Middening in the Outer Hebrides : an ethnoarchaeological investigation
This thesis comprises two complementary parts: an investigation, using interviews and published accounts, of how and why nutrients are recycled in a 'traditional' farming economy; and an ethnoarchaeological analysis of samples from an abandoned farmstead to identify potential traces of recycling. The Uists and Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides were selected for fieldwork because local conditions favoured intensive recycling in the recent past, farmers with experience of such practices are still available for interview, and surviving farmers can identify functional areas on abandoned farmsteads. Interviews and published sources emphasise the importance of recycling in maintaining the fertility of cultivated blacklands and peatlands and in enhancing the fertility, stability and water-retentiveness of cultivated machair. The use of nutrients reflects their intrinsic properties, their availability and the characteristics of different land types. For example, dung is preferentially applied to blackland and staple grain crops, seaweed to machair and fodder crops. Dung and seaweed are complementary in availability: dung from overwintering livestock is subject to the same constraints as arable farming, while seaweed
Smith, Helen
Farming 3,000 B.C
Middening in the Outer Hebrides : an ethnoarchaeological investigation. This thesis comprises two complementary parts: an investigation, using interviews and published accounts, of how and why nutrients are recycled in a 'traditional' farming economy; and an ethnoarchaeological analysis of samples from an abandoned farmstead to identify potential traces of recycling. The Uists and Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides were selected for fieldwork because local conditions favoured intensive recycling in the recent past, farmers with experience of such practices are still available for interview, and surviving farmers can identify functional areas on abandoned farmsteads. Interviews and published sources emphasise the importance of recycling in maintaining the fertility of cultivated blacklands and peatlands and in enhancing the fertility, stability and water-retentiveness of cultivated machair. The use of nutrients reflects their intrinsic properties, their availability and the characteristics of different land types. For example, dung is preferentially applied to blackland and staple grain crops, seaweed to machair and fodder crops. Dung and seaweed are complementary in availability: dung from overwintering livestock is subject to the same constraints as arable farming, while seaweed
outer hebrides ethnoarchaeological investigation comprises two_complementary part investigation use interview publish account nutrient recycle traditional farm economy ethnoarchaeological analysis sample abandon farmstead identify_potential trace recycle outer hebrides select fieldwork local_condition favour intensive recycle recent_past farmer experience practice still available interview survive farmer identify functional area abandon farmstead interviews publish_source emphasise_importance recycle maintain fertility cultivate enhance fertility stability water cultivate use nutrient reflect intrinsic property availability characteristic different land type example dung apply staple grain crop fodder crop dung complementary availability dung livestock subject constraint arable_farming