Dr Gordon Noble, has undertaken landscape research and directed field projects across Scotland. He has worked on a wide range of landscapes and archaeology projects from the Mesolithic to Medieval periods. He was director and co-founder of Strathearn & Royal Forteviot (SERF), a successful archaeological project researching a site that became one of Scotland’s early royal centres. He now works on a major project funded by the University of Aberdeen Development Trust and Historic Environment Scotland researching the post-Roman societies of northern Britain called 'Northern Picts'. Gordon has also worked on AHRC funded projects on topics from the third millennium BC to 19th century rural settlements at Bennachie and works with the National Trust for Scotland on hunter-gatherer landscapes in upper Deeside. Public engagement is a big part of his research and to date three major exhibitions of the work of Northern Picts has been on display at the Tarbat Discovery Centre and King's Museum, Aberdeen. Northern Picts research has also featured on BBC 4 'Digging for Britain' and many other media venues.
Since completing his PhD in 2004, Gordon has held a temporary lectureship in Durham (2004-5) and from 2005-8 undertook British Academy funded postdoctoral research on the perception of the forested environment in prehistory at the University of Glasgow. Gordon was appointed as lecturer to the department at Aberdeen in July 2008 and in 2012 he became Senior Lecturer and Head of Department in 2015. He is also a Honorary Curatorial Fellow to the University Museums.
The rich resources of river valleys provided a focus for much Mesolithic hunter-gatherer-fisher a... more The rich resources of river valleys provided a focus for much Mesolithic hunter-gatherer-fisher activities across Europe. In Scotland there is one notable concentration of lithic evidence for this, at several locations along the River Dee in Aberdeenshire, but the environmental context of these sites has, to date, been poorly understood. Here we present evidence from excavation, repeated field-walking, flint typology, geomorphological mapping, sedimentology, pollen analysis, AMS 14 C dating, OSL profiling and dating to understand the postglacial evolution of the terrace surface at the largest concentration of lithics along the River Dee, at Nethermills of Crathes. The aim was to understand in detail the environment and landscape dynamics of the site, to define whether occupation was on the active valley floor or on a terrace above the river, and whether fluvial processes had a role in site formation processes. We conclude that occupation was on a dry wooded surface, the active channel having incised below this, though to an unknown depth, and that although major floods have swept the terrace surface, the present distribution of lithics is probably largely the original distribution.
Dinas Powys was excavated by Leslie Alcock in the 1950s. Its rich finds assemblage set a
standard... more Dinas Powys was excavated by Leslie Alcock in the 1950s. Its rich finds assemblage set a standard for elite sites in post-Roman western Britain and offers rare insight into a region within the former Roman Empire where emergent socio-political structures were unaffected by ‘barbarian’ incursion. Alcock argued that the main defences belonged to a Norman period castle, but whilst this has been rejected the original dating continues to be wrongly quoted. This paper demonstrates via stratigraphic analysis and new radiocarbon dates that the Norman phase is a misnomer and that the early medieval site was a strongly defended multi- phase fort.
There are longstanding questions about the origins and ancestry of the Picts of early medieval Sc... more There are longstanding questions about the origins and ancestry of the Picts of early medieval Scotland (ca. 300-900 CE), prompted in part by exotic medieval origin myths, their enigmatic symbols and inscriptions, and the meagre textual evidence. The Picts, first mentioned in the late 3 rd century CE resisted the Romans and went on to form a powerful kingdom that ruled over a large territory in northern Britain. In the 9 th and 10 th centuries Gaelic language, culture and identity became dominant, transforming the Pictish realm into Alba, the precursor to the medieval kingdom of Scotland. To date, no comprehensive analysis of Pictish genomes has been published, and questions about their biological relationships to other cultural groups living in Britain remain unanswered. Here we present two high-quality Pictish genomes (2.4 and 16.5X coverage) from central and northern Scotland dated from the 5 th-7 th century which we impute and co-analyse with >8,300 previously published ancient and modern genomes. Using allele frequency and haplotype-based approaches, we can firmly place the genomes within the Iron Age gene pool in Britain and demonstrate regional biological affinity. We also demonstrate the presence of population structure within Pictish groups, with Orcadian Picts being genetically distinct from their mainland contemporaries. When investigating Identity-By-Descent (IBD) with present-day genomes, we observe broad affinities between the mainland Pictish genomes and the present-day people living in western Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Northumbria, but less with the rest of England, the Orkney islands and eastern Scotland-where the political centres of Pictland were located. The pre-Viking Age Orcadian Picts evidence a high degree of IBD sharing across modern
Our knowledge of the use of livestock in early medieval Scotland is fragmentary and relies on a h... more Our knowledge of the use of livestock in early medieval Scotland is fragmentary and relies on a handful of well-studied faunal assemblages, with few from Pictland (north-east Scotland), an important and enigmatic group and latterly kingdom in Northern Britain that existed between the rd and th centuries AD. The assemblages that have been recovered and studied mainly occur at the limits of this territory, beyond the heartland of the Picts in the northern and eastern mainland. Recent archaeological excavations at three high-status sites in eastern Scotland have unexpectedly yielded well-preserved faunal remains providing a unique and long-awaited opportunity to explore further human-animal relationships and the use of animals in Pictish society. This paper presents new data from the initial study of these assemblages. It discusses the implications in terms of animal economy in Pictland, the potential of these sites to yield larger faunal assemblages and the directions of future research. Results show that cattle were a pivotal element of the economy, playing a multi-faceted role (beef and secondary products), pigs ranked second in frequency which likely reflects the high status of these sites and sheep appear as a marginal resource and were primarily raised for consumption. Results also suggest that these sites may have operated within an integrated network rather than functioning solely as self-su cient entities.
SCOTTISH WOODLAND HISTORY CONFERENCE NOTES XXIII, 2023
In 2018, the NWDG Scottish Woodland History Conference (formerly the Scottish Woodland History Di... more In 2018, the NWDG Scottish Woodland History Conference (formerly the Scottish Woodland History Discussion Group Conference) was organised by Mairi Stewart and Noel Fojut with the support of Alison Averis and Alasdair Firth. We are grateful to all those who helped to make the conference a success including our sponsors, chairs (Fiona Watson & James Ogilvie), speakers, helpers and delegates.
Iona is renowned for its early monastery, founded following the arrival of Columba in AD 563. Thi... more Iona is renowned for its early monastery, founded following the arrival of Columba in AD 563. This paper uses palaeoecological data to provide insight into the social and environmental transformations that influenced the landscape of Iona during the later prehistoric and historic periods. The identification of cereal pollen suggests that arable farming occurred during the Bronze Age and possibly continued through the Iron Age. Pastoral farming was also practiced. It remains unclear as to whether there were people living on the island at the time of the monastic community's arrival. Between AD 630 and 1100, woodland clearance and farming occurred. There were also two phases of woodland regeneration and agricultural decline. The first phase coincides with the period of Viking raids and may have witnessed a decline in population. The second phase occurred in conjunction with increased Scandinavian influence and political restructuring across the wider region; however, smallscale farming continued. After c. AD 1000 there was renewed intensification of landscape management prior to the arrival of Benedictine monks and Augustinian nuns (c. AD 1200). This may be linked to climatic amelioration during the Medieval Warm Period and economic growth in the Hebrides.
Perchement et réalités fortifiées en Méditerranée et en Europe (Vème-Xème siècles): Formes, rythmes, fonctions et acteurs. Hanna, E. K. (ed.). Archaeopress, pp. 433, 2023
Early medieval architecture is notably difficult to trace in northern Britain. The fortuitous sur... more Early medieval architecture is notably difficult to trace in northern Britain. The fortuitous survival of an intact floor of a building located just outside a ringfort at Cairnmore, a high-status early medieval ringfort enclosure in Aberdeenshire, Northeast Scotland, allowed the targeted deployment of a paleoethnobotanical approach that utilized microbotanical (i.e., phytoliths) and micro-algae residues (e.g., diatom frustules) to illuminate the character of the unusual survival of an early medieval building in Scotland. This research revealed novel data on the architecture of the early medieval roundhouse floor in this poorly documented region and era for settlement remains, securely identifying the use of turf for walling in an early medieval lowland building. Evidence for roofing material was also preserved in the phytolith signature. Moreover, the microbotanical assemblage from Cairnmore was found to represent a use of a variety of ecological niches providing important evidence for landscape use. The presence (and absence) of particular microbotanical indicators also allowed interpretation of the possible uses of the structure. The results from this research demonstrate that microbotanical approaches can be critical in understanding architecture in regions where settlement survival is poor, highlighting the merits of microbotanical and micro-algae analyses in northern environments. The article concludes by advocating for the in-tandem assessment of these proxies in archaeological investigations where macrobotanical and other organic residues are poorly preserved.
The evidence of funerary archaeology, historical sources and poetry has been used to define a 'he... more The evidence of funerary archaeology, historical sources and poetry has been used to define a 'heroic warrior ethos' across Northern Europe during the first millennium AD. In northern Britain, burials of later prehistoric to early medieval date are limited, as are historical and literary sources. There is, however, a rich sculptural corpus, to which a newly discovered monolith with an image of a warrior can now be added. Comparative analysis reveals a materialisation of a martial ideology on carved stone monuments, probably associated with elite cemeteries, highlighting a regional expression of the warrior ethos in late Roman and post-Roman Europe.
Archaeological Journal, vol. 177, no. 2, pp. 256-338, 2020
Dunnicaer, Aberdeenshire, a now isolated sea stack, is the findspot of five Pictish symbol stones... more Dunnicaer, Aberdeenshire, a now isolated sea stack, is the findspot of five Pictish symbol stones discovered in the nineteenth century. Excavations from 2015 to 2017 have revealed a Roman Iron Age promontory fort, providing insights into the development of fortified settlement in northeast Scotland, with fortified sites being a key feature of first millennium AD elite practice in this region. The presence of rare and unusual finds indicates contact with the Roman world to the south and changes in the character of settlement as evidenced at Dunnicaer indicate broader transitions in the later Roman Iron Age native society. The archaeological sequence at Dunnicaer sheds new light on the adoption of non-roundhouse styles of architecture in first millennium AD Scotland and provides important evidence for the dating of the Pictish symbol tradition. A consideration of the impacts of coastal erosion on promontories of this nature suggests these are amongst the most threatened archaeological sites.
Oxford Journal of Archaeology, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 247-273, 2021
This article presents major discoveries from a new campaign of large-scale multi-method geophysic... more This article presents major discoveries from a new campaign of large-scale multi-method geophysical surveying, focused on Navan Fort and its environs. Alongside a re-appraisal of excavated evidence, it offers a new model for the evolution of Navan. The large earthwork now known as Navan Fort sits alongside other iconic monuments such as Tara, Rathcroghan, Knockaulin and Cashel as one of Ireland's so-called provincial centres. Historical texts imply that these Iron Age complexes became enduring symbols of power for early medieval societies, and royal centres for overkings. These references, alongside the incredible scale of these landscapes, have encouraged intensive research, but only recently has non-invasive survey begun adding new data and facilitating new interpretations. Prior to the present study, discussion of Navan Fort was limited to the results of small-scale but iconic excavations. These new discoveries significantly change understandings, adding spectacular new monumental phases, and facilitating re-assessment of Navan's role within both later prehistoric and medieval society, as well as of the nature of ceremonial landscapes and their role in developing sacral kingship in northern Europe.
Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal, vol. 26, pp. 21-34, 2020
Few Pictish barrow and cairn cemeteries of northern
and eastern Scotland have been excavated, but... more Few Pictish barrow and cairn cemeteries of northern and eastern Scotland have been excavated, but in 2012 aoc Archaeology excavated sites at Greshop in Moray, and Bankhead of Kinloch in Perthshire. Both were small cemeteries with between three and five barrows excavated, and despite plough truncation, particularly in the case of Greshop, the sites revealed important information about the monument construction and the individuals buried there, as well as providing a suite of new radiocarbon dates. The destruction and ongoing threat to all cropmark sites, including scheduled monuments, is also discussed.
The rich resources of river valleys provided a focus for much Mesolithic hunter-gatherer-fisher a... more The rich resources of river valleys provided a focus for much Mesolithic hunter-gatherer-fisher activities across Europe. In Scotland there is one notable concentration of lithic evidence for this, at several locations along the River Dee in Aberdeenshire, but the environmental context of these sites has, to date, been poorly understood. Here we present evidence from excavation, repeated field-walking, flint typology, geomorphological mapping, sedimentology, pollen analysis, AMS 14 C dating, OSL profiling and dating to understand the postglacial evolution of the terrace surface at the largest concentration of lithics along the River Dee, at Nethermills of Crathes. The aim was to understand in detail the environment and landscape dynamics of the site, to define whether occupation was on the active valley floor or on a terrace above the river, and whether fluvial processes had a role in site formation processes. We conclude that occupation was on a dry wooded surface, the active channel having incised below this, though to an unknown depth, and that although major floods have swept the terrace surface, the present distribution of lithics is probably largely the original distribution.
Dinas Powys was excavated by Leslie Alcock in the 1950s. Its rich finds assemblage set a
standard... more Dinas Powys was excavated by Leslie Alcock in the 1950s. Its rich finds assemblage set a standard for elite sites in post-Roman western Britain and offers rare insight into a region within the former Roman Empire where emergent socio-political structures were unaffected by ‘barbarian’ incursion. Alcock argued that the main defences belonged to a Norman period castle, but whilst this has been rejected the original dating continues to be wrongly quoted. This paper demonstrates via stratigraphic analysis and new radiocarbon dates that the Norman phase is a misnomer and that the early medieval site was a strongly defended multi- phase fort.
There are longstanding questions about the origins and ancestry of the Picts of early medieval Sc... more There are longstanding questions about the origins and ancestry of the Picts of early medieval Scotland (ca. 300-900 CE), prompted in part by exotic medieval origin myths, their enigmatic symbols and inscriptions, and the meagre textual evidence. The Picts, first mentioned in the late 3 rd century CE resisted the Romans and went on to form a powerful kingdom that ruled over a large territory in northern Britain. In the 9 th and 10 th centuries Gaelic language, culture and identity became dominant, transforming the Pictish realm into Alba, the precursor to the medieval kingdom of Scotland. To date, no comprehensive analysis of Pictish genomes has been published, and questions about their biological relationships to other cultural groups living in Britain remain unanswered. Here we present two high-quality Pictish genomes (2.4 and 16.5X coverage) from central and northern Scotland dated from the 5 th-7 th century which we impute and co-analyse with >8,300 previously published ancient and modern genomes. Using allele frequency and haplotype-based approaches, we can firmly place the genomes within the Iron Age gene pool in Britain and demonstrate regional biological affinity. We also demonstrate the presence of population structure within Pictish groups, with Orcadian Picts being genetically distinct from their mainland contemporaries. When investigating Identity-By-Descent (IBD) with present-day genomes, we observe broad affinities between the mainland Pictish genomes and the present-day people living in western Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Northumbria, but less with the rest of England, the Orkney islands and eastern Scotland-where the political centres of Pictland were located. The pre-Viking Age Orcadian Picts evidence a high degree of IBD sharing across modern
Our knowledge of the use of livestock in early medieval Scotland is fragmentary and relies on a h... more Our knowledge of the use of livestock in early medieval Scotland is fragmentary and relies on a handful of well-studied faunal assemblages, with few from Pictland (north-east Scotland), an important and enigmatic group and latterly kingdom in Northern Britain that existed between the rd and th centuries AD. The assemblages that have been recovered and studied mainly occur at the limits of this territory, beyond the heartland of the Picts in the northern and eastern mainland. Recent archaeological excavations at three high-status sites in eastern Scotland have unexpectedly yielded well-preserved faunal remains providing a unique and long-awaited opportunity to explore further human-animal relationships and the use of animals in Pictish society. This paper presents new data from the initial study of these assemblages. It discusses the implications in terms of animal economy in Pictland, the potential of these sites to yield larger faunal assemblages and the directions of future research. Results show that cattle were a pivotal element of the economy, playing a multi-faceted role (beef and secondary products), pigs ranked second in frequency which likely reflects the high status of these sites and sheep appear as a marginal resource and were primarily raised for consumption. Results also suggest that these sites may have operated within an integrated network rather than functioning solely as self-su cient entities.
SCOTTISH WOODLAND HISTORY CONFERENCE NOTES XXIII, 2023
In 2018, the NWDG Scottish Woodland History Conference (formerly the Scottish Woodland History Di... more In 2018, the NWDG Scottish Woodland History Conference (formerly the Scottish Woodland History Discussion Group Conference) was organised by Mairi Stewart and Noel Fojut with the support of Alison Averis and Alasdair Firth. We are grateful to all those who helped to make the conference a success including our sponsors, chairs (Fiona Watson & James Ogilvie), speakers, helpers and delegates.
Iona is renowned for its early monastery, founded following the arrival of Columba in AD 563. Thi... more Iona is renowned for its early monastery, founded following the arrival of Columba in AD 563. This paper uses palaeoecological data to provide insight into the social and environmental transformations that influenced the landscape of Iona during the later prehistoric and historic periods. The identification of cereal pollen suggests that arable farming occurred during the Bronze Age and possibly continued through the Iron Age. Pastoral farming was also practiced. It remains unclear as to whether there were people living on the island at the time of the monastic community's arrival. Between AD 630 and 1100, woodland clearance and farming occurred. There were also two phases of woodland regeneration and agricultural decline. The first phase coincides with the period of Viking raids and may have witnessed a decline in population. The second phase occurred in conjunction with increased Scandinavian influence and political restructuring across the wider region; however, smallscale farming continued. After c. AD 1000 there was renewed intensification of landscape management prior to the arrival of Benedictine monks and Augustinian nuns (c. AD 1200). This may be linked to climatic amelioration during the Medieval Warm Period and economic growth in the Hebrides.
Perchement et réalités fortifiées en Méditerranée et en Europe (Vème-Xème siècles): Formes, rythmes, fonctions et acteurs. Hanna, E. K. (ed.). Archaeopress, pp. 433, 2023
Early medieval architecture is notably difficult to trace in northern Britain. The fortuitous sur... more Early medieval architecture is notably difficult to trace in northern Britain. The fortuitous survival of an intact floor of a building located just outside a ringfort at Cairnmore, a high-status early medieval ringfort enclosure in Aberdeenshire, Northeast Scotland, allowed the targeted deployment of a paleoethnobotanical approach that utilized microbotanical (i.e., phytoliths) and micro-algae residues (e.g., diatom frustules) to illuminate the character of the unusual survival of an early medieval building in Scotland. This research revealed novel data on the architecture of the early medieval roundhouse floor in this poorly documented region and era for settlement remains, securely identifying the use of turf for walling in an early medieval lowland building. Evidence for roofing material was also preserved in the phytolith signature. Moreover, the microbotanical assemblage from Cairnmore was found to represent a use of a variety of ecological niches providing important evidence for landscape use. The presence (and absence) of particular microbotanical indicators also allowed interpretation of the possible uses of the structure. The results from this research demonstrate that microbotanical approaches can be critical in understanding architecture in regions where settlement survival is poor, highlighting the merits of microbotanical and micro-algae analyses in northern environments. The article concludes by advocating for the in-tandem assessment of these proxies in archaeological investigations where macrobotanical and other organic residues are poorly preserved.
The evidence of funerary archaeology, historical sources and poetry has been used to define a 'he... more The evidence of funerary archaeology, historical sources and poetry has been used to define a 'heroic warrior ethos' across Northern Europe during the first millennium AD. In northern Britain, burials of later prehistoric to early medieval date are limited, as are historical and literary sources. There is, however, a rich sculptural corpus, to which a newly discovered monolith with an image of a warrior can now be added. Comparative analysis reveals a materialisation of a martial ideology on carved stone monuments, probably associated with elite cemeteries, highlighting a regional expression of the warrior ethos in late Roman and post-Roman Europe.
Archaeological Journal, vol. 177, no. 2, pp. 256-338, 2020
Dunnicaer, Aberdeenshire, a now isolated sea stack, is the findspot of five Pictish symbol stones... more Dunnicaer, Aberdeenshire, a now isolated sea stack, is the findspot of five Pictish symbol stones discovered in the nineteenth century. Excavations from 2015 to 2017 have revealed a Roman Iron Age promontory fort, providing insights into the development of fortified settlement in northeast Scotland, with fortified sites being a key feature of first millennium AD elite practice in this region. The presence of rare and unusual finds indicates contact with the Roman world to the south and changes in the character of settlement as evidenced at Dunnicaer indicate broader transitions in the later Roman Iron Age native society. The archaeological sequence at Dunnicaer sheds new light on the adoption of non-roundhouse styles of architecture in first millennium AD Scotland and provides important evidence for the dating of the Pictish symbol tradition. A consideration of the impacts of coastal erosion on promontories of this nature suggests these are amongst the most threatened archaeological sites.
Oxford Journal of Archaeology, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 247-273, 2021
This article presents major discoveries from a new campaign of large-scale multi-method geophysic... more This article presents major discoveries from a new campaign of large-scale multi-method geophysical surveying, focused on Navan Fort and its environs. Alongside a re-appraisal of excavated evidence, it offers a new model for the evolution of Navan. The large earthwork now known as Navan Fort sits alongside other iconic monuments such as Tara, Rathcroghan, Knockaulin and Cashel as one of Ireland's so-called provincial centres. Historical texts imply that these Iron Age complexes became enduring symbols of power for early medieval societies, and royal centres for overkings. These references, alongside the incredible scale of these landscapes, have encouraged intensive research, but only recently has non-invasive survey begun adding new data and facilitating new interpretations. Prior to the present study, discussion of Navan Fort was limited to the results of small-scale but iconic excavations. These new discoveries significantly change understandings, adding spectacular new monumental phases, and facilitating re-assessment of Navan's role within both later prehistoric and medieval society, as well as of the nature of ceremonial landscapes and their role in developing sacral kingship in northern Europe.
Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal, vol. 26, pp. 21-34, 2020
Few Pictish barrow and cairn cemeteries of northern
and eastern Scotland have been excavated, but... more Few Pictish barrow and cairn cemeteries of northern and eastern Scotland have been excavated, but in 2012 aoc Archaeology excavated sites at Greshop in Moray, and Bankhead of Kinloch in Perthshire. Both were small cemeteries with between three and five barrows excavated, and despite plough truncation, particularly in the case of Greshop, the sites revealed important information about the monument construction and the individuals buried there, as well as providing a suite of new radiocarbon dates. The destruction and ongoing threat to all cropmark sites, including scheduled monuments, is also discussed.
The Picts have fascinated for centuries. They emerged c. ad 300 to defy the might of the Roman em... more The Picts have fascinated for centuries. They emerged c. ad 300 to defy the might of the Roman empire only to disappear at the end of the first millennium ad, yet they left major legacies. They laid the foundations for the medieval Scottish kingdom and their captivating carved stones are some of the most eye-catching yet enigmatic monuments in Europe. Until recently the Picts have been difficult to trace due to limited archaeological investigation and documentary sources, but innovative new research has produced critical new insights into the culture of a highly sophisticated society which defied the might of the Roman Empire and forged a powerful realm dominating much of northern Britain.
This is the first dedicated book on the Picts that covers in detail both their archaeology and their history. It examines their kingdoms, culture, beliefs and everyday lives from their origins to their end, not only incorporating current thinking on the subject, but also offering innovative perspectives that transform our understanding of the early history of Scotland.
The Neolithic period is one of the great transformations in human historywhen agriculture first b... more The Neolithic period is one of the great transformations in human historywhen agriculture first began and dramatic changes occurred in human society. These changes occurred in environments that were radically different from those that exist today, and in northern Europe, many landscapes would have been dominated by woodland. Yet wood and woodland rarely figure in the minds of archaeologists, and they play no part in the traditional Three Age system that has defined the frameworks of European prehistory. This book explores how human-environment relations altered with the beginnings of farming and how the Neolithic in northern Europe was made possible through new ways of living in and understanding the environment. Drawing on a broad range of evidence, from pollen data to stone axes to the remains of timber monuments and settlements, this book analyses the relationships between people, architecture, and material culture, and the woodland environment.
Some years ago a revolution took place in Early Medieval history in Scotland. The Pictish heart... more Some years ago a revolution took place in Early Medieval history in Scotland. The Pictish heartland of Fortriu, previously thought to be centred on Perthshire and the Tay found itself relocated through the forensic work of Alex Woolf to the shores of the Moray Firth. The implications for our understanding of this period and for the formation of Scotland are unprecedented and still being worked through.
This is the first account of this northern heartland of Pictavia for a more general audience to take in the full implications of this and of the substantial recent archaeological work that has been undertaken in recent years. Part of the The Northern Picts project at Aberdeen University, this book represents an exciting cross disciplinary approach to the study of this still too little understood yet formative period in Scotland's history.
The Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot Project (SERF), run by the University of Glasgow, was... more The Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot Project (SERF), run by the University of Glasgow, was one of the largest research projects undertaken in Scotland in recent decades. The original stimulus for the project was a major complex of cropmarks situated to the south of the early medieval royal centre of Forteviot in eastern Scotland, celebrated as the site of the palace of Cináed mac Alpín (d AD 858). This volume reports on SERF excavations between 2007 and 2010 at one of the most important prehistoric ceremonial complexes in Britain, which began with a cremation cemetery just after 3000 BC. The excavations, supported by over 130 radiocarbon dates, focused on a late Neolithic palisaded enclosure, timber setting, and ring-ditch as well as two Chalcolithic henge monuments. Evidence was found for complex sequences of activity at the henges and ring-ditch, each monument undergoing transformation into a burial monument in the late 3rd millennium BC. Discoveries included a dagger-burial containing two copper weapons, as well as the first positive evidence for flowers in a Bronze Age burial in Britain and the most complete fire-making kit of that age found in Europe. This volume reports on the prehistoric remains; details of the early medieval investigations can be found in CBA Research Report 177: Royal Forteviot: excavations at a Pictish power centre in eastern Scotland (Campbell and Driscoll 2020).
Modern excavations can sometimes provide
surprising new insights on antiquarian finds
of metalwor... more Modern excavations can sometimes provide surprising new insights on antiquarian finds of metalwork. The Pictish silver hoard from Gaulcross in north-eastern Scotland provides an excellent example. Recent fieldwork, including metal-detecting, has clarified the size and composition of the hoard, and uncovered 100 new silver items, including coins, fragments of brooches and bracelets, ingots and parcels of cut, bent and broken silver known as Hacksilber. Comparisons with other hoards and with Pictish symbol stones illustrate the circumstances and date of deposition, the origin of the silver and the forms of society emerging in Scotland in the post-Roman period.
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Papers by Gordon Noble
standard for elite sites in post-Roman western Britain and offers rare insight into a region
within the former Roman Empire where emergent socio-political structures were unaffected
by ‘barbarian’ incursion. Alcock argued that the main defences belonged to a Norman period
castle, but whilst this has been rejected the original dating continues to be wrongly quoted.
This paper demonstrates via stratigraphic analysis and new radiocarbon dates that the
Norman phase is a misnomer and that the early medieval site was a strongly defended multi-
phase fort.
and eastern Scotland have been excavated, but in 2012
aoc Archaeology excavated sites at Greshop in Moray,
and Bankhead of Kinloch in Perthshire. Both were
small cemeteries with between three and five barrows
excavated, and despite plough truncation, particularly
in the case of Greshop, the sites revealed important
information about the monument construction and the
individuals buried there, as well as providing a suite of
new radiocarbon dates. The destruction and ongoing
threat to all cropmark sites, including scheduled
monuments, is also discussed.
standard for elite sites in post-Roman western Britain and offers rare insight into a region
within the former Roman Empire where emergent socio-political structures were unaffected
by ‘barbarian’ incursion. Alcock argued that the main defences belonged to a Norman period
castle, but whilst this has been rejected the original dating continues to be wrongly quoted.
This paper demonstrates via stratigraphic analysis and new radiocarbon dates that the
Norman phase is a misnomer and that the early medieval site was a strongly defended multi-
phase fort.
and eastern Scotland have been excavated, but in 2012
aoc Archaeology excavated sites at Greshop in Moray,
and Bankhead of Kinloch in Perthshire. Both were
small cemeteries with between three and five barrows
excavated, and despite plough truncation, particularly
in the case of Greshop, the sites revealed important
information about the monument construction and the
individuals buried there, as well as providing a suite of
new radiocarbon dates. The destruction and ongoing
threat to all cropmark sites, including scheduled
monuments, is also discussed.
This is the first dedicated book on the Picts that covers in detail both their archaeology and their history. It examines their kingdoms, culture, beliefs and everyday lives from their origins to their end, not only incorporating current thinking on the subject, but also offering innovative perspectives that transform our understanding of the early history of Scotland.
This is the first account of this northern heartland of Pictavia for a more general audience to take in the full implications of this and of the substantial recent archaeological work that has been undertaken in recent years. Part of the The Northern Picts project at Aberdeen University, this book represents an exciting cross disciplinary approach to the study of this still too little understood yet formative period in Scotland's history.
surprising new insights on antiquarian finds
of metalwork. The Pictish silver hoard from
Gaulcross in north-eastern Scotland provides
an excellent example. Recent fieldwork,
including metal-detecting, has clarified the
size and composition of the hoard, and
uncovered 100 new silver items, including
coins, fragments of brooches and bracelets,
ingots and parcels of cut, bent and broken
silver known as Hacksilber. Comparisons
with other hoards and with Pictish symbol
stones illustrate the circumstances and date
of deposition, the origin of the silver and the
forms of society emerging in Scotland in the
post-Roman period.