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A Conservative Party? Pots and People in the Hebridean Neolithic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 October 2018

Mike Copper*
Affiliation:
School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
Ian Armit*
Affiliation:
School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Rd, Leicester, LE1 7RH
*
Corresponding author: Mike Copper Email: [email protected]
Ian Armit Email: [email protected]

Abstract

Recent analysis of the ceramic assemblage from the Neolithic loch islet settlement of Eilean Dòmhnuill, North Uist, in the Western Isles of Scotland has highlighted the intense conservatism of the potting traditions over a period of more than 800 years. Hebridean Neolithic pottery exhibits clear relationships with pottery from Argyll, Arran, and Bute, as well as Orkney and the north-east mainland of Scotland. It appears to have developed a distinctive, often decoratively elaborate regional form very soon after its initial appearance, which subsequently appears to have undergone little or no significant change until the introduction of Grooved Ware in the early 3rd millennium bc. An association exists between large assemblages of elaborately decorated Hebridean pottery and a number of artificial islets in freshwater lochs, some very small and producing little or no evidence for domestic activities. This might be explained by the importance of commensality in mediating relations between small communities in the Western Isle at such sites following the introduction of agriculture in the 2nd quarter of the 4th millennium bc. The conservatism and stasis evident at Eilean Dòmhnuill, in the face of environmental decline, raises wider issues around the adaptive capabilities of the first farming communities prior to significant social changes in the earlier 3rd millennium bc.

Résumé

Un parti conservateur? Pots et peuples du néolithique des Hébrides, de Mike Copper et Ian Armit

Une récente analyse d’un assemblage de céramique de l’occupation néolithique de l’ilot de loch d’ Eilean Dòmhnuill , nord Uist, dans les îles ouest de l’Ecosse a souligné l’intense conservatisme des traditions de poterie sur une période de plus de 800 ans. La poterie du néolithique des Hébrides atteste de relations évidentes avec la poterie de Argyll, Arran et Bute, ainsi que celle des Orcades et de la partie nord-est de l’Ecosse continentale. Elle semble avoir évolué en une forme régionale distincte, laborieusement décorée, très peu de temps après sa première apparition, par la suite, elle ne semble avoir subi que peu, voire aucun changement notoire jusqu’à l’introduction de la poterie cannelée au début du 3ème millénaire av. J.-C.. Il existe un lien entre les grands assemblages de poterie des Hébrides au décor travaillé et un certain nombre d’îlots artificiels dans des lochs d’eau douce, certains très petits et ne produisant que peu, voire pas de témoignages d’activités domestiques. Ce qui pourrait s’expliquer par l’importance du commensalisme dans la médiation des relations entre petites communautés de l’île ouest sur de tels sites suite à l’introduction de l’agriculture dans le 2 ème quart du 4 ème millénaire av.J.-C. Le conservatisme et la stase évidents à Eilean Dòmhnuill, face à un déclin de l’environnement, soulève des questions plus étendues quant aux capacités d’adaptation des premières communautés d’agriculteurs avant d’importants changements sociaux dans les premières années du 3ème millénaire av.J.-C.

Zussamenfassung

Eine konservative Zusammenkunft? Töpfe und Menschen im Neolithikum der Hebriden, von Mike Copper und Ian Armit

Neue Analysen des Keramikinventars aus der Siedlung von Eilean Dòmhnuill, North Uist, die auf einer kleinen Insel in einem See (loch) in den Western Isles Schottlands gelegen ist, verdeutlichen den starken Konservatismus, der die Tradition der Herstellung von Keramik über einen Zeitraum von mehr als 800 Jahren prägte. Die neolithische Gefäßkeramik der Hebriden zeigt deutliche Bezüge zu Keramik von Argyll, Arran und Bute wie auch von Orkney und dem Nordosten des schottischen Festlands. Sie scheint recht bald nach ihrem ersten Auftreten eine eigenständige regionale Form entwickelt zu haben, häufig mit großem dekorativem Aufwand, die anschließend offenbar kaum noch Veränderungen unterzogen wurde bis zur Einführung der Grooved Ware im frühen 3. Jahrtausend bc. Eine Verbindung besteht zwischen großen Komplexen aufwendig verzierter hebridischer Keramik und einigen künstlichen kleinen Inseln in Süßwasserseen (lochs), von denen einige sehr klein sind und nur wenige oder keine Hinweise auf domestische Aktivitäten liefern. Dies könnte mit der Bedeutung erklärt werden, die Kommensalität für das Aushandeln der Beziehungen der kleinen Gemeinschaften der Western Isles an solchen Orten hatte, nachdem der Ackerbau in der zweiten Hälfte des 4. Jahrtausends bc eingeführt worden war. Der Konservatismus und die Stasis, die in Eilean Dòmhnuill sichtbar werden, und dies angesichts von ökologischen Beeinträchtigungen, wirft weiterreichende Fragen rund um die adaptiven Fähigkeiten der ersten ackerbaulichen Gemeinschaften vor den signifikanten sozialen Veränderungen im frühen 3. Jahrtausend bc auf.

Resumen

¿Una fiesta conservadora? Cerámicas y gente en el Neolítico de las Islas Hébridas, por Mike Copper e Ian Armit

El reciente análisis del conjunto cerámico del asentamiento neolítico del islote del lago Eilean Dòmhnuill, norte de Uist, en las islas del oeste de Escocia ha resaltado el fuerte conservadurismo de las tradiciones alfareras durante un período de más de 800 años. La cerámica neolítica de las Islas Hébridas exhibe una clara relación con la procedente de Argyll, Arran y Bute, al igual que la documentada en las Orcadas y el noreste del territorio de Escocia. Inmediatamente después de su inicial aparición esta cerámica parece haber desarrollado una forma regional muy distintiva, a menudo con una decoración muy elaborada, sin que posteriormente experimente ningún cambio significativo hasta la introducción del Grooved Ware en los inicios del III milenio bc. Se observa una asociación entre los grandes conjuntos profusamente decorados de la cerámica de las Islas Hébridas y numerosos islotes artificiales de los lagos de agua dulce, algunos de ellos de pequeño tamaño y en los que se ha documentado poca o ninguna evidencia de actividades domésticas. Esto se podría explicar por la importancia de la comensalidad en las relaciones de mediación entre las pequeñas comunidades de las islas occidentales en aquéllos sitios en los que se introduce la agricultura en el segundo cuarto del IV milenio bc. El conservadurismo y el estatismo evidente en Eilean Dòmhnuill, frente al declive medioambiental, plantea cuestiones más amplias en torno a las capacidades adaptativas de las primeras comunidades agrícolas en los momentos previos a los importantes cambios sociales que tuvieron lugar en el III milenio bc.

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© The Prehistoric Society 2018 

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