A new broch

[mcbishop]

Reported here by the BBC. Apparently the first for 100 years. I was slightly surprised to find Perth described as in the Lowlands but I suppose it just about gets away with it on a technicality.

Mike Bishop

[Nathan Ross]

Interesting stuff, though a rather confusing article:

"Evidence shows that the Roman dwelling was destroyed by fire and then probably reoccupied by a Pictish warlord."

Do they mean Roman-era dwelling? Surely the Romans didn't build the broch?

"Brochs were the preferred residence of the elite during Roman times."

Ah, now the Romans are living in the broch! Great - or would that be the British elite, in the Roman era?...

"Serf archaeologists believe the broch is the best example of an Iron Age Roman site being reoccupied by the Picts."

So it's a Roman site after all? Now this is just confusing me! :lol:

[mcbishop]

"Serf archaeologists believe the broch is the best example of an Iron Age Roman site being reoccupied by the Picts."

So it's a Roman site after all? Now this is just confusing me! :lol:

And note that archaeologists have now been reduced to serfdom in the UK!

I have a similar argument with the use of 'Romano-British' as a date qualification in lots of SMR/HER entries. The period is Roman, the culture Romano-British. However, Roman broch builders were surely being trained at Vindolanda ;-)

Mike Bishop

[Nathan Ross]

'Serf archeologists' - yes, I did wonder about that. Were they just not thinking when they came up with that one? Or is this an example of archeologist 'humour'? mile:

However, Roman broch builders were surely being trained at Vindolanda ;-)

Pshaw! We all know that Vindolanda was a Roman concentration camp, and anyone who claims otherwise is a Romano-holocaust denier!

On a serious note (ahum) - any idea how long the details of this excavation might take to filter through to the public domain? Suggested dates, summary of finds, etc. I rather like the idea of a 'colossal' British tower-fortress right in the path of the main Roman invasion route into Scotland... "destroyed by fire" - I don't doubt!

[jkaler48]

For the Scots challenged among us:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broch

[mcbishop]

'Serf archeologists' - yes, I did wonder about that. Were they just not thinking when they came up with that one? Or is this an example of archeologist 'humour'? mile:

No convincing evidence of humour in the upper echelons of heritage management. Field archaeologists in the UK used to take great delight in the appositely named SCUM, the Standing Conference of Unit Managers (who have subsequently renamed themselves at least twice).

Mike Bishop

[Medicus matt]

'Serf archeologists' - yes, I did wonder about that.

Getting paid a pittance to grub around in muddy fields and having to give up the fruits of your labours to someone else?

Sounds about right.

[Viventius]

Field archaeologists in the UK used to take great delight in the appositely named SCUM, the Standing Conference of Unit Managers (who have subsequently renamed themselves at least twice).


Think they call themselves FAME now - bring back SCUM, I say. :lol: They started to lose the sense of humour when they changed it to SCAUM ...