'It rained a lot and nothing much happened' : settlement and society in Bronze Age Orkney
This thesis addresses the question of an impoverished record for the Orcadian Bronze Age. It presents the first comprehensive synthesis of this period, which is overshadowed by its neighbours. Factors that influenced the formation of the archaeological record in Orkney are investigated. The effects of agricultural improvement on archaeological survival, not previously examined in detail in an Orcadian context, are shown to have been particularly significant. It is found that destruction of sites of all periods took place on a large scale, especially in the 19th century, and that this went largely unrecorded, which has not hitherto been fully appreciated or understood. Critical evaluation of the chronology and scale of land improvement is shown to be of particular importance in understanding archaeological distributions of Bronze Age evidence. Areas of archaeological survival of Bronze Age relict landscapes in largely marginal areas are identified and the implications of site densities in these landscapes are examined. The apparently high density of Bronze Age occupation in these marginal areas may be a result of population pressure or social control. Burial-related evidence is examined in light of the changing
Mamwell, Caroline Jane
Archaeology ; Bronze Age ; Orkney
'It rained a lot and nothing much happened' : settlement and society in Bronze Age Orkney. This thesis addresses the question of an impoverished record for the Orcadian Bronze Age. It presents the first comprehensive synthesis of this period, which is overshadowed by its neighbours. Factors that influenced the formation of the archaeological record in Orkney are investigated. The effects of agricultural improvement on archaeological survival, not previously examined in detail in an Orcadian context, are shown to have been particularly significant. It is found that destruction of sites of all periods took place on a large scale, especially in the 19th century, and that this went largely unrecorded, which has not hitherto been fully appreciated or understood. Critical evaluation of the chronology and scale of land improvement is shown to be of particular importance in understanding archaeological distributions of Bronze Age evidence. Areas of archaeological survival of Bronze Age relict landscapes in largely marginal areas are identified and the implications of site densities in these landscapes are examined. The apparently high density of Bronze Age occupation in these marginal areas may be a result of population pressure or social control. Burial-related evidence is examined in light of the changing
rain lot nothing much happen settlement society bronze_age orkney address_question impoverish record orcadian bronze_age present first_comprehensive synthesis period overshadow neighbour factors influence_formation archaeological_record orkney investigate effect agricultural improvement archaeological survival previously examine_detail orcadian context show particularly_significant find destruction sit period take_place large_scale especially largely unrecorded hitherto fully_appreciate understood critical_evaluation chronology scale land improvement show particular_importance archaeological distribution bronze_age evidence areas archaeological survival bronze_age relict landscape largely marginal_area identify implication site density landscape examine apparently high density bronze_age occupation marginal_area may population pressure social_control burial related evidence examine_light change