Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T23:38:47.776Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Unusual food plants from Oakbank Crannog, Loch Tay, Scottish Highlands: cloudberry, opium poppy and spelt wheat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Jennifer J. Miller ,
James H. Dickson  and
T. Nicholas Dixon
Jennifer J. Miller
Affiliation:
Division of Environmental & Evolutionary Biology, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland
James H. Dickson
Affiliation:
Division of Environmental & Evolutionary Biology, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland
T. Nicholas Dixon
Affiliation:
Scottish Trust for Underwater Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, High School Yards, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH1 1LT, Scotland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Oakbank is one of 18 crannogs in Loch Tay, and the first in Britain to have been excavated underwater. The abundant and well-preserved plant remains indicate a prosperous society with a well-founded arable and pastoral agriculture. Opium poppy and spelt wheat remains imply trade and suggest high status. Cloudberry pips highlight long-range gathering, possibly during transhumance.

Keywords

crannogScotlandpalaeobotanyprehistorywheatopium poppycloudberry
Type
Notes
Information
Antiquity , Volume 72 , Issue 278 , December 1998 , pp. 805 - 811
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barber, J.W. & Crone, B.A. 1993. Crannogs: a diminishing resource? A survey of the crannogs of southwest Scotland and excavations at Buiston Crannog, Antiquity 67: 520–33.Google Scholar
Bond, J.M. & Hunter, J.R. 1987. Flax-growing in Orkney from the Norse Period to the 18th century, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 117: 175–81.Google Scholar
Carruthers, W. 1991. Fishbourne Roman Palace, West Sussex: carbonised plant macrofossils from garden features. London: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England. Ancient Monuments Laboratory report 130/91.Google Scholar
Clapham, A. & Scaife, R. 1988. A pollen and plant macrofossil investigation of Oakbank Crannog, Loch Tay, Scotland, in Murphy, P. & French, C. (ed.), The exploitation of wetlands: 293–325. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. British series 186.Google Scholar
Crone, B.A. 1988. Dendrochronology and the study of crannogs. Ph.D dissertation, University of Sheffield.Google Scholar
Dickson, C.A. 1989. The Roman army diet in Britain and Germany, Archaobotanik. Dissertationes Botanicae 133:135–54.Google Scholar
Dickson, C.A. 1991. Memoirs of a midden mavis — the study of ancient diets and environments from plant remains, Glasgow Naturalist 22: 65–76.Google Scholar
Dickson, J.H. 1992. Some recent additions to the Quaternary flora of Scotland and their phytogeographical, palaeo-climatic and ethnobotanical significance. A review, Acta Botanica Fennìca 144: 51–8.Google Scholar
Dixon, T.N. 1982. A survey of crannogs in Loch Tay, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 112: 17–38.Google Scholar
Dixon, T.N. 1984. Scottish crannogs: underwater excavation of artificial islands with special reference to Oakbank Crannog, Loch Tay. Ph.D dissertation, University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Dixon, T.N. 1991. the history of crannog survey and excavation in Scotland, International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 20: 1–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dixon, T.N. 1994. Reconstructing a Bronze Age Scottish lake dwelling in Loch Tay, in Barrois, N. & Demarez, L. (ed.), Les sites de reconstitutions archéologiques: 64–71. Beloeil: Archéosite d’Aubechies-Beloeil.Google Scholar
Dixon, T.N. 1997. The crannogs of Scotland, in Gage, S. & Mullin, P. (ed.), Zeitgeist: an anthology of popular science writing: 29–38. Edinburgh: Science Reviews. Edinburgh International Science Festival.Google Scholar
Field, N.H., Matthews, C.L. & Smith, I.F. 1964. New Neolithic sites in Dorset and Bedfordshire, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 30: 352–81.Google Scholar
Fraser, M. & Dickson, J.H. 1982. Plant remains, in Murray, J.C. (ed.), Excavations in the Medieval Burgh of Aberdeen 1973–81: 239–43. Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Monograph 2.Google Scholar
Frohne, D. & Pfänder, H.J. 1983. A colour atlas of poisonous plants. Stuttgart: Wolfe Publishing.Google Scholar
Godwin, H. 1978. Fenland: its ancient past and uncertain future. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Greig, J.R.A. 1990. The prehistoric riverside settlement at Runnymede, Surrey: the botanical story (final report). London: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England. Ancient Monuments Laboratory report 40/90.Google Scholar
Greig, J.R.A. 1991. The British Isles, in van Zeist, et al. (ed.): 299–334.Google Scholar
Griffin, K. 1994. The usage of wild berries and other fruits in the medieval and post-medieval households in Norway, Botanical Journal of Scotland 46: 521–6.Google Scholar
Halliday, G. 1997. A flora of Cumbria. Lancaster: Centre for Northwest Regional Studies, University of Lancaster.Google Scholar
Hansson, A.-M. 1988. Vegetations historisk studie från över-gången Bronsålder-Järnålder vid Oakbank Crannog, Skottland, Laborativ Arkeologi 3: 19–30. Stockholm.Google Scholar
Heer, O. 1866. Treatise on the plants of the lake dwellings, in Keller, F. (ed.), The Lake Dwellings of Switzerland and Other Parts of Europe: 336–54. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Heldaek, H. 1952. Early crops in southern England, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 12: 194–253.Google Scholar
Hencken, H.O. 1937. Ballinderry Crannog 1, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 43: 103–239.Google Scholar
Hencken, H.O. 1942. Ballinderry Crannog 2, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 47: 1–76.Google Scholar
Hencken, H.O. 1950. Lagore Crannog, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 53: 1–248.Google Scholar
Hinton, P. 1982. Carbonized plant remains, in Drewett, P. (ed.), Later Bronze Age downland Economy and Excavations at Black patch, East Sussex, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 48: 382–90.Google Scholar
Holden, T.G. 1996. The plants and the people from Buiston Crannog, Ayrshire, Scotland, Antiquity 70: 954–9.Google Scholar
Hopf, M. 1991. South and southwest Europe. Pages in van Zeist et al. (ed.): 241–76.Google Scholar
Jones, M. 1981. The development of crop husbandry, in Jones, M. & Dimbleby, G. (ed.) The Environment of Man: the Iron Age to the Anglo-Saxon Period: 95–127. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. British series 87.Google Scholar
Kortesharju, J. 1988. The golden berry of the bogs, in Palmunen, R. (ed.), Finland, land of natural beauty: 155–7. Helsinki: Reader’s Digest.Google Scholar
Mabey, R. 1996. Flora Britannica. London: Sinclair-Stevenson.Google Scholar
Miller, J.J. 1997. An archaeobotanical investigation of Oakbank Crannog, a prehistoric lake dwelling in Loch Tay, the Scottish Highlands. Ph.D dissertation, University of Glasgow.Google Scholar
Murphy, P. 1992. Plant macrofossils, in Crummy, P. (ed.) Excavations at Culver Street, the Gilberd School, and other sites in Colchester 1971–85: 288. Colchester: Colchester Archaeological Trust. Archaeological report 6.Google Scholar
Rackham, O. 1990. The history of the countryside. London: J.M. Dent & Sons.Google Scholar
Raven, J. & Walters, M. 1956. Mountain flowers. London: Collins.Google Scholar
Renfrew, J.M. 1973. Palaeoethnobotany. London: Methuen.Google Scholar
Robinson, M. 1989. Seeds and other plant macrofossils, in Ashbee, P., Bell, M. & Proudfoot, E. (ed.), Wilsford Shaft: excavations 1960–62: 78–90. London: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England. Archaeological report 11.Google Scholar
Salisbury, E. 1961. Weeds and aliens. London: Collins.Google Scholar
Sands, R.J.S. 1994. Archaeological potential of toolmarks on prehistoric wood, with special reference to Oakbank Crannog, Loch Tay, Scotland. Ph.D dissertation, University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Straker, V., Robinson, M. & Robinson, E. 1984. Biological investigation of waterlogged deposits in the Roman fortress ditch at Exeter, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society 42: 59–69.Google Scholar
Stuart, J. 1865. Notices of a group of artificial islands in the Loch of Dowalton, Wigtownshire, and of other artificial islands or ‘crannogs’ throughout Scotland, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 6: 114–78.Google Scholar
Taylor, K. 1971. Bubus chamaemorus (L.), Journal of Ecology 121: 293–306.Google Scholar
van der Veen, M. 1988. The plant remains, in Coggins, D., & Gidney, L.J. (ed.), A late prehistoric site at Dubby Sike, Upper Teesdale, Co. Durham, Durham Archaeological Journal 4: 10–12.Google Scholar
van der Veen, M. & Palmer, C. 1997. Environmental factors and the yield potential of ancient wheat crops, Journal of Archaeological Science 24: 163–82.Google Scholar
van Zeist, W. & Casparie, W.A. 1974. Niederwil, a palaeo-botanical study of a Swiss Neolithic lake shore settlement, Geologie en Mijnbouw 53: 415–28.Google Scholar
van Zeist, W., Wasylikowa, K. & Behre, K.-E. (ed.). 1991. Progress in Old World palaeoethnobotany. Rotterdam: Balkema.Google Scholar
Wasylikowa, K., Cârciumaru, M., Hajnalová, E., Hartyányi, B.P., Pashkevich, C.A. & Yanushevich, Z.V. 1991. East-central Europe, in van Zeist, et al. (ed.): 207–40 Google Scholar
Webster, M.M. 1978. Flora of Moray, Nairn & East Inverness. Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press.Google Scholar
Young, J. 1819. On the preparation of opium in Great Britain, Edinburgh Philosophical Journal 2: 258–70.Google Scholar
Zohary, D. & Hopf, M. 1993. Domestication of plants in the Old World. 2nd edition. Oxford: Clarendon.Google Scholar