Ancient hillfort may be largest known Pictish settlement in Scotland

May 19, 2020

New archaeological research suggests a hillfort in Aberdeenshire may have once housed 4,000 people, making it one of the largest ancient settlements ever found in Scotland, reports BBC News.

Radiocarbon dating indicates that the fort, known as Tap O’ Noth (also the name of the hill on which it stands), was constructed between the fifth and sixth centuries A.D., according to a University of Aberdeen statement. Settlement on the hill itself dates back to the third century, meaning its early inhabitants were likely the Picts, a group of skilled farmers whose military and artistic accomplishments have been obfuscated by their lack of written records.

Drawn from a combination of drone surveys, laser-generated topographical maps and radiocarbon dating, the findings upend “the narrative of this whole time period,” says archaeologist and lead researcher Gordon Noble in the statement.

Dated to between 400 and 100 B.C., the stone fort at the hill’s apex is surrounded by walls that were fused together with extreme heat in a process known as vitrification. This construction method has been observed in some 60 sites across Scotland, reported the Scotsman in 2018.

In the statement, Bruce Mann, an archaeologist for Aberdeenshire Council, describes the findings as “completely unexpected.” Noting that the research “could be key to understanding changing settlement patterns at the time,” he says that it may shed light on the fate of small communities scattered across the British Isles prior to the start of Rome’s military campaigns.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tap-o-noth-hillfort-may-be-one-largest-known-settlements-ancient-scotland-180974895/