Old Scatness Broch and Iron Age Village

Discover what Shetland life was like 2000 years ago at the best preserved excavated Iron Age site in Britain.

Old Scatness is the site of an Iron Age broch and village but evidence shows that the site was occupied continuously for over 2 millennia. The earliest settlement evidence takes the form of Early Iron Age pottery, coarse stone tools, and rubbish deposits which predate the construction of the broch, defensive ditch and associated buildings. The site was discovered during the construction of the Sumburgh airport access road, which exposed part of the broch. Excavations revealed a Middle Iron Age broch, surviving to nearly 4m in height, and a substantial post-broch village built around it. A date from a barley grain found in the construction debris and another from bone found within the first course of the broch demonstrate that it was built between 400-200BC. Later Pictish and Viking buildings indicate that occupation at the site continued unbroken into the Medieval Period. The site has provided much evidence for the ways in which the occupants exploited the rock and mineral resources around them. Experiments have been carried out to find out more about ancient techniques of drystone building, ore smelting and bronze casting. On Mondays during summer 2014 Old Scatness Visitor Centre is open and guided tours of the site are available.