Iron Age Scotland

The Iron Age in Scotland spanned 1,000 years of prehistory from 500 BC to 500 AD. Contrary to what you might think, the countryside then was not just dense forests but fields and pastures too. Most communities during the Iron Age were self-sufficient and probably somprised extended family groups. They were farmers who grew their own crops, such as wheat and barley, and raised their own animals, like cattle, horses, sheep and pigs. They built their own homes and guarded their wealth from hostile neighbours.

They also acquired fine things, like jewellery, from far afield through trade, gift-exchange and booty. It was during the Iron Age that people began to make tools and weapons from iron.

Iron Age settlements vary regionally across Scotland. Although roundhouses are found throughout Iron Age Scotland, a variety of types of roundhouses and settlements are found in different parts of Scotland. Amongst the Western Isles and Northern Isles, imposing settlements like duns and brochs were drystone built. In Northeast Scotland, roundhouses were made of wood, and often had souterrains, or underground storage chambers, attached to them. Around Scotland's coasts are many promontory forts and in Southwest Scotland and the Highlands, there are numerous crannogs, or artificial islands, upon which Iron Age people built timber roundhouses. Hillforts are found throughout Scotland, particularly in the Borders where they often contain the remains of many timber roundhouses.1

Many different tribes inhabited Scotland during the Iron Age. By the time the Romans reached Scotland, Celtic tribes, like the Damnonii of Strathclyde, inhabited the country. They spoke an ancient form of Welsh and were pagan. Some of their customs would appear very strange to us now, like collecting the severed heads of their enemies. Other customs, like throwing treasure into lochs, rivers and bogs, might not appear quite so strange. After all, people still drop coins into wells and rivers today!