Building crannogs in the 9th–12th centuries AD in northern Scotland: an old tradition in a new landscape

TY - CHAP

T1 - Building crannogs in the 9th–12th centuries AD in northern Scotland

T2 - an old tradition in a new landscape

AU - Stratigos, Michael John

AU - Noble, Gordon

PY - 2021/9/16

Y1 - 2021/9/16

N2 - The 9th–12th centuries AD are poorly understood archaeologically and historically in Scotland with few secure examples of high status secular or ecclesiastic settlement. This paper presents a new group of radiocarbon dates from crannogs, artificial islands known throughout Scotland, which were previously understood to fall out of use in the 9th–12th centuries AD. These dates point to a likelihood that further crannogs date to this period, and have identified previously unknown power centres of secular potentates and ecclessiastic elites. This has significant implications for understanding how power and authority were exercised at this time of political and settlement landscape reorganisation, in particular how identity was expressed through architectural choice. Using archaeological parallels and the meagre documentary accounts of the use of island dwellings, we suggest that crannogs were often seasonally occupied as lordly residences with a range of functions, including as hunting lodges. Given the exceptional preservation of crannogs, this new group of sites with 9th–12th century AD phases of construction represent the best opportunities to explore the climate and economy of the period, and to shed light on a period conspicuous for a lack of observable settlement.

AB - The 9th–12th centuries AD are poorly understood archaeologically and historically in Scotland with few secure examples of high status secular or ecclesiastic settlement. This paper presents a new group of radiocarbon dates from crannogs, artificial islands known throughout Scotland, which were previously understood to fall out of use in the 9th–12th centuries AD. These dates point to a likelihood that further crannogs date to this period, and have identified previously unknown power centres of secular potentates and ecclessiastic elites. This has significant implications for understanding how power and authority were exercised at this time of political and settlement landscape reorganisation, in particular how identity was expressed through architectural choice. Using archaeological parallels and the meagre documentary accounts of the use of island dwellings, we suggest that crannogs were often seasonally occupied as lordly residences with a range of functions, including as hunting lodges. Given the exceptional preservation of crannogs, this new group of sites with 9th–12th century AD phases of construction represent the best opportunities to explore the climate and economy of the period, and to shed light on a period conspicuous for a lack of observable settlement.

KW - Crannogs

KW - medieval Scotland

KW - medieval lordship

KW - 9th-12th centuries AD

KW - Radiocarbon

U2 - 2565-8883

DO - 2565-8883

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SN - 978-94-6427-009-9

T3 - Ruralia XIII

SP - 179

EP - 188

BT - Seasonal settlement

PB - Sidestone Press

CY - Leiden

ER -