Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 139

A group of Early Neolithic features probably relating to the cooking of food was excavated. Several of these features contained considerable amounts of carbonised botanical remains, providing a broader insight into the landscape where these features were found. Analysis of the remains suggests that there has been a short phase of occupation, radiocarbon dated to 3780-3650 cal BC.

A geophysical survey and excavations in 1984 and 1999 confirmed the identification of the suspected Roman Gask system fortlet of Glenbank. The site was extremely poor in finds, but there was circumstantial evidence that it belonged to the Flavian tower chain rather than the Antonine reoccupation of the Gask forts. A number of nearby ring features seen beside the Roman road from the air were investigated in an attempt to trace the Gask line farther to the south-west, but appeared to be prehistoric in nature.

Summary of results from excavations on three medieval backland properties behind the High Street in Elgin, including a full analysis of timber-lined wells dating from the late 12th/early 13th and 14th centuries. A rare wooden wheel recovered from one of the wells is also illustrated.

In 1921 the Ministry of Works revealed a sequence of burials during excavations at the chapter house, Melrose. The site was re-excavated in 1996 by Kirkdale Archaeology for Historic Scotland to provide better information for the presentation and interpretation of the monument. SH

The work of historical geographers has produced a rich literature concerning medieval and later rural settlement in Scotland. This work has frequently been used in an uncritical manner by archaeologists studying this period, often to the exclusion of developing a suitable theoretical and methodological basis for archaeological research. These models might be appropriate for the 'big history' paradigms of the disciplines which generated them, but they fail to address several issues which are key to the archaeologist. This paper investigates the pre-crofting settlement of two areas of the Isle of Lewis to argue that to understand post-medieval settlement, it is necessary to utilise both conventional archaeological survey and theoretical considerations of how societies interact and react to the particular environment in which they are placed.

This paper describes a small group of medals which were produced between 1842 and 1858 as trophies in the game of curling.