Iron Age forts and brochs

Iron Age forts and brochs Iron Age people occupied landscape comprising 'a mosaic of woodland, moorland, pasture and tilled areas'.1 Few tools and weapons have been found but it is certain that by Roman times iron goods had been introduced by travelling artisans or cast locally by resident smiths: as at Jarlshof in Shetland where tools and moulds have been found. The remains of a bloomery at Loanhead of Daviot is one of several sites in the Aberdeen area that suggest local metal working. However iron probably spread only very slowly in the Highlands. The lead bronze produced by that Prehistoric industrial revolution of the sixth century BC, would have continued in use for some considerable time and many sites dating to the last 500 years before the Christian era may only be ascribed nominally to the Iron Age. The new technical innovations by the continental Halstatt culture could have been brought to Scotland around 500 BC by Celts edging their way steadily northwards. Very little is known of this possible migration into the rolling lowland country of eastern Scotland. All that can be said with reasonable certainty is that a distinct Iron Age culture did embrace these eastern regions (see Figure 4.1), as well as the Clyde area.