Traces of Neolithic feasting, evidence of a possible Roman siege in Dumfries and Galloway, and an amulet once thought to be imbued with supernatural power are among the most ground-breaking archaeological finds across Scotland this year as listed by the team from ‘Dig It’
Dig It!, a hub for Scottish archaeology coordinated by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, has compiled their annual list of some of the biggest discoveries from the year to celebrate the archaeological work that takes place across the country.
Evidence of a Possible Roman Siege in Dumfries & Galloway
In August and September, experts collected evidence from a hillfort which may suggest that the site was besieged by an invading Roman force some 1,900 years ago, making it one of only a handful of sites in Europe that still has upstanding evidence for a Roman attack.
Alternative theories have suggested that the hillfort, which dates to the Iron Age (800 BC to AD 400), was not significant enough to warrant a Roman attack and that the hillfort was long abandoned by the time the Romans got to the site.
However, survey work by a team from the University of Glasgow, the Trimontium Trust and the University of Manchester has revealed that Burnswark Hill was far more densely occupied during the time of the Roman invasion than previously thought, which they believe means that it was large enough to provoke an attack.
Subsequent excavations also revealed traces of a major phase of rampart construction or remodelling following the Roman attack. This has been interpreted as the hillfort’s inhabitants having survived or returned after a siege and beginning to rebuild.
According to the University of Glasgow’s Dr James O’Driscoll FSAScot, “these findings offer a rare glimpse into how Iron Age communities in Scotland built, defended, and reimagined their world in response to Roman power. It’s a story of resilience, identity, and survival that challenges long-held assumptions about Scotland’s past.”
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The Out & About section in Dumfries & Galloway is headlined by Gretna Green
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