6.10.2 Upland and Lowland Relationships

Priority 1:

The RCAHMS (1990) survey of Glen Shee and Strathardle highlighted the early medieval Pitcarmick-type byre-houses, surviving as earthworks in the largely unimproved uplands of the area. While some examples have now been recognised west of the River Tay, no lowland equivalents have been discovered to date, and the nature of lowland settlement remains essentially unknown. Identification and excavation of lowland buildings and structures should be a priority with a view to better understanding the nature of settlement across the whole region.

 Priority 2:

The nature of high-status sites across the uplands and lowlands should be considered a priority for study. Forts in both areas are constructed on rocky outcrops on top of hills. Upper Gothens palisaded enclosure, constructed on the summit of a low hill, has been confirmed as early medieval and suggested as high-status (Barclay 2001). It is probable that at least some of the early medieval crannogs in the area are of high status, as is the case elsewhere. The nature of these various forms requires further study – do their distributions indicate differences in lowland and upland society, or are they simply broadly comparable sites which are simply adapted to local topography?

Priority 3:

Can we see the impact of the developing Church on the existing network of sites and the Highland/Lowland divide? Did it affect conversion in any way? The locations of early churches and monasteries in both Highland and lowland zones reflects a conversion process and a targeting of existing elite and sacred sites.

Research Questions