Later prehistoric settlement in the Western Isles of Scotland
This study aims to establish an understanding of the nature of settlement development in the Western Isles in the period from c.1000 BC - 800 AD. A new classification of the sites is formulated to deal with the specific Hebridean context and with the restrictions of the available evidence. This provides a framework for analysis and replaces previous schemes, imported from elsewhere in Scotland, which have tended to confuse the settlement patterns and the settlement development of the area. The large number of older excavations are reassessed in the light of both new approaches to classification and interpretation, and the evidence of recent survey and excavation. A coherent settlement sequence can be seen to emerge, showing a development of monumental architecture in the mid-1st millennium BC from a background of non-monumental domestic settlement: this monumentality persists for several centuries in the form of the atlantic roundhouses and wheelhouses before being gradually replaced by non-monumental, cellular and linear structures in the 1st millennium AD. Structural, locational and spatial analyses combine to demonstrate patterns of settlement development which show the progressive adaptation of Hebridean
Armit, Ian
Later prehistoric settlement in the Western Isles of Scotland. This study aims to establish an understanding of the nature of settlement development in the Western Isles in the period from c.1000 BC - 800 AD. A new classification of the sites is formulated to deal with the specific Hebridean context and with the restrictions of the available evidence. This provides a framework for analysis and replaces previous schemes, imported from elsewhere in Scotland, which have tended to confuse the settlement patterns and the settlement development of the area. The large number of older excavations are reassessed in the light of both new approaches to classification and interpretation, and the evidence of recent survey and excavation. A coherent settlement sequence can be seen to emerge, showing a development of monumental architecture in the mid-1st millennium BC from a background of non-monumental domestic settlement: this monumentality persists for several centuries in the form of the atlantic roundhouses and wheelhouses before being gradually replaced by non-monumental, cellular and linear structures in the 1st millennium AD. Structural, locational and spatial analyses combine to demonstrate patterns of settlement development which show the progressive adaptation of Hebridean
later_prehistoric settlement western_isles_scotland study aim_establish nature settlement development western_isles period new classification site formulate deal specific hebridean context restriction available_evidence provide_framework analysis replace previous scheme import elsewhere scotland tend confuse settlement_pattern settlement development area large_number old excavation reassess light_new approach classification interpretation evidence recent survey_excavation coherent settlement sequence see emerge show development monumental_architecture background non monumental domestic settlement monumentality persist form atlantic roundhouse gradually replace non monumental linear structure structural locational spatial_analysis combine pattern_settlement development show progressive adaptation hebridean