Georgina Moore

The first millennium AD in Britain and Ireland was a period of dynamic social and political change. Whilst recent archaeological research has sought to better understand these complex transformations, the impact of climatic shifts, such as the extreme 536 AD climatic downturn, which resulted in significant global cooling for over a century, remain largely absent from current research. My project will utilise a unique blend of humanities and science-based approaches (particularly radiocarbon dating and modelling) to evaluate and compare the cultural impacts of major climate events in Britain and Ireland during the first millennium AD, with a focus on Scotland. As well as seeking to better understand this complex period, this research will also address past resilience and vulnerability and the dynamic human-environment relationship. Not only does this have considerable significance to our archaeological knowledge, but also to how we can grapple with the challenges posed by contemporary climate change.