Harding, D.W. 2004. The Iron Age in northern Britain. Celts and Romans, natives and invaders. – London/New York, Routledge

Abstract

In this thorough study Harding presents an interesting overview of and a synthesis on the Iron Age of northern Britain. According to the author this part of Britain has been subject to relative neglect by professional archaeologists of the Iron Age until recent years. As such a general synthesis did not yet exist.

In the introduction Harding shows us that the chronological boundaries for the Iron Age in northern Britain are difficult to define. Contrary to the south, where the Roman occupation forms a clear terminus ante quem for the period, the Iron Age in the north has seen no structural break from the mid-first millennium BC, when knowledge of iron technology was most likely present, up to the Norse settlement in the later first century AD. Consequently the book covers a time period of over one and a half millennium, broadly divided in the earlier Iron Age, the Roman Interlude for northern England and southern Scotland, and the later Iron Age. Equally difficult to define are the geographical boundaries of the study area. The territory assigned to the Brigantes in documentary sources is essential. This region, as well as the surrounding area and the areas to the north of it are the focus of the study. Read more...