CianMcLiam wrote:
tiompan wrote:
But Jericho was originally a settlement not a chambered cairn as it is expected at the Ness . The nearby contemporaneous settlements didn't have surrounding walls eg Barnhouse and Skara Brae .
The walls of structure 10 inside the complex are probably the biggest ,more a case of conspicuous construction .
We know from the evidence of chambered tombs that the inhabitants were not about peace love and cuddliness , probably far from it but the "other guy " was probably your neighbour , not from the mainland of Europe or Scotland . That evidence suggests interpersonal violence not warfare ,DNA/isotope analysis might clarify that .The island(s) had a really useful defence in the surrounding seas , anyone attempting to attack them would need a fair few boats to carry the warriors across the Pentland Firth etc before even starting any attack . If thre was to be an attack and you wanted to build defences would you choose a low lying situation as at the Ness ?
Yeah it will be interesting to see what kind of monument stood there originally, nevertheless a narrow strip of land with a natural moat on each side is a pretty good site to defend. I'd be inclined to think of raiding rather than all out war.The walls of structure 10 inside the complex are probably the biggest ,more a case of conspicuous construction .
We know from the evidence of chambered tombs that the inhabitants were not about peace love and cuddliness , probably far from it but the "other guy " was probably your neighbour , not from the mainland of Europe or Scotland . That evidence suggests interpersonal violence not warfare ,DNA/isotope analysis might clarify that .The island(s) had a really useful defence in the surrounding seas , anyone attempting to attack them would need a fair few boats to carry the warriors across the Pentland Firth etc before even starting any attack . If thre was to be an attack and you wanted to build defences would you choose a low lying situation as at the Ness ?
I think they are hopeful that the earliest monument was funereal , at the Ness.
War as was uncommon in the period and there is no evidence of it that I know of in Orkney . It appears that interpersonal violence was common for the period and here too , but you don't need big walls to put a stop to that or raiding which was more suited to mainland areas where you get in and out easily and quickly , not easily achieved on Orkney . The earliest defensive structures on Orkney look to be have been promontory forts and brochs ,both much later than the Ness .
