https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_prehistoric_Scotland part of many fascinating facts, & figures, history of a great people. Timeline of prehistoric Scotland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The ruins of a stone building set on a grassy knoll with blue skies above. The building is circular in outline and all that remains of the structure are the double-skinned walls that rise to two stories in places. The ruins of Dun Carloway Iron Age broch This timeline of prehistoric Scotland is a chronologically ordered list of important archaeological sites in Scotland and of major events affecting Scotlands human inhabitants and culture during the prehistoric period. The period of prehistory prior to occupation by the genus Homo is part of the geology of Scotland. Prehistory in Scotland ends with the arrival of the Romans in southern Scotland in the 1st century AD and the beginning of written records.[1] The archaeological sites and events listed are the earliest examples or among the most notable of their type. No traces have yet been found of either a Neanderthal presence or of Homo sapiens during the Pleistocene interglacials, the first indications of humans in Scotland occurring only after the ice retreated in the 11th millennium BC. Since that time the landscape of Scotland has been altered dramatically by both human and natural forces.[2] Initially, sea levels were lower than at present due to the large volume of ice that remained. This meant that the Orkney archipelago and many of the Inner Hebridean islands were attached to the mainland, as was the present-day island of Great Britain to Continental Europe. Much of the present-day North Sea was also dry land until after 4000 BC. Dogger Bank, for example was part of a large peninsula connected to the European continent. This would have made travel to western and northern Scotland relatively easy for early human settlers. The subsequent isostatic rise of land makes estimating post-glacial coastlines a complex task and there are numerous raised beaches around Scotlands coastline.[3][4] Many of the sites are located in the Highlands and Islands. This may be because of the relatively sparse modern populations and consequent lack of disturbance. Much of the area also has a thick covering of peat that preserves stone fragments, although the associated acidic conditions tend to dissolve organic materials.[5] There are also numerous important remains in the Orkney archipelago, where sand and arable land predominate.[6] Local tradition hints at both a fear and veneration of these ancient structures that may have helped to preserve their integrity.[7] Differentiating the various periods of human history involved is a complex task. The Paleolithic lasted until the retreat of the ice, the Mesolithic until the adoption of farming and the Neolithic until metalworking commenced. These events may have begun at different times in different parts of the country. A number of the sites span very long periods of time and in particular the distinctions between the Neolithic and the later periods are not clear cut.[8] Contents [hide] 1 Timeline 1.1 Palaeolithic 1.2 Mesolithic 1.3 Neolithic 1.4 Bronze and Iron Ages 2 Sites of uncertain date 3 See also 4 References and footnotes 5 External links Timeline[edit] Key to predominant Type: Letter Type Description (B) Bone Human or animal material including bone, teeth and shells examined using zooarchaeological techniques. (E) Environmental Natural occurrences including geological and climatic events. (F) Building foundations Disturbed ground, timber remains or worked stone. (M) Metal Metals worked by humans into tools, jewellery etc. (O) Organic material Biofacts - the dead material of once-living organisms. (P) Pottery Usually shards of broken pot - complete artefacts only rarely. (S) Stone Stone tools, stone used as a building material, standing stones, or natural stone features. Citations in the Type box refer to the information in the entire row. Palaeolithic[edit] The whole of Scotland was covered in ice sheets during the coldest periods of the Quaternary glaciation[9] and most of Scotland remained glaciated when the cave paintings of Lascaux in France were created, c. 14,000 BC.[10] Humans began to populate Scotland during the current Flandrian interglacial but settlement began much later than in southern Europe due to the adverse climatic conditions further north. So far, a single site has produced the only definite evidence of Upper Paleolithic human habitation in Scotland. Date (BC) Location Details Type 12,000 Biggar Flint artefacts found at Howburn Farm, near Elsrickle in 2005 but not dated until 2009. (S)[11][12]
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 03:57:51 +0000
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