Within the legendary and imposing landscapes of Glencoe it is easy to miss the stories told by simply looking down at the land beneath your feet. Day 1 of survey taught us that observations of the smaller things are the building blocks of archaeology. For example a lot is revealed by plants within the landscape. Look for patches of vibrant Wood Sorrel to see where cleared trees once stood. Lines of delicate but ominously named Bone Breaker, and the carnivorous Sundew, indicate acidic soil and possible past drainage systems. Conversely lush meadows of Sweetgrass and Clover often means the land has been improved.
Archaeological surveyors need to keep a sharp eye on all their natural surroundings if they want to find points of interest. Plants play a key role in identifying features such as Rig and Furrows across archaeological landscapes. Rig and Furrow is a result of medieval to early modern farming techniques in places like Glencoe. Inhabitants would dig trenches – the Furrow – and build raised lines of soil – the Rig – parallel to one another. This would allow water to drain through the Furrows while crops could thrive and grow on the Rigs. Nowadays, as aforementioned, some of the ways we can identify these traditional places of farming is from looking at the flora growing today and seeing what they reveal about the history of the soil.
Have a look at the flowers and grasses growing within the landscape of Glencoe and see if you can identify anything yourself!
– By Lív Brownlie and Alex Thompson
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