwater, is needed.
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HARF Agenda 9.24: More isotope analysis on human remains will provide evidence to put the Portmahomack studies in context. Is there similar mobility indicated?
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The Scottish Archaeological Research FrameworkAre there research recommendations that you think are missing?
Why not add your comment below which will be flagged to ScARF (or get in touch with ScARF directly) and new questions will be considered for addition at the next revision.