{"id":{"repo_id":"bradford","oai_identifier":"oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/20247"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/bradford/oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/20247","repository":{"repo_id":"bradford","name":"University of Bradford","base_url":"https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The continuity of status in Iron Age settlements through metallurgical craft specialisation and material wealth","abstract":"Brochs are found mainly along the Atlantic seaboard of Scotland. This research focuses on the period from approximately 500BC to 850AD and aims to demonstrate that the status settlements seen in the broch period in Orkney and Shetland retain this status in the post-broch period. Broch settlements reflect status and the control and use of metal is embodied within the social system. On certain sites, this system continues into the Late Iron Age and although monumentality recedes, control of craft specialisation metalworking is sustained. The natural resources required in order to have the ability to produce metal and the types of debris resulting from copper alloy and iron production are investigated. Evidence from the on-going excavation at Old Scatness Broch is examined in depth and in particular an assemblage of metalworking moulds. The XRF analysis of these led to experimental work on the absorption of zinc into the fabric of fired clay moulds during the casting of copper alloys and to a review of previous XRF analyses of some Iron Age copper alloy artefacts and metalworking debris from N orthem Isles and some British sites. Experimental casting was carried out at Old Scatness Broch so that the type and spread of metalworking debris could be assessed. Archaeological evidence for metal use, metalworking and imported artefacts, which are taken to reflect high status, are examined and together with documentary and ethnographic evidence are used to propose models for broch and post-broch society in the Northern Isles.","abstract_html":"Brochs are found mainly along the Atlantic seaboard of Scotland. This research focuses on the period from approximately 500BC to 850AD and aims to demonstrate that the status settlements seen in the broch period in Orkney and Shetland retain this status in the post-broch period. Broch settlements reflect status and the control and use of metal is embodied within the social system. On certain sites, this system continues into the Late Iron Age and although monumentality recedes, control of craft specialisation metalworking is sustained. The natural resources required in order to have the ability to produce metal and the types of debris resulting from copper alloy and iron production are investigated. Evidence from the on-going excavation at Old Scatness Broch is examined in depth and in particular an assemblage of metalworking moulds. The XRF analysis of these led to experimental work on the absorption of zinc into the fabric of fired clay moulds during the casting of copper alloys and to a review of previous XRF analyses of some Iron Age copper alloy artefacts and metalworking debris from N orthem Isles and some British sites. Experimental casting was carried out at Old Scatness Broch so that the type and spread of metalworking debris could be assessed. Archaeological evidence for metal use, metalworking and imported artefacts, which are taken to reflect high status, are examined and together with documentary and ethnographic evidence are used to propose models for broch and post-broch society in the Northern Isles.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Milns, Julie"],"institution":"University of Bradford","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Dockrill, Stephen","McDonnell, Gerry","Bond, Julie"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":null,"date_issued":"","date_published":null,"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:13:45Z","subjects":["Orkney","Shetland","Iron Age Settlements","Artefacts","Status resources","Metal production"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["\"Creative
The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/handle/10454/20247","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Dockrill, Stephen","McDonnell, Gerry","Bond, Julie"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Milns, Julie"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-02-19T13:21:45Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-02-19T13:21:45Z"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Archaeological Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Bradford"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["PhD"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Orkney","Shetland","Iron Age Settlements","Artefacts","Status resources","Metal production"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["\"Creative
The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/handle/10454/20247"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Brochs are found mainly along the Atlantic seaboard of Scotland. This research focuses on the period from approximately 500BC to 850AD and aims to demonstrate that the status settlements seen in the broch period in Orkney and Shetland retain this status in the post-broch period. Broch settlements reflect status and the control and use of metal is embodied within the social system. On certain sites, this system continues into the Late Iron Age and although monumentality recedes, control of craft specialisation metalworking is sustained. The natural resources required in order to have the ability to produce metal and the types of debris resulting from copper alloy and iron production are investigated. Evidence from the on-going excavation at Old Scatness Broch is examined in depth and in particular an assemblage of metalworking moulds. The XRF analysis of these led to experimental work on the absorption of zinc into the fabric of fired clay moulds during the casting of copper alloys and to a review of previous XRF analyses of some Iron Age copper alloy artefacts and metalworking debris from N orthem Isles and some British sites. Experimental casting was carried out at Old Scatness Broch so that the type and spread of metalworking debris could be assessed. Archaeological evidence for metal use, metalworking and imported artefacts, which are taken to reflect high status, are examined and together with documentary and ethnographic evidence are used to propose models for broch and post-broch society in the Northern Isles."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The continuity of status in Iron Age settlements through metallurgical craft specialisation and material wealth"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Dockrill, Stephen","McDonnell, Gerry","Bond, Julie"],"dc:creator":["Milns, Julie"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-02-19T13:21:45Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-02-19T13:21:45Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Brochs are found mainly along the Atlantic seaboard of Scotland. This research focuses on the period from approximately 500BC to 850AD and aims to demonstrate that the status settlements seen in the broch period in Orkney and Shetland retain this status in the post-broch period. Broch settlements reflect status and the control and use of metal is embodied within the social system. On certain sites, this system continues into the Late Iron Age and although monumentality recedes, control of craft specialisation metalworking is sustained. The natural resources required in order to have the ability to produce metal and the types of debris resulting from copper alloy and iron production are investigated. Evidence from the on-going excavation at Old Scatness Broch is examined in depth and in particular an assemblage of metalworking moulds. The XRF analysis of these led to experimental work on the absorption of zinc into the fabric of fired clay moulds during the casting of copper alloys and to a review of previous XRF analyses of some Iron Age copper alloy artefacts and metalworking debris from N orthem Isles and some British sites. Experimental casting was carried out at Old Scatness Broch so that the type and spread of metalworking debris could be assessed. Archaeological evidence for metal use, metalworking and imported artefacts, which are taken to reflect high status, are examined and together with documentary and ethnographic evidence are used to propose models for broch and post-broch society in the Northern Isles."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/handle/10454/20247"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Archaeological Sciences"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Bradford"],"dc:rights":["\"Creative
The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence."],"dc:subject":["Orkney","Shetland","Iron Age Settlements","Artefacts","Status resources","Metal production"],"dc:title":["The continuity of status in Iron Age settlements through metallurgical craft specialisation and material wealth"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["PhD"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:13:45Z"}