The Mote of Mark: A Dark Age Hillfort in South-West Scotland

210 Pages·2006·4.925 MB·English

by  Lloyd Laing, David Longley

THE MOTE OF MARK
THE MOTE OF MARK
T A Dark Age Hillfort in South-West Scotland
A Dark Age Hillfort in South-West Scotland H
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The Mote of Mark is a Dark Age hilltop site with both natural and man-made defences, enjoying unbroken y
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views across the Solway Firth to the Cumbrian coast. Excavations in 1913 by Alexander Curle, working for the

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland, revealed a series of ramparts and L
defensive walls as well as large quantities of metalworking and occupation debris at the site. Although Curle a
dated the site to the 9th century AD, subsequent study of the finds and further investigations at the site in the in
1970s brought this date into question. g

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This volume reports on excavation in 1973 and 1979 at the Mote of Mark and its aim to resolve questions n
related to phases of domestic activity at the site and the structural history of the defences. Aside from the d
stratigraphical evidence, detailed discussion of the finds recovered, including copper-alloy, iron and lead
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objects, worked bone, stone, worked flint, glass and paste, pottery, animal bones and moulds, and an illustrated
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catalogue, are also included.
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In drawing together all the evidence in the final chapter, the authors place the site within the context of south-

west Scotland in the 6th and 7th centuries in terms of the landscape, settlement, territorial and administrative L
divisions, its people and their material culture. The metalworking evidence from the Mote of Mark is particularly o
Lloyd Laing
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noteworthy for the insights it provides on the development of ornamental metalwork during this period and
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for the light it sheds on the status of the site in local and wider trade and social networks at the time of the
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Anglian advance. e and David Longley
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Oxbow Books

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THE MOTE OF MARK
A Dark Age Hillfort in South-West Scotland
Lloyd Laing and David Longley
with contributions from Jennifer Bourdillon, Ewan Campbell, Peter Crew,
Susan la Niece, Ray Page, George Smith and Niamh Whitfield
Oxbow Books
Published by
Oxbow Books, Oxford, UK
© Oxbow Books, Lloyd Laing and David Longley 2006
ISBN 978-1-84217-217-9
Front cover: The Mote of Mark viewed from the south.
This book is published with the aid of a grant
from Historic Scotland.
Historic Scotland is now Historic Environment Scotland.
iii
Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Colour Plates
Acknowledgements
1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................1
The site and the background to the excavations....................................................................................................1
The excavations of Alexander Curle, 1913............................................................................................................3
The excavations of 1973 and 1979: aims and rationale .......................................................................................3
2 The stratigraphic evidence of the 1973 and 1979 excavations..................................................6
Context groups and sequential phases....................................................................................................................6
Phase 1: pre-rampart activity..................................................................................................................................6
Animal bone........................................................................................................................................................7
Metalworking evidence ......................................................................................................................................7
Artefacts in pre-rampart contexts......................................................................................................................7
Phase 2: construction of the ramparts....................................................................................................................7
The north rampart ..............................................................................................................................................8
The south rampart ............................................................................................................................................11
Phase 3: occupation within the defences..............................................................................................................14
The southern part of the central hollow: the area excavated by Curle in 1913 ..........................................14
The principal structures ...................................................................................................................................14
Phase 4: destruction of the ramparts and possible late occupation post-dating rampart slighting.................22
A reprise of the sequence ......................................................................................................................................22
Radiocarbon dates.............................................................................................................................................22
Phase 1: pre-rampart activity...........................................................................................................................23
Phase 2: the rampart.........................................................................................................................................23
Phases 3 and 4: occupation contexts and the abandonment of the site........................................................24
3 Metalworking evidence.............................................................................................................25
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................25
Metalworking equipment.......................................................................................................................................26
Crucibles............................................................................................................................................................26
Crucible stand...................................................................................................................................................32
Clay bivalve moulds .........................................................................................................................................32
Stone ingot moulds...........................................................................................................................................35
Metalworking residues and processes – Peter Crew...........................................................................................36
Slags and other metalworking residues ..........................................................................................................36
Ores....................................................................................................................................................................38
Metallurgical processes indicated by the slags...............................................................................................38
Tuyère................................................................................................................................................................39
Gold.........................................................................................................................................................................39
Gold wire coil – Niamh Whitfield ...................................................................................................................40
The examination and analysis of the gold coil – Susan la Niece.................................................................41
iv Contents
Catalogues...............................................................................................................................................................41
Catalogue of crucibles ......................................................................................................................................41
Catalogue of clay moulds.................................................................................................................................50
4 The evidence of the artefacts....................................................................................................75
Introduction: the distribution of artefacts and refuse within the area of the central hollow...........................75
Distribution through the sequence........................................................................................................................75
Distribution across the site....................................................................................................................................78
Copper-alloy castings.............................................................................................................................................85
Finished artefacts, ingots and waste................................................................................................................85
Iron objects .............................................................................................................................................................86
Lead objects............................................................................................................................................................90
Miscellaneous artefacts of bone, stone, jet and glass..........................................................................................90
Worked and utilized bone................................................................................................................................90
Bone fragment with runic inscription.............................................................................................................92
Stone..................................................................................................................................................................93
Quartz objects....................................................................................................................................................96
The worked flint and chert finds – George Smith.........................................................................................97
Discussion and dating ......................................................................................................................................99
Glass and paste objects...................................................................................................................................101
Jet objects ........................................................................................................................................................102
Imported glass and pottery – Ewan Campbell...................................................................................................104
Early medieval glass.......................................................................................................................................104
Early medieval pottery....................................................................................................................................109
Summary of all Early Medieval imports.......................................................................................................113
Catalogues.............................................................................................................................................................113
Copper-alloy objects .......................................................................................................................................113
Iron objects......................................................................................................................................................114
Lead objects.....................................................................................................................................................116
Bone objects ....................................................................................................................................................116
Stone objects....................................................................................................................................................117
Quartz objects..................................................................................................................................................118
Retouched flint artefacts ...............................................................................................................................118
Jet object..........................................................................................................................................................119
Glass artefacts other than vessels..................................................................................................................120
Early medieval glass.......................................................................................................................................121
Vessels.............................................................................................................................................................121
Catalogue of vessel sherds listed individually..............................................................................................122
Pottery..............................................................................................................................................................125
Roman Samian sherd......................................................................................................................................125
B ware amphorae............................................................................................................................................125
D ware mortarium...........................................................................................................................................125
E ware..............................................................................................................................................................125
5 Animal bones – Jennifer Bourdillon ......................................................................................133
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................................133
Methods.................................................................................................................................................................133
Distribution across the site..................................................................................................................................133
The condition of the material..............................................................................................................................133
The recovered assemblage...................................................................................................................................134
The domestic mammals..................................................................................................................................134
The wild mammals.........................................................................................................................................138
The bird remains.............................................................................................................................................139
The absence of fish.........................................................................................................................................140
Signs of pathological irregularities...............................................................................................................141
Conclusions...........................................................................................................................................................141
Contents v
6 The objects cast in the clay moulds........................................................................................142
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................................142
The range of objects.............................................................................................................................................142
Penannular brooches.......................................................................................................................................142
Buckle loops, buckle plates, strap fitments and shanked objects................................................................144
Pins ..................................................................................................................................................................145
Studs or rivets.................................................................................................................................................146
Decorative plates and bosses..........................................................................................................................146
Axe-blade shaped plates and roundels – a special category........................................................................148
Decoration: general considerations ...............................................................................................................151
7 Discussion and synthesis.........................................................................................................157
The background: South-west Scotland in the sixth and seventh centuries .....................................................157
Territorial and administrative divisions .......................................................................................................158
Peopling the landscape...................................................................................................................................159
Rheged.............................................................................................................................................................160
Irish and Pictish presence..............................................................................................................................164
Secular settlements.........................................................................................................................................165
The Angles in South-West Scotland...................................................................................................................166
Historical evidence..........................................................................................................................................166
The Anglian presence at the Mote of Mark .................................................................................................167
Status and the social context of the Mote of Mark ...........................................................................................169
Location and topography................................................................................................................................170
Locational associations...................................................................................................................................171
Defences...........................................................................................................................................................171
Structures.........................................................................................................................................................171
Material culture...............................................................................................................................................172
Economy and status........................................................................................................................................173
The economy of the Mote of Mark.....................................................................................................................174
The workshop..................................................................................................................................................174
The agricultural regime..................................................................................................................................174
Trade and exchange: continental imports.....................................................................................................177
Trade and exchange: small items and raw materials...................................................................................178
Conclusions...........................................................................................................................................................179
Bibliography............................................................................................................................180
Index .......................................................................................................................................188
Colour Plates
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List of Tables
1 Sequential phases at the Mote of Mark 16 Summary of representation of vessel glass in context
2 Artefact type, size and density of grits groups
3 Registration marks 17 Identified bone fragments (number count)
4 Summary of representation of slags and ores in 18 Identified bone fragments (weight)
context groups 19 Unidentified fragments
5 Summary of representation of crucibles in context 20 Relative representation of main domestic mammals
groups 21 Epiphyseal fusion in cattle
6 Summary of representation of clay moulds in context 22 Ageing by mandibles for cattle
groups 23 Distribution of bones over the body in cattle
7 Summary of representation of copper alloy objects 24 Selected measurements of cattle
in context groups 25 Cattle withers heights (in m) by Fock’s (1966) factors
8 Summary of representation of iron objects in context 26 Epiphyseal fusion in sheep/goat
groups 27 Ageing by mandibles for sheep/goat
9 Summary of representation of bone objects in context 28 Distribution of bones over the body in sheep/goat
groups 29 Selected measurements of sheep (in mm)
10 Summary of representation of stone and quartz in 30 Epiphyseal fusion in pig
context groups 31 Ageing by mandibles for pig
11 Flint assemblage summary 32 Distribution of bones over the body in pigs
12 Retouched pieces 33 Selected measurement for pig
13 Summary of the representation of flint in context 34 Stud dimensions
groups 35 Rheged place-names in the early Taliesin poems
14 Summary of representation of glass in context groups 36 Animal bones from early medieval sites
15 Summary of representation of jet in context groups 37 Status indicators
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List of Figures
1 The location of the Mote of Mark and site plan 33 Chart: a) representation of artefact types as
2 The Mote of Mark, views from the south and the percentage of total; b) incidence of artefacts in areas
north A, C and north and south parts of the central hollow
3 A: The Mote of Mark showing areas excavated and B.
explored by Alexander Curle in 1913. B: The Mote 34 Chart: Fragmentation of artefacts in contexts repre-
of Mark, showing visible extent of ramparts and senting phases in the site sequence
main area of excavation in 1973 and 1979 35 Chart: Comparison of the representation of artefacts
4 A: Section through North rampart, W face; B: View in the north and south areas of the central hollow
of North rampart from the south 36 Chart: Comparison of artefacts recorded in 1913 and
5 North rampart, 1979 excavation those from contexts representing the backfill of the
6 Mote of Mark: north and south rampart sections 1913 excavations
7 North rampart, 1973 and 1979 excavations 37 Artefact distributions: moulds and crucibles
8 South rampart, longitudinal section and inter- 38 Artefact distributions: glass and pot
pretation 39 Artefact distributions: ore and slag
9 Central hollow, south part, showing principal features 40 Selected copper alloy artefacts
10 Simplified cross-section of principal features and 41 Iron tools and socketed items
horizons in the area of the 1913 excavations 42 Iron tools, bars, rods and attachments
11 Section of ‘clay floor’ and underlying deposits 43 Lead,bone and antler artefacts; runic inscription on
12 Plan of the northern central hollow, showing bone
principal features 44 Inscribed stones
13 Diagrammatic representation of the chronological 45 Stone objects
evidence (including radiocarbon determination) 46 Quartz, glass beads and settings
14 Crucibles 1 47 Worked flint and chert artefacts (including barbed
15 Crucibles 2 and tanged arrowhead and other retouched pieces)
16 Dog-dish crucibles 48 Artefact distributions: flint and animal bone
17 Surface discolouration on crucible sherds (chart). 49 Jet and shale artefacts
Comparison of the thickness in cross section of 50 Early Medieval imported glass vessels.
primary and secondary moulds. 51 Early Medieval imported glass vessels: lid, bowl,
18 Stages in the construction of bivalve moulds. beakers, jug
19 Bulk iron and billets 52 Reconstructed E Ware jars
20 Moulds: bosses 53 Reconstructed E Ware vessels, lid, bowl, beakers
21 Moulds: curvilinear panels and jug
22 Moulds: decorated rectilinear panels 54 Reconstructed objects cast in moulds. A: Buckles;
23 Moulds: Penannular brooches B: Penannular brooches; C: pins
24 Moulds: pins 1: decorated pins 55 Reconstructions of decorative plates cast in the
25 Moulds: pins 2: nail-headed pins moulds on the site
26 Moulds: Buckles 56 Decorative metalwork from the Mote of Mark and
27 Moulds: studs horse-gear from Sutton Hoo, Lagore and Whithorn
28 Moulds: stud caps compared
29 Moulds: plain plates 57 An index of decorative motifs employed in moulds
30 Moulds: ‘Axe-blade’ fragments 58 Setttlement paterns in south-west Scotland in late
31 Moulds: fittings prehistory and the early historic period
32 Moulds: Miscellaneous 59 The Mote of Mark in relation to the historic kingdom
of Rheged and its literary evidence