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    • Celts and Romans at Birnie
      • Finding Roman treasure
      • From Birnie to Rome
      • Discovering the past at Birnie
        • Small Iron Age roundhouse
        • Medieval blacksmith's workshop
        • Large burnt down roundhouse
        • Large Iron Age roundhouse
        • Metal-working at Birnie
        • Second small roundhouse
        • Complex roundhouse
        • Second large roundhouse
        • Other buildings in the area
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      • Explore the landscape
      • Build your own roundhouse
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      • Explore the Iron Age finds
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Iron Age glass beads

Second small Iron Age roundhouse

Traces of a second small Iron Age roundhouse were also found.

Aerial view of small roundhouse excavation on site

Above: Remains of a small roundhouse. The outer wall is a series of straight lines, suggesting that prefabricated panels of wattle were used. There is a large cooking pit in the centre.

cow skull

Left: The remains of a cow's skull were discovered in the foundations of this roundhouse. It was probably a sacrifice, to bring luck to the house.

Right: Little of the bone had survived in the acid soil.

Artist's impression of the exterior of the roundhouse

Above: Reconstruction with a complex roof – we know very little about details like this.

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Reconstruction of smal Iron Age roundhouse

Reconstruction of the house, assuming it had a simple roof.

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National Museums Scotland, Scottish Charity, No. SC 011130