Bioarchaeology Seminar: Integrated geoarchaeological analysis of an early medieval farmhouse in upland Perthshire, Scotland

Due to the poor preservation of Pictish Period buildings and the occupation deposits within them, very little is known of daily life in medieval Scotland. In lowland and coastal areas, Pictish buildings are generally truncated by deep ploughing (e.g. Rhynie, Clarkly Hill), coastal erosion (e.g. Dunnicaer) or urban development (e.g. Burghead), while those uncovered in upland areas seem to have no preserved floor deposits for reasons that are yet to be understood (e.g. Lair in Glenshee). Geoarchaeological techniques clarify site formation processes and are a powerful research tool for identifying floor deposits, distinguishing their composition and linking this to daily activities, however such techniques have not yet been applied to Pictish Period dwellings.

Vanessa's research therefore employs an innovative suite of geoarchaeological techniques to evaluate the preservation of Pictish Period buildings and the potential that fragmentary buildings have to reconstruct daily life in early medieval Scotland. This seminar will focus on her study of one early medieval farmhouse in upland Perthshire.