Introducing the NE Scotland Regional Research Framework

framework graphicThe Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF) provides a national overview highlighting our current knowledge of what happened in the past, what gaps we have in that knowledge, and what research needs to be done.

To support the national framework a local one has been created, the NE Scotland Regional Research Framework. It covers the period 40,000 BC - 1100 AD and is designed to link into ScARF, while developing in more detail our understanding of the historic environment here in the NE. It enables anyone wishing to contribute to the research to plan their work, ensure that their work is relevant, and that it is effective in developing our understanding of the past.

The Framework for the North-east of Scotland includes the geographic areas as defined by Moray, Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Angus Local Authority boundaries. These areas largely coincide with natural features such as rivers, glens and mountains that make the Framework boundary relevant to any period’s activities. Details of how the framework has been put together can be found in the NE Scotland Archaeological Research Framework Introduction (PDF 244KB).

The framework uses the following table in order to establish manageable divisions of time for analysis:

 Era Timeframe  Transition Period
 Lower Upper Palaeolithic  40,000BC – 8000BC Not Applicable
 Mesolithic   8000BC – 4000BC Transition Period 1
 Early Neolithic  4000BC – 3300BC Transition Period 1
 Late Neolithic  3300BC – 2500BC Transition Period 2
 Chalcolithic  2500BC – 2200BC Transition Period 2
 Early Bronze Age   2200BC – 1800BC Transition Period 2
 Middle Bronze Age   1800BC – 1300BC Not Applicable
 Late Bronze Age  1300BC – 800BC Transition Period 3
 Earlier Iron Age  800BC – 400BC Transition Period 3
 Later Iron Age  400BC – 1AD Not Applicable
 Roman Iron Age  1AD – 250AD Not Applicable
 Late Roman Iron Age   250AD – 400AD Transition Period 4
 Early Medieval   400AD – 900AD Transition Period 4
 Late Early Medieval  900AD – 1100AD Not Applicable