Iron Age 'industrial estate' uncovered in Inverness
Submitted by PaulM on Tuesday, 25 October 2005 Page Views: 3379
Iron Age and Later PrehistoryCountry: Scotland County: HighlandsInternal Links:
Archaeologists are discovering how the nouveau riche of the Iron Age lived by excavating what they describe as "the most important site found in Inverness for decades". The fresh insight into how our ancestors lived around 2000 years ago has come with the discovery of the remains of an entire village, "industrial estate" and trading centre at an undisclosed location near the city.
So far, a team of 20 diggers has discovered the remains of around a dozen huge Iron Age roundhouses at the site as well as evidence of metal and glass working.
Those heading the dig believe it is of national significance and may have been the stronghold of a Highland ruler with trading links to the rest of Europe.
"I don't know if there was a king here two thousand years ago or what, " excavation leader Mark Roberts commented. "That's why I just use the term the Big Cheese, but he was around here and he was the real thing."
The discovery was made after a routine archaeological inspection of a development site earlier this year.
That revealed the previously untouched remains of around a dozen Iron Age roundhouses and evidence of metal and glass working.
Fraser Hunter, the National Museum Of Scotland's curator of the Iron Age and Roman periods, has been working with the excavation team.
"This is the most important site dug in the Inverness area for a substantial time, " he said. "What we seem to have is a large-scale craft and industrial site producing enough to trade with the Romans.
"We are probably talking about the Iron Age nouveau riche rather than a king. He would have been the local power-broker around Inverness."
Mr Roberts said the metal and glass-working evidence pointed to the village's links with the Roman Empire.
"That type of technology was all high status Roman stuff and it is incredible to have it here in Inverness, way beyond the boundaries of the Empire, " he said.
"This was obviously a very important community and it was led by someone with access to all the goodies the world had to offer."
The archaeological team has been on the site for two months and expects to take another month to complete the research into the community and its way of life.
Tulloch Homes, which was ordered to carry out the dig as a condition of planning permission for the site, has funded the £250,000 cost of the meticulous excavation and recording of the site.
"This evidence of Iron Age settlement appears to be a major find in both local and Scottish terms, " a company spokesman said. "We were due to begin work on the development but, when our first digging - carried out with an archaeologist present - uncovered initial signs, it became clear we would have to delay infrastructure works to allow this full survey to proceed.
"What has been uncovered is something that may only be readily apparent to experts but it should add usefully to the knowledge of the Iron Age in Inverness area."
Source: Inverness Courier, 25/10/2005
We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.