The Biography of a Settlement: An Analysis of Middle Iron Age Deposits and Houses at Howe, Orkney

Abstract

The extensively excavated enclosed broch village at Howe, near Stromness on Mainland, Orkney, was one of the most important excavations of the latter half of the twentieth century in Scotland. The near-complete excavation of such an extensive and well-preserved settlement, with a large material assemblage, allows a detailed analysis of depositional practices. Little attempt was made in the published report to explore the spatial and contextual distributions of finds, and this article reconsiders the evidence, providing an analysis of settlement deposits during the main phase of occupation in the Middle Iron Age. The study aims to develop a broader understanding of the nature of settlement space on this highly structured and complex settlement. The analysis has demonstrated that a number of patterns are visible in the deposition of materials, and the temporality of the deposits suggest that the majority of depositional events were connected with major structural changes on the site. Transitional moments in the lifecycle of the settlement were thus marked in specific ways by the occupants. The analysis highlights the entangled nature of people, objects and constructed spaces in the Iron Age.