Broxmouth

About

The Broxmouth hillfort is an Iron Age hillfort consisting of multiple roundhouses, a series of fortifications, and a cemetery. Broxmouth is located in East Lothian near Dunbar. The land surrounding Broxmouth is some of the richest farmlands in Scotland, and as a result this region produced a significant amount of cropmark evidence for late prehistoric settlements, including Broxmouth. In addition to agriculture, Broxmouth hillfort is located about 600 metres from the North Sea coast, providing the inhabitants access to waters for fishing. During the early centuries of its occupation, Broxmouth was one of largest settlements in the region.

Very thorough excavations of Broxmouth were carried out from 1977 to 1979 in response to the construction of a concrete works on the site. The excavations revealed a complex set of enclosures, multiple well preserved multi-phase roundhouses, and a range of artefacts. The excavations also revealed an extensive assemblage of animal bones and shells, as well as an Iron Age cemetery. It is unusual for Iron Age artefacts like these to survive, and it is quite rare for formal cemeteries such as the one at Broxmouth to be uncovered. As a result, Broxmouth provides valuable information about Iron Age Scottish settlements and burial practices.