The early medieval period saw the political and cultural transformation of Scotland with the development of emerging centres of political power (Fraser 2009; Noble et al 2019). These changes could have had profound impacts on social structures, economies and agricultural practices and cultural norms, which themselves may have manifested as differences in human lifeways that isotopic approaches could help to reveal and better understand.
The remains of an adult male were uncovered in a West-East facing long cist grave at Bridge of Tilt in 1985 and the individual became known as the Blair Atholl man. The 5th–6th century burial has recently been subject to advanced study as part of a commercial, community and academic partnership, enabling the employment of multi-isotope approaches to gain insight into the diet (d 13C, d 15N) and early life mobility (d18O, 87Sr/86Sr) of this individual (see Czére et al in press).
Similar to previously published dietary data from early medieval/Pictish remains from Scotland (Barrett and Richards, 2004; Curtis-Summers et al 2014; Parker Pearson et al 2018; Curtis-Summers et al 2020), including those from Perth and Kinross (Winlow and Cook 2010), the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values of bone collagen extracted from the remains indicate a diet largely focused on terrestrial food sources, with a potential emphasis on pork or other higher trophic level sources of protein (Czére et al in press). The results of strontium and oxygen isotope analyses of tooth enamel suggest a childhood spent in a more westerly location, possibly including areas of Mull, Iona, Coll, Skye or Ireland. These results are significant in that they provide direct evidence for the movement of an individual from western Scotland or even further afield into the Central Highlands during the 5th–6th century.
As well as focusing on other early medieval individuals, future studies should focus on creating appropriate faunal baselines which will enable more nuanced interpretations to be made regarding the human isotope values as well. Furthermore, utilising an incremental dentinal approach is also advised to recognise potential more short-term dietary changes through the early life of early medieval individuals.
While there have been limited, intentional, isotope studies of early medieval burials from Perth and Kinross, other isotope datasets likely exist associated with radiocarbon dates of human bone. This will likely be the case with other time periods, and efforts should be made to accumulate and analyse isotope data from such sources. For example, recent excavations at Bankhead of Kinloch conducted by AOC Archaeology Ltd led to the dating of human remains from several burial cists, including samples of human bone (see Bankhead of Kinloch case study). The carbon and nitrogen isotope data are included within the radiocarbon dating report and are comparable to that of the burial from Blair Atholl, evidencing a terrestrially-based diet albeit featuring protein from high trophic level animals. It highlights the commonalities in diet across the region in this period.
For example, isotopic analysis may aid our understanding of dietary changes or differences in individual and population level movements. In recent years there has been renewed interest and considerable investment in research into this period, eg, the Northern Picts/Comparative Kingship Project at the University of Aberdeen. This, and other, research (Maldonado 2011; 2013; Mitchell and Noble 2017) has led to a better appreciation of both human and animal skeletal collections from this period in Scotland and – in many cases – their chronometric dating. It has included Pictish burials from Perth and Kinross (Winlow 2010). The work on Pictish burials across Scotland has paved the way to isotopic studies, notably the HES and AHRC funded doctoral study, the Dark Ages Diet project. This project sought to characterise the dietary changes in Scotland from the early to late medieval period, leading to the extensive sampling of human and faunal skeletal material from across Scotland, particularly northern and eastern parts. One human individual was studied from Perth and Kinross, while no faunal remains were sampled from the area from this period (Czére 2020). A small number of isotope analyses have been conducted on other early medieval skeletal remains from Perth and Kinross as part of other studies, mostly through the course of radiocarbon dating. For example, a female individual from 5th/6th century Kingoodie long cist cemetery had carbon isotope ratios of -20.9‰ and a corresponding nitrogen isotope value of 11.1‰, indicating that protein in the diet was predominantly terrestrial in origin (Winlow and Cook 2010).
Research Priorities
The identification and sampling of early medieval faunal, as well as human, skeletal materials within Perth and Kinross or may be held in other national institutions, and originate from the region.
The radiocarbon dating of isolated unclassified prehistoric human burials in order to identify further material. Given that stable carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotope data can be generated alongside radiocarbon dates in some institutions (eg at SUERC), such an approach should be undertaken to maximise initial destructive sampling of any skeletons.
The cross-checking of existing/recent radiocarbon dates for associated stable isotope data, and the analyses of these data specifically for dietary analyses. For example, these digests could be added to Canmore or provided to institutions where collections are held.
Following on from the work at Blair Atholl, other already identified early medieval human remains (eg those at Bankhead of Kinloch) could be analysed further (eg for strontium and oxygen isotopes), particularly to assess geographical origin and explore the prevalence of high personal mobility at the time. This could be coupled with the incremental analysis of dentinal collagen, in order to assess dietary changes during life.
Alongside further human studies, faunal samples from this region/period should be samples for carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopes as a means of better understanding baseline isotopic values for the region/period. Depending on sample availability, this could lead to studies of fauna explicitly to explore early medieval animal husbandry and management.