Scotland in Early Medieval Europe

This edited volume explores how (what is today) Scotland can be compared with, contrasted to, or was connected with other parts of Early Medieval Europe. Far from a 'dark age', Early Medieval Scotland (AD 300-900) was a crucible of different languages and cultures, the world of the Picts, Scots, Britons and Anglo-Saxons. Though long regarded as somehow peripheral to continental Europe, people in Early Medieval Scotland had mastered complex technologies and were part of sophisticated intellectual networks. This cross-disciplinary volume includes contributions focussing on archaeology, artefacts, art-history and history, and considers themes that connect Scotland with key processes and phenomena happening elsewhere in Europe. Topics explored include the transition from Iron Age to Early Medieval societies and the development of secular power centres, the Early Medieval intervention in prehistoric landscapes, and the management of resources necessary to build kingdoms. Contents Introduction Alice Blackwell Peripheral vision: Scotland in Early Medieval Europe Ewan Campbell 'A bright crowd of chancels': whither early church archaeology in Scotland? Sally M Foster The 5-6th century Early Medieval Pictish power centre at Rhynie, north-east Scotland, and its European context Meggen Gondek & Gordon Noble Norrie's Law, Gaulcross and beyond: widening the context of hacksilver hoarding in Scotland Alice Blackwell & Martin Goldberg An Early Medieval and prehistoric nexus: the Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot project Ewan Campbell, Stephen Driscoll, Meggen Gondek & Adrian Maldonado Political transition at Portmahomack: the European context Martin Carver Early Medieval burial in European context: log coffins in Scotland Adrian Maldonado Pictish adventus: Christian iconography and the ideology of lordship Martin Goldberg Medieval European land assessment, Fortriu, and the dabhach Alasdair Ross Ideas of origins and ethnicity in Early Medieval Scotland Nicholas Evans