Brutal murder or ritually driven sacrifice: Rosemarkie Man within the wider context of the excavations in the Rosemarkie Caves, Black Isle

The discovery of Rosemarkie Man in 2016, in a cave located at Learnie, to the northeast of Rosemarkie on the Black Isle, has received significant coverage in the press and media. The location and deposition of the inhumation within a dark recess within the former sea cave in association with the bones of cattle, horse, and fish, with stones placed over the arms and lower limbs, suggested a ‘deviant’ burial – that is, one that has been treated differently than others. Traits often used to classify a burial as deviant, include decapitations, amputation or mutilation (overkill), and burials in isolated or unusual places. Detailed forensic analysis indicated a series of blows to the man’s head, suggesting significant ‘overkill’. Radiocarbon dating of the human remains placed his death during the 5th to 6th centuries AD – a period during which there were many cultural influences and developments in the region. The burial has the potential to represent Pictish, Viking, early Christian or other influencing factors.

This presentation will place Rosemarkie Man within the wider context of activities taking place within the Rosemarkie Caves, especially a group of three caves located at Learnie, spanning the Late Iron Age to Later Historic period. Industrial use of the caves included metalworking during the Late Iron Age to Early Medieval periods, while Traveller Folk using the caves during the 18th to 19th centuries AD included horn-working, tin-smithing and the recycling of other materials, and repairing of leather shoes.