What did a broch look like?
Though brochs differed from one to another, they seem to have followed a certain design. They were: double skinned or double walled constructions. the walls appear to have had a ‘cooling tower’ appearance with a gentle ‘batter’ sloping inwards.
What does broch mean in Gaelic?
Broch. broh, n. the local name applied in the north of Scotland to the ancient dry-built circular castles, known also to the Gaelic-speaking people as duns, and to antiquaries as Pictish towers. —Also Brogh and Brough. [Old Norse borg; A.S. burh.]
What does broch mean in Scottish?
1 Scottish : a luminous ring around the moon popularly regarded as an omen of bad weather. 2 : one of the prehistoric circular stone towers found on the Orkney and Shetland islands and the Scottish mainland and usually consisting of double walls enclosing small apartments about a central court.
Who lived in the brochs?
The people who lived here were prosperous farmers in communication with other parts of Scotland. There may have been small squabbles but this was generally a settled society. That said, the Broch of Gurness was tricky to get into. There were two outer gateways to access the settlement.
What was the Broch used for in Scotland?
Broch Usage The most likely use of Brochs were as a structure designed to impress other Scottish clans and were the home of an important chief or warrior.
What does Laird Broch Tuarach mean?
Named for an old broch on the land, Broch Tuarach means “north-facing tower” in Gaelic.
Is Broch Tuarach a real place?
Broch Tuarach is another fictional location but very typical of many of the tower houses in Scotland and used for the interior shots of Jamie’s home. The property that was used for the external shots is Midhope Castle on the Hopetoun Estate near Edinburgh.
Are brochs Pictish?
They knew that brochs were much earlier—perhaps Viking or Pictish products of the Dark Ages. However, when actual excavations began in the mid-nineteenth century, they produced a good deal of material that was known to be Roman in date.
What is the purpose of a broch?
The original interpretation of brochs, favoured by nineteenth century antiquarians, was that they were defensive structures, places of refuge for the community and their livestock. They were sometimes regarded as the work of Danes or Picts. From the 1930s to the 1960s, archaeologists such as V.
Who built the brochs?
Sixty years ago most archaeologists believed that brochs, usually regarded as the ‘castles’ of Iron Age chieftains, were built by immigrants who had been pushed northward after being displaced first by the intrusions of Belgic tribes into what is now southeast England at the end of the second century BC and later by …
Did brochs have windows?
Lacking external windows and access to the top of the walls, the defenders inside were denied both visibility and the tactical advantage of height, from which missiles could be launched. As mentioned above, brochs were also meant to impress, and as such were probably the homes of tribal chiefs or important farmers.
What is the Broch of Gurness Orkney?
The Broch of Gurness Orkney is one of the finest examples of a broch, an iron-age building unique to Scotland. With its surrounding village and the amazing views over the water, the site is one of the best in Orkney. INFO & PLANNING TIPS – Broch of Gurness. The islands of Orkney is home to many brochs.
Where are the brochs in the Orkney?
The Broch of Gurness is perched on the edge of the Orkney’s west mainland – part of a coastline that, at one point, would have been lined with brochs. Across Eynhallow Sound you can see another well-preserved example at Midhowe in Rousay. Gurness is a substantial broch, measuring around 65ft in diameter.
How many houses are there in the Broch of Gurness?
It’s thought the surrounding village could have featured around 14 houses and you can still see examples of all three elements at the site. The Broch of Gurness is around 2000-years-old and is one of the most fascinating sites to visit in Orkney, with unrivalled access to the its buildings, ancients stones and structures.
How was the Broch of Gurness discovered?
The Broch of Gurness was discovered in 1929. Orcadian poet Robert Rendall was sketching on a grassy mound when one of the legs of his stool sank through it. On further inspection Rendall found a staircase leading down into the earth! It was then carefully excavated.