The early Christian sculpture from Kinneddar has long been noted as a major assemblage. New survey work by the University of Aberdeen and AOC Archaeology has identified a large vallum enclosure around the site that was renewed on at least one occasion. The vallum enclosures surrounded an area of up to 8.6ha, and the groundplan presents striking resemblances to other major ecclesiastical sites, particularly Iona. Evaluative excavations instigated through research- and development-led projects have provided an outline chronology for the vallum enclosures, identified an additional annexe and has located settlement features inside the enclosures. Radiocarbon dating suggests activity as early as the late 6th century with the vallum likely to date to the 7th or 8th century. This article sets out the evidence from the site and discusses Kinneddar in relation to other likely major ecclesiastical sites in northern Pictland and its wider early medieval Insular context.

The Longnewton enclosures, first recorded as cropmarks in 1978, were recently investigated by AOC Archaeology. A hypothetical sequence of four possible periods of enclosure has been identified and tentatively phased as following square, rectilinear and roughly circular plans with a final curvilinear annexe. Radiocarbon dating evidence indicates that these ditches were in use between the 2 nd century BC and the later 1 st century AD. No internal features were encountered and the finds consisted solely of animal bones and a single sherd of late 1 st century AD Samian Ware. The results from the limited excavation of the interior suggest that the enclosures primarily performed a pastoral function, perhaps the corralling and/or processing of cattle or sheep. Other similar sites in the area have benefitted from more extensive excavations and provide useful comparanda for further speculation on the function of these enclosures.

The excavation of a greenfield development at the Macallan Distillery, Craigellachie, Moray (NGR: NJ 278 447) has revealed the remains of four episodes of heavily truncated settlement activity on a gravel terrace above the River Spey. In the Middle Bronze Age there was pit-digging activity, followed by a Late Bronze Age settlement consisting of at least two, and probably four, post-ring roundhouses and a four-poster. A single ring-ditch roundhouse represents Middle Iron Age settlement, and activity in the 9th to 12th centuries AD is represented by a number of large rubbish disposal pits possibly associated with two post-ring roundhouses. A small assemblage of macroplant, charcoal and burnt bone was recovered, as well as a small amount of prehistoric pottery, a few coarse stone artefacts and metalworking residues.

The islands of Orkney have long been associated with examples of Viking-age activity and often yield unique and well preserved records from the Viking and Late Norse periods. Investigations on the island of Sanday in Orkney, as part of a call off contract for human remains between Historic Environment Scotland and AOC Archaeology Group, have revealed the presence of an inhumation in association with an iron knife. Further investigation reveals that the burial is that of an adolescent skeleton (12–17 years). The north-east/south-west alignment of the body, in a flexed position, and its association with an iron knife indicates a pre-Christian burial rite, in line with a 9th or 10th century AD date, which corresponds with radiocarbon dating carried out on the skeletal remains. This burial contributes a new record to the wealth of evidence from around this period within the surrounding landscape on the island of Sanday.

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