Welcome to the Topic Blog
This blog will include a Big Question to reflect on about our current class topic ‘Ancient Britain’. You may like to research some information and have a discussion with your family members about the question and then write down your response. Try to include evidence and factual information to support your ideas.
Big Question of the week:
Where was the best place to build an Iron Age settlement?
Need some help with your answer? Click here and here for some ideas.
The best place to build an Iron age settlement was on a hill fort because it was the best place to defend yourself from enemies.
Interesting answer Sebastian! What advantage would the tribe have if they were built high up?
The best place to build an iron age settlement was on a hill because it was easy to defend and you could see your enemies coming to
attack, so you could get ready to fight them.
You could also see animals from far to be able to hunt them easily.
Great suggestions Celestine… you may like to have a look at exactly how hill forts were built here:
https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/history/iron-age/hill-forts/
Can you find out some names of famous hill forts in Britain?
The best place to build an Iron Age settlement is on a hill because they are easy to defend and it’s easy to see if their are enemies coming.
Well done Ethan, how did Celts make roundhouses?
They made roundhouses by using local material such as woven wood, straw and mud.
That’s right Ethan, it is called wattle and daub.
Wattling is a way to build the walls by weaving long branches in and out of upright posts. Hazel is a good wood to use because it is long, flexible and local.
Daubing is the method used to weather proof the walls and is a mixture of clay, earth (sand), straw and manure!
Iron age settlements, or refuges, were built on hills, or mountains so the inhabitants, or refuge seekers, could see their friends, or enemies, coming from far away. It was especially important because the main weapons at those times were knives, simple swords, slingshots and spears. The forts were inhabited by members of a one, specific tribe, who built their houses there, did the farming, grew crops, made jewellery, and many other things. The forts were surrounded by wooden or stone walls with gates in them so to see and control who was coming in and out. So a fort situated on a hill provided shelter and protection to its inhabitants, or visitors.
Wow great information Helena – you can use all of your findings in the Design and Technology task today – it will be posted shortly 🙂