The structure of SESARF follows a similar format to other regional research frameworks.
Following an introduction, Chapter 2, provides a basic summary of the underlying geology and landscape features of the region as well as the changing environment, climate and land-use over time.
The remaining chapters are a series of chronological chapters which provide a summary of what is currently know about the archaeology of each period. At the end of each chapter, are the research questions and recommendations that have been posed.
Most of the chapters follow a standard format with similar main chapter headings that flow through the chronological chapters. These headings are:
- Settlement and Domesticity (to include demography)
- Subsistence & Farming (as appropriate for period – to include food, health and diet where possible)
- Craft/Industry/Trade (as appropriate for period)
- Material Culture
- Religion, Ritual and Funerary
- Transport
- Conflict
Key themes of people movement, migration and the region’s place in the wider world, were also considered within all chapters
These headings and themes were chosen by the Working Group and project team over the course of the project as being most appropriate to the region.
Each chapter has a separate bibliography.
There are also a series of case studies for the region. These will be added to over time to provide a broad summary of the wide range of archaeological work that has been undertaken in the region.
Chronological Terms
The basis chronology outlined in the original National Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF) has been used as a starting point for SESARF. The main deviation from the ScARF chronological chapters is to subdivide the medieval section into two chapters the ‘early medieval’ and ‘medieval’, and to subdivide the Modern chapter into ‘post-medieval’ and ‘modern’.
| SESARF Chapter | SESARF Chronology |
| Palaeolithic & Mesolithic | 12,700 – 4,000 BC |
| Neolithic | 4,000 – 2,500 BC |
| Chalcolithic & Bronze Age | 2,500 – 800 BC |
| Iron Age | 800 BC – AD 400 |
| Roman | AD 77 – 211 |
| Early Medieval | AD 400 – 1100 |
| Medieval | AD 1100 – 1500 |
| Post-medieval | AD 1500 – AD 1800 |
| Modern | AD 1800 – present |
Aspects which might vary period chronologies at a regional level are discussed at the start of each period chapter.
Monument types
The Scottish Monument Type Thesaurus has been used throughout to describe monument types. The first time individual sites are mentioned one each page they are directly hyper-linked to the national Canmore record (which in the case of the Scottish Borders is also the HER record), and in the case of sites in East and Midlothian, to the relevant HER database record.
Radiocarbon dates
All radiocarbon (14C) dates mentioned in the text are calibrated (cal) unless otherwise stated.