274:
320:
larger enclosure to the northeast containing a settlement. The higher enclosure would also have included buildings housing the ruler's retinue and others supplying the royal court with its needs. The foundation stones of buildings have been found within the lower enclosure and there is archaeological evidence of livestock being kept within the outer walls of the fort. The site's importance and its excellent nearby anchorage makes it likely that it was an important base for
Pictish naval forces, which are recorded as significant between the 4th and the 8th centuries.
56:
49:
328:, which still takes place in Burghead annually, has also been seen as a surviving pagan fire festival. There is archaeological evidence of a chapel within the fort by the 8th century, and decorated stones dating from around AD 800 found in Burghead churchyard were probably the remains of Christian crosses. Fragments of an early Christian shrine have been discovered immediately outside the fort, and the secular power centre of the fort may have had a significant relationship with the major Pictish religious centres of
349:
290:, though, suggesting that the Picts may have reoccupied an earlier stronghold and reinforced it by adding the stone fortifications. Differences in the techniques used to build the walls of the upper and lower enclosures suggest different dates of construction, and the triple ramparts and ditches that cut the enclosure off from the mainland may predate the main body of the fort and represent earlier Iron Age defences. Signs of earlier occupation found on the site of the fort include a
29:
255:
certainly protruded from the sandstone walls. The stone ramparts of the lower enclosure were also built around a timber framework, but these were held together by giant iron spikes – an exceptional construction technique unrelated to earlier
British Iron Age building traditions, instead of being associated with the
249:
The western wall of the upper enclosure was excavated in 1969 and found to be exceptionally massive, with an 8-metre-thick (26 ft) base and a surviving height of 3 metres (9.8 ft). The wall would originally have been even more formidable, up to 6 metres (20 ft) high and possibly topped
323:
The fort had religious as well as secular importance. The bull carvings found at the site in the 19th century have been seen as evidence for a surviving pagan bull cult, and the underground well in its rock-cut chamber as the centre of a pagan water cult, a possibility reinforced by the Celtic stone
254:
at the front and back around an internal framework of transverse and longitudinal timbers, with the centre of the structure filled with stone rubble and rolled pebbles. The ramparts were constructed on foundations made of layers of oak laid upon sand, and the oak beams of the timber framework almost
319:
The two enclosures of the main fort had separate entrances, with no evidence of any internal gateway between them, implying a hierarchical relationship between them. The higher section of the main fort to the west may have formed a high-status enclosure including a royal hall and dwelling, with the
245:
measuring 1,000 feet (300 m) in length and 600 feet (180 m) in width, which was divided into two wards or courts: a smaller, higher enclosure or citadel to the southwest, and a larger, lower one to the northeast. In total the enclosure occupied an area of 12.4 acres (5.0 ha). Cutting
246:
off the enclosure and the headland was a system of three ramparts and ditches, together measuring 800 feet (240 m) by 180 feet (55 m), with each cut by entrances midway along. These were constructed of earth and rubble. Excavations in the 1890s revealed a paved roadway through the fort.
232:
and published posthumously in 1793. Sections of its inner ramparts still stand up to 9.8 feet (3.0 m) high, and a small section of the innermost outer rampart survives as the "Doorie Hill". The fort's underground ritual well can be visited and the site has a visitor centre where important
369:
During the destruction of the site in the early 19th century, up to thirty stone panels carrying carved images of bulls were discovered. Although most of these were built into the quay wall of
Burghead Harbour and thus lost, six remain: two in the visitor centre in Burghead itself, two in
285:
has demonstrated that the main walls were constructed in the early historic period, possibly as early as the late 3rd century, and they were refurbished in the 6th or 7th centuries. The layout of the fort was typical of those built across
Britain and France in the late
228:
The remains of the fort were largely destroyed when the harbour and town of
Burghead were remodelled in the early 19th century, but its layout is recorded in a plan drawn by
556:
405:, and the carvings testify to the site's exceptional importance and suggest it may have been an important royal centre in the early historic period.
1046:
302:(54–68 AD), and a Celtic stone head found within the well. Indications of non-domestic occupation have been found from the Iron Age,
310:
periods, but no sign of occupancy of the fort survives after the 9th century, a period approximately coinciding with entries in the
82:
1041:
1026:
48:
1031:
1036:
812:
522:
982:
956:
928:
907:
881:
750:
191:
190:. It was one of the earliest power centres of the Picts and was three times the size of any other enclosed site in
394:
set into the ramparts of the fort, possibly forming part of a warrior cult celebrating strength and aggression.
273:
1005:
564:
375:
242:
841:
1009:
867:
325:
295:
371:
8:
217:
282:
262:
978:
952:
924:
903:
877:
746:
518:
398:
312:
202:
946:
918:
871:
740:
512:
291:
175:
117:
383:
364:
357:
353:
307:
257:
207:
390:. The Bulls have been dated to the 5th century or later and may have formed a
1020:
998:
973:
Shepherd, Ian A. G. (1993). "The Picts in Moray". In Sellar, W. D. H. (ed.).
97:
84:
605:
348:
402:
333:
337:
229:
198:, flourishing with the kingdom itself from the 4th to the 9th centuries.
34:
612:. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
28:
1010:"Burghead, fort, graveyard and chapel, including the Clavie (SM2205)"
379:
329:
251:
201:
Burghead is not recorded in any surviving annals and its name in the
977:. Edinburgh: Scottish Society for Northern Studies. pp. 75–90.
303:
287:
222:
187:
179:
156:
336:, which is just visible from Burghead on the opposite side of the
194:. The fort was probably the main centre of the Pictish Kingdom of
948:
225:
but were substantially rebuilt during the early historic period.
212:
195:
160:
1004:
391:
387:
742:
The
Archaeology of Celtic Britain and Ireland: C.AD 400 - 1200
324:
head that was discovered in the well in the 19th century. The
805:
316:
recording devastating Norse raids on the
Kingdom of Fortriu.
183:
172:
299:
680:
678:
250:
by a wooden superstructure. It was constructed with stone
717:
707:
705:
665:
663:
661:
659:
657:
655:
653:
651:
471:
469:
467:
465:
463:
461:
783:
781:
675:
624:
481:
448:
446:
444:
431:
429:
793:
745:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 29.
702:
690:
648:
636:
517:. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 171–172.
458:
778:
766:
579:
441:
426:
414:
836:
834:
33:Plan of the remains of the fort drawn by General
1018:
332:, located 8 miles (13 km) to the east, and
233:Pictish sculptures from the fort are displayed.
900:Picts, Gaels and Scots: Early Historic Scotland
876:. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 58.
831:
178:on the site now occupied by the small town of
401:of the Burghead Bulls is unequalled in early
920:From Caledonia to Pictland: Scotland to 795
1001:on CANMORE, Historic Environment Scotland.
551:
549:
547:
545:
543:
541:
236:
221:. The original defences may date from the
27:
923:. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
600:
598:
596:
594:
506:
504:
502:
500:
498:
496:
277:Remaining ramparts of the lower enclosure
972:
873:The Oxford Companion to Scottish History
865:
734:
732:
514:Iron Age Hillforts in Britain and Beyond
475:
347:
272:
944:
711:
696:
669:
642:
563:. Aberdeenshire Council. Archived from
538:
510:
487:
281:The fort was built in multiple phases.
1019:
916:
897:
799:
787:
772:
723:
684:
630:
591:
585:
493:
452:
435:
420:
265:fortifications of continental Europe.
738:
729:
343:
241:The site consisted of a walled inner
55:
1047:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Moray
205:is not recorded, but it may be the
18:Early medieval fortress in Scotland
13:
268:
14:
1058:
992:
561:Moray Sites and Monuments Record
54:
47:
859:
819:. Historic Environment Scotland
1:
1042:Archaeological sites in Moray
1006:Historic Environment Scotland
951:. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.
866:Driscoll, Stephen T. (2007).
408:
1027:Promontory forts in Scotland
739:Laing, Lloyd Robert (2006).
7:
870:. In Lynch, Michael (ed.).
376:National Museum of Scotland
10:
1063:
1032:Iron Age sites in Scotland
975:Moray: Province and People
362:
1037:Pictish sites in Scotland
917:Fraser, James E. (2009).
152:
147:
139:
131:
123:
113:
76:
42:
26:
511:Harding, Dennis (2012).
143:12.4 acres (5.0 ha)
945:Konstam, Angus (2010).
261:structures of the late
237:Layout and construction
192:Early Medieval Scotland
127:1,000 feet (300 m)
902:. Edinburgh: Birlinn.
898:Foster, Sally (2014).
360:
278:
351:
326:Burning of the Clavie
276:
135:600 feet (180 m)
68:Shown within Scotland
37:and published in 1793
844:. The British Museum
842:"The Burghead Bull"
726:, pp. 47, 137.
94: /
23:
361:
356:on display at the
344:The Burghead Bulls
298:from the reign of
283:Radiocarbon dating
279:
98:57.7036°N 3.4971°W
21:
687:, pp. 51–52.
633:, pp. 46–47.
567:on 31 August 2015
490:, pp. 21–22.
211:that features in
166:
165:
1054:
1013:
988:
969:
967:
965:
941:
939:
937:
913:
894:
892:
890:
854:
853:
851:
849:
838:
829:
828:
826:
824:
809:
803:
797:
791:
785:
776:
770:
764:
763:
761:
759:
736:
727:
721:
715:
709:
700:
694:
688:
682:
673:
667:
646:
640:
634:
628:
622:
621:
619:
617:
602:
589:
583:
577:
576:
574:
572:
553:
536:
535:
533:
531:
508:
491:
485:
479:
473:
456:
450:
439:
433:
424:
418:
313:Annals of Ulster
203:Pictish language
109:
108:
106:
105:
104:
103:57.7036; -3.4971
99:
95:
92:
91:
90:
87:
58:
57:
51:
31:
24:
20:
1062:
1061:
1057:
1056:
1055:
1053:
1052:
1051:
1017:
1016:
995:
985:
963:
961:
959:
935:
933:
931:
910:
888:
886:
884:
862:
857:
847:
845:
840:
839:
832:
822:
820:
817:Places to visit
813:"Burghead Well"
811:
810:
806:
798:
794:
786:
779:
771:
767:
757:
755:
753:
737:
730:
722:
718:
710:
703:
695:
691:
683:
676:
668:
649:
641:
637:
629:
625:
615:
613:
604:
603:
592:
584:
580:
570:
568:
557:"Burghead Fort"
555:
554:
539:
529:
527:
525:
509:
494:
486:
482:
474:
459:
451:
442:
434:
427:
419:
415:
411:
382:and one in the
367:
346:
292:Late Bronze Age
271:
269:History and use
239:
215:'s 2nd-century
176:promontory fort
118:Promontory fort
102:
100:
96:
93:
88:
85:
83:
81:
80:
72:
71:
70:
69:
66:
65:
64:
63:
59:
38:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1060:
1050:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1029:
1015:
1014:
1002:
994:
993:External links
991:
990:
989:
983:
970:
957:
942:
929:
914:
908:
895:
882:
861:
858:
856:
855:
830:
804:
802:, p. 122.
792:
777:
765:
751:
728:
716:
701:
689:
674:
647:
635:
623:
590:
588:, p. 160.
578:
537:
524:978-0199695249
523:
492:
480:
457:
440:
425:
412:
410:
407:
397:The degree of
384:British Museum
365:Burghead Bulls
363:Main article:
358:British Museum
354:Burghead Bulls
345:
342:
308:Early Medieval
270:
267:
258:Murus Gallicus
238:
235:
208:Pinnata Castra
164:
163:
154:
150:
149:
145:
144:
141:
137:
136:
133:
129:
128:
125:
121:
120:
115:
111:
110:
78:
74:
73:
67:
61:
60:
53:
52:
46:
45:
44:
43:
40:
39:
32:
17:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1059:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1024:
1022:
1011:
1007:
1003:
1000:
999:Burghead Fort
997:
996:
986:
984:9780950599472
980:
976:
971:
960:
958:9781846036866
954:
950:
949:
943:
932:
930:9780748612321
926:
922:
921:
915:
911:
909:9781780271910
905:
901:
896:
885:
883:9780199234820
879:
875:
874:
869:
864:
863:
843:
837:
835:
818:
814:
808:
801:
796:
790:, p. 52.
789:
784:
782:
775:, p. 87.
774:
769:
754:
752:9780521838627
748:
744:
743:
735:
733:
725:
720:
714:, p. 49.
713:
708:
706:
699:, p. 55.
698:
693:
686:
681:
679:
672:, p. 22.
671:
666:
664:
662:
660:
658:
656:
654:
652:
645:, p. 42.
644:
639:
632:
627:
611:
607:
601:
599:
597:
595:
587:
582:
566:
562:
558:
552:
550:
548:
546:
544:
542:
526:
520:
516:
515:
507:
505:
503:
501:
499:
497:
489:
484:
478:, p. 58.
477:
476:Driscoll 2007
472:
470:
468:
466:
464:
462:
455:, p. 47.
454:
449:
447:
445:
438:, p. 51.
437:
432:
430:
423:, p. 46.
422:
417:
413:
406:
404:
400:
395:
393:
389:
385:
381:
377:
374:, one in the
373:
366:
359:
355:
350:
341:
339:
335:
331:
327:
321:
317:
315:
314:
309:
305:
301:
297:
294:spearhead, a
293:
289:
284:
275:
266:
264:
260:
259:
253:
247:
244:
234:
231:
226:
224:
220:
219:
214:
210:
209:
204:
199:
197:
193:
189:
185:
181:
177:
174:
170:
169:Burghead Fort
162:
158:
155:
151:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
122:
119:
116:
112:
107:
79:
75:
62:Burghead Fort
50:
41:
36:
30:
25:
22:Burghead Fort
16:
974:
964:12 September
962:. Retrieved
947:
936:12 September
934:. Retrieved
919:
899:
889:12 September
887:. Retrieved
872:
860:Bibliography
848:12 September
846:. Retrieved
823:12 September
821:. Retrieved
816:
807:
795:
768:
758:12 September
756:. Retrieved
741:
719:
712:Konstam 2010
697:Konstam 2010
692:
670:Konstam 2010
643:Konstam 2010
638:
626:
616:12 September
614:. Retrieved
609:
581:
571:12 September
569:. Retrieved
565:the original
560:
530:12 September
528:. Retrieved
513:
488:Konstam 2010
483:
416:
403:medieval art
396:
372:Elgin Museum
368:
334:Portmahomack
322:
318:
311:
280:
256:
248:
240:
227:
216:
206:
200:
168:
167:
15:
800:Foster 2014
788:Foster 2014
773:Fraser 2009
724:Foster 2014
685:Foster 2014
631:Foster 2014
586:Foster 2014
453:Foster 2014
436:Fraser 2009
421:Foster 2014
352:One of the
338:Moray Firth
230:William Roy
101: /
77:Coordinates
35:William Roy
1021:Categories
868:"Burghead"
606:"Burghead"
409:References
399:naturalism
296:Greek coin
252:revetments
86:57°42′13″N
380:Edinburgh
330:Kinneddar
243:enclosure
218:Geography
89:3°29′50″W
288:Iron Age
223:Iron Age
188:Scotland
180:Burghead
157:Iron Age
610:Canmore
263:La Tene
213:Ptolemy
196:Fortriu
173:Pictish
161:Pictish
153:Periods
148:History
981:
955:
927:
906:
880:
749:
521:
392:frieze
388:London
171:was a
124:Length
304:Norse
184:Moray
132:Width
979:ISBN
966:2015
953:ISBN
938:2015
925:ISBN
904:ISBN
891:2015
878:ISBN
850:2015
825:2015
760:2015
747:ISBN
618:2015
573:2015
532:2015
519:ISBN
306:and
300:Nero
140:Area
114:Type
386:in
378:in
182:in
1023::
1008:.
833:^
815:.
780:^
731:^
704:^
677:^
650:^
608:.
593:^
559:.
540:^
495:^
460:^
443:^
428:^
340:.
186:,
159:,
1012:.
987:.
968:.
940:.
912:.
893:.
852:.
827:.
762:.
620:.
575:.
534:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
