Excavations at Dun Vulan: a reinterpretation of the reappraised Iron Age

Abstract

Recent excavation of Scottish Iron Age Brochs and wheelhouses enables new discussion of the development, dating and economic interpretation of these impressive structures. Here, Gilmour & Cook assess the work at Dun Vulan, South Uist, in the Western Isles.

The identification of prehistoric dairying activities in the Western Isles of Scotland: an integrated biomolecular approach

“…Whether these distinctive cattle mortality patterns were the result of an economic strategy to exploit milk [46,47], to conserve fodder during the long harsh winters [27,38] or to satisfy both needs is therefore debated. The complexities of herd management, differences in the economic potential of ancient versus modern cattle and the problems of incomplete archaeological assemblages leave considerable ambiguities in the archaeozoological evidence [29].…”

The raw, the cooked and the burnt

“…If the slaughter of animals is governed by the incidence of ceremonies, and based on a nonspecies classification of domestic animals, rather than a 'rational' attempt to rear stock for particular economic purposes, then age slaughter patterns and species proportions cannot be used to reconstruct stock rearing practice or relative site status. It is interesting that the Sollas pit data have been routinely omitted from regional surveys of animal remains (Gilmour and Cook 1998;Mulville 1999) presumably on the basis that they are 'ritual', and therefore not 195 normal. Given the now overwhelming evidence that the deposition of animal remains in iron age contexts was imbued with symbolic meaning, this seems slightly ironic.…”

Excavations at Dun Vulan: a correction

“…In writing any paper one always hopes to inspire debate. We should, then, be flattered that Gilmour & Cook were motivated to offer a long and detailed critique of our recent ANTIQUITY article on brochs (Parker Pearson et al 1996;Gilmour & Cook 1998). Their paper, however, contains a number of errors that need to be corrected.…”