It can be argued, based upon a limited range of surviving evidence, that the land-locked centre of Buchan formed a distinctive upland zone functioning alongside and interwoven with the surrounding lower lands during the thirteenth century. The area can be characterised as less densely settled and engaged in extensive pastoral farming regimes that contrasted with contemporary arable farming of a more intensive nature on the lower-lying lands. Subsequent demographic and agricultural changes have rendered that former environment invisible and the limited documentary sources of the thirteenth century have compounded its mystery. Although a relatively remote upland area, its economy was at least as successful per capita than the rich grain lands surrounding it. Rather than representing a place of secondary importance, it may well have been instrumental in fuelling Aberdeen’s rich thirteenth-century export trade of sheep products to the Low Countries and, perhaps, shared a symbiotic relationship with the lower, arable lands.

中文翻译：

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布坎中央高地——十三世纪独特的农业区：事实还是虚构？

可以说，基于有限的幸存证据，布坎的内陆中心在 13 世纪形成了一个独特的高地区域，与周围的低地并肩作战并相互交织。该地区的特点是人口密度较低，从事广泛的牧区耕作制度，这与当代低洼土地上更为密集的耕作形成鲜明对比。随后的人口和农业变化使以前的环境变得不可见，而 13 世纪有限的文献来源更加剧了它的神秘感。虽然是一个相对偏远的高地地区，但它的经济至少同样成功人均胜过周围富饶的谷地。与其代表一个次要的地方，它很可能有助于推动阿伯丁在 13 世纪向低地国家出口羊产品的丰富贸易，并且也许与低地耕地有着共生关系。