Posted on 07/22/2022 9:08:26 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
A metal-working site uncovered in Moray may have helped arm Caledonian tribes against the Romans, before being burned down by the invaders.
Archaeologists have described the site at Lochinver Quarry, near Elgin, as fascinating and unusual.
Evidence has been found of metal production over a period of up to 2,000 years from the Bronze Age through the Iron Age.
Archaeologists believe they could end up excavating as many as 40 iron smelting sites.
Prior to these discoveries around 25 such sites have been found for the whole of Scotland.
Lochinver appears to have been abandoned suddenly and homes and other structures burned down.
Archaeologists suggest one possible explanation could be that it may have been the actions of Roman soldiers following their victory over Caledonians at the Battle of Mons Grapius around AD 83.
Dr Clive Waddington, of Archaeology Research Services Ltd, said the evidence being found at Lochinver made it different from Moray's other Bronze Age and Iron Age sites.
He said the later metal-working could possibly have been in response to the Roman invasion of Scotland, with iron needed for weapons...
Two cauldrons have also been found buried, possibly by the Lochinver's residents in an effort to hide the highly valued items.
Dr Waddington said it was possible Lochinver was abandoned in the aftermath of Mons Grapius which saw Roman troops and cavalry defeat 30,000 Caledonians.
Suggested locations of the battle include Dunning in Perthshire, Carpow in Fife, Bennachie in Aberdeenshire and Culloden in the Highlands.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
No, the Scots didn't defeat the Romans and massacre the 9th legion, so don't even start.
Roman military action in the British Isles, over the course of 500+/- years, can at best be described as a ‘draw’...................
“Archaeologists believe they could end up excavating as many as 40 iron smelting sites.’
Ahh, so that’s who started global warming, the Caledonians. Always wondered who is responsible for turning Michigan winters into the Sahara...
The Roman equivalent to the Allies bombing German Ball Bearing factories during WWII.
Other than the massacre of civilians by that **** Boudicca, the Romans mauled them every time. The conquest of Caledonia never got completed because there was nothing and nobody of any value up there. :^) Naturally, I speak of this with love for some of my ancestors...
It figures that German balls have a bearing on this. :^)
I would like to see some more evidence before I jumped to a conclusion that the Romans destroyed the iron works. Several other scenarios could be crafted with the same bucket of evidence.
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