Blog Archive

Scarp: A mining term which describes the steep-sided, freshly washed face left behind once the torrent has done its job. Below it, there is usually a broad fan of the swept-out spoil.

Hushing: This is a mining method in which workers store water behind a temporary dam high on a slope, then release it in one sudden rush.  The water then acts like a bulldozer: it strips soil and loose rock, revealing the bedrock vein ready for mining.

Castro hillfort: These are large oval/round stone-walled enclosures with clusters of round-houses. They  often use terracing and long zig-zag entrance causeways. They tend to have had long use: c. 9th c BCE–1st c They are found in the central to western Iberian Peninsula (Galicia & N Portugal). Examples include Citânia de Briteiros, Castro de San …

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Contour / Plateau fort: These have ramparts which trace the hillside contours or enclose a flat summit. They may be univallate or multivallate and are found in Scotland, Wales, Central Europe, Alpine zone. Examples include Brent Knoll (UK), Ipf (DE).

Promontory fort: These maximise the natural defences of typically coastal sites, where natural cliffs on up to three sides are used to create huge defensive walls. Leaving only the need for an artificial rampart across the land “neck”, required for complete fortification. Found along the Atlantic façade of Ireland, Cornwall, Brittany; Baltic islands; inland river …

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Multivallate hillfort: Is a hillfort with Two to six sets of concentric ramparts. It represents a huge labour investment, and with an assumed status. Often later in date. Found in Southern Britain, Brittany, Central Europe. Examples include Maiden Castle (Dorset, England), and Monte Bernorio (Spain).

Kofun Mounds: Burial mounds in Japan, dating back to the 3rd to 7th centuries AD. Characterized by their keyhole shape and association with the ancient Japanese elite, and often contain elaborate burial goods. Some can reach over 50 meters (164 feet) in height.

Cahokia Mounds: A major urban centre of the Mississippian culture, located near present-day St. Louis, Missouri. It features numerous mounds used for ceremonial and residential purposes. The tallest mound, Monks Mound, is about 30 meters (100 feet) in height. Present-day St. Louis, Missouri, was a major urban centre of the Mississippian culture around 600 AD.

Tumulus of the Great Prince: The tallest prehistoric man-made mound in Europe, located in Udine, Italy. It dates back to the Bronze Age and is believed to be a burial site for a significant individual. It is 30 meters (98 feet) in height.

Newgrange: A passage tomb in Ireland, dating back to around 3200 BC. Famous for its winter solstice phenomenon, where sunlight illuminates the inner chamber at dawn. It is 13.5 meters (44 feet) in height, older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids. It is famous for its winter solstice phenomenon, where sunlight illuminates the inner chamber …

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