The architecture of food: Consumption and society in the Iron Age of Atlantic Scotland, with special reference to the site of Old Scatness, Shetland.

Food is the foundation upon which societies are built. It is a means of survival, a source of wealth and prosperity and can be used as a means of social display. In Iron Age Atlantic Scotland, a wide range of food resources were open to exploitation. Among these, barley is likely to have been an important backbone to the system. Far from being at the mercy of the elements, the Iron Age population of Atlantic Scotland was able to extract surpluses of food from the landscape which could be manipulated for social, political and economic gain. One means through which this could be achieved is feasting, a practice considered significant elsewhere in the Iron Age. With such ideas at its core, this thesis examines the main arenas for consumption events in Iron Age Atlantic Scotland (dwellings) in detail, considering also the underpinnings of the system in terms of food production and accumulation, in particular the barley crop. The distribution of food processing and preparation between a dwelling and its associated ancillary buildings at Old Scatness provides insights into the organisation of life on the settlement.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Bradford

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Summers, John R.

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Dockrill, Stephen
• Bond, Julie

• Northern Isles
• Archaeobotany
• Archaeology
• Economy
• Hearths
• Agriculture
• Feasting
• Social organisation
• Food
• Old Scatness, Shetland
• Iron Age

Statement dc:rights

• <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10454/5714

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/5714