British Domestic Dwellings in Prehistory

Reconstructed Neolithic Hut at Stonehenge, England

This evening, I am providing information on a selection of domestic dwellings in Britain spanning a period of about 4500 years, from the Early Neolithic to the Iron Age.

Neolithic Period ( 4500-2200 BC)

Reconstructed Neolithic hut at Stonehenge, England Reconstructed Neolithic hut at Stonehenge, England Skara Brae, Orkney, Scotland Skara Brae, Orkney, Scotland.

Bronze Age (2200 BC to 800 BC)

Reconstructed Bronze Age Hut, Brodick Castle, Scotland. Interior of Bronze Age Hut, Brodick, Scotland

Iron Age (800 BC to 43 AD)

The two images immediately below are age remains of brochs.

Brochs are unique to Scotland with the majority dating from around 100 BC to 100 AD. There are over 500 known sites of these structures in Scotland, but it is only in the Highlands and Islands that brochs are to be found in any numbers.

The brochs are tall, windowless towers,cleverly engineered, they represent the peak of dry-stone wall building and are without equal in Europe during the period.Brochs were probably roofed and would have incorporated two or three timber floors known as galleries. The nearest comparison with a modern structure would be a lighthouse.

Brochs were probably high status buildings housing a local chieftain's extended family, animals and hangers-on.

Carloway Broch, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. This is about 25pct complete. Broch of Gurness, Orkney, Scotland. This is about 10pct complete.

Mousa Broch, Shetland, Scotland. Complete apart from roof.

Crannogs

Crannogs were timber buildings built on wooden stilts or man-made islands and were high status homes for extended families and their (valuable) animals for some 2000 years, from prehistory through to the Iron Age and even into medieval times. Crannogs were widespread in Scotland and Ireland. There are over six hundred recognised crannog sites in Scotland alone.

Reconstructed Crannog, Kenmore, Loch Tay, Scotland. (Accidentally destroyed by fire in 2021.) Inside the Loch Tay Crannog Experimental Archaeology: Grinding Corn at Crannog, Loch Tay. View from Dun An Sticir Crannog, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Circular foundations of Dumbuck Crannog in River Clyde, Scotland. This is only visible at low tide.

More information on brochs and Scottish islands can be found in the publication, Visitors' Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4. This book is also available via Kindle.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reconstructed Roman Villa

Image
This evening, I am reporting on my visit earlier today to a meticulously reconstructed Roman Villa in Somerset, England.   Funding for the project was provided by a South African billionaire. Specific features of the reconstruction project which is known as 'Villa Ventorum': Employed hundreds of architects, builders, archaelogists, mosaic makers, fresco painters and experts on ancient plumbing. The new build was built close to the remains of the original villa which dates from AD351. Incorporates the only working hypocaust system in Europe to create authentic Roman underfloor heating. Thne system also provides heating for the internal baths. Designed to appear to visitors as though still in use. Mosaics and frescoes have been made below the top standards of the time (e.g. Chedworth ) to reflect the social rank of the resident family. Incorporates a Roman 'fast food bar' allong the lines of that found in Pompeii . (Core of above information sourced from the Times newspap
Read more

Glen Quaich, one of Scotland's best backroads tour routes

Image
This afternoon, I am reporting the route of Glen Quaich in Central Scotland. This is a scenic, single track road which is usually closed to traffic in winter. The route covers about twelve miles and runs between the villages of Amulree and Kenmore on the northern tip of Loch Tay in Perthshire. Depending on time of year it is possible to encounter low lying snow, many sheep, grouse and other exceptional opportunities for photography. Incidentally, Quaich means a drinking cup. In a certain place the landscape is shaped like a bowl. Glen Quaich, Perthshire, Scotland Glen Quaich Black Grouse at Glen Quaich Here are a couple of video clips.
Read more

Fort Augustus, a popular visitor site on southern tip of Loch Ness

Image
Loch Ness from flight of locks at Fort Augustus, Scottish Highlands This evening, I am posting information on Fort Augustus, a busy tourist village on the southern tip of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Summary information on Fort Augustus as follows:- Population about 650 persons. Distance, about 160 miles from Edinburgh and 35 miles from Inverness entailing journey times of 3.5 hours and 1 hour respectively. Well endowed with hotels and other accommodation plus shops, restaurants and visitor attractions. From here visitors can avail of boat trips on Loch Ness. Home to an impressive flight of five locks on the Caledonian Canal. Latter dates from 1822 and is now primarily used by pleasure boats. Closely linked with the 18th century Jacobite uprising in that (a) the village was renamed Fort Augustus (after Prince William Augustus, third son of King George II) consequent upon construction of a British military (redcoat) fort in 1742 and (b) the same Prince
Read more