Abstract

The sophisticated drystone Iron-Age brochs of Northern Scotland, called Complex Atlantic Roundhouses by archaeologists, have shown a relatively high technological culture. Their architectural conservation should strike a balance in presenting their key features (structure, materials, building use and architectural elements) in a concept of wholeness that integrates its major phases rather than design unity of a hypothetical original form. However, currently there is uncertainty due to the lack of agreement for a standard broch scheme and the need for more archaeological research. As most brochs in Scotland are fragile ruins and only a few of them have been scientifically explored, they have been conserved through basic consolidation for safety reasons in very localized methods, primarily by archaeologists. All of them are open to the public but only a few are developed as tourist sites. In both situations, none has shown the complete features of anything close to a standard typology as a narrative of their origin and a few have interpreted correctly the changes after Iron Age as narratives for modification. Significant conservation was conducted often before full archaeological excavations and did not lead to a satisfying architectural experience, so people still have a inconclusive image of brochs after a visit. This paper studies the brochs through their collective concept as a building typology rather than separate images of different sites. Conservation for brochs in Scotland could argue for modern holistic projects that go beyond consolidation, exporting narratives from archaeology to architecture.

Full document

The PDF file did not load properly or your web browser does not support viewing PDF files. Download directly to your device: Download PDF document

References

[1] Harding, D. W. The Iron Age in Northern Britain Celts and Romans, Natives and Invaders. London: Routledge (2004). pp.161.

[2] Armit, I. Towers in the North: The brochs of Scotland. Stroud, Tempus (2003). ISBN 0- 7524-1932-3. pp.16.

[3] Hedges, J. & Bell, B. That tower of Scottish prehistory-the broch. Antiquity (1980), 54(211), pp.87–94.

[4] MacKie, E.W. The roundhouses, brochs and wheelhouses of Atlantic Scotland c.700 BC- AD 500 : architecture and material culture, Oxford: Archaeopress (2002). pp 9, 31.

[5] Romankiewicz, T. The complex roundhouses of the Scottish Iron Age  : an architectural analysis of complex Atlantic roundhouses (brochs and galleried duns), with reference to wheelhouses and timber roundhouses, Oxford: Archaeopress (2011).

[6] Barber, J. Approaching the mind of the builder: analysis of the physical, structural and social constraints on the construction of the broch towers of iron age Scotland (2017), PhD thesis, University of Edinburgh.

[7] "The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979." Antiquity 53, no. 209 (1979): 219-22..

[8] Fojut, N "Is Mousa a broch?" Proc Soc Antiq Scot 111. (1981) pp.220-228.

[9] Brandi, C, 1965. Theory of restoration. (2005). Roma: Firenze: Istituto centrale per il restauro; Nardini.

[10] Oteri A., Ruins and Design: dialogues over Times, Conservation/Transformation, Essegraph, Genova (ITA), (2011), pp. 361-374, ISBN: 978-2-930301-50-1.

[11] MacKie, E.W. The Leckie broch, Stirlingshire: an interim report. Glasgow Archaeological Journal (1982), 9(9), pp.60–72

[12] MacSween, Ann; Sharp, Mick. Prehistoric Scotland. New Amsterdam. (1989) p. 57. ISBN 071346173X.

[13] MacKie, E. W. The Roundhouses, Brochs and Wheelhouses of Atlantic Scotland c. 700 BC - AD 500 Vol 2 Part 1. Oxford, British Archaeological Reports. (2007).

[14] International Council of Monuments Sites. The Venice Charter: 1964-1994 = La Charte de Venise., Paris: International Council of Monuments and Sites. (1994).

Back to Top
GET PDF

Document information

Published on 30/11/21
Submitted on 30/11/21

Volume Interdisciplinary projects and case studies, 2021
DOI: 10.23967/sahc.2021.056
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA license

Document Score

0

Views 56
Recommendations 0

Share this document

claim authorship

Are you one of the authors of this document?