Podcast
Questions and Answers
The largest known hill fort is ______ Castle located in Dorset.
The largest known hill fort is ______ Castle located in Dorset.
Maiden
Building Ravensburgh Castle required 19,000 lengths of ______ for the palisade.
Building Ravensburgh Castle required 19,000 lengths of ______ for the palisade.
timber
Construction of hill forts would have taken 175,000 man hours, which translates to ______ days for 200 men.
Construction of hill forts would have taken 175,000 man hours, which translates to ______ days for 200 men.
109
Hill forts may have served as ______ places during times of war.
Hill forts may have served as ______ places during times of war.
The presence of animal pens in some hill forts implies their use for ______ during conflicts.
The presence of animal pens in some hill forts implies their use for ______ during conflicts.
Flashcards
What are hill forts?
What are hill forts?
Hill forts were large, fortified settlements built during the Iron Age, often located on high ground for strategic advantage.
What were hill forts used for?
What were hill forts used for?
Hill forts could be used for various purposes, including defense, refuge, meeting places, and even as ceremonial centers.
How do historians learn about hill forts?
How do historians learn about hill forts?
Historians rely on archaeological evidence like pottery shards, tools, and structural remains to understand how hill forts were used in the past.
Why were hill forts so important?
Why were hill forts so important?
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What role did hill forts play in Iron Age society?
What role did hill forts play in Iron Age society?
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Study Notes
Iron Age Hill Forts
- Nearly 2000 hill forts have been discovered, ranging in size.
- Maiden Castle, in Dorset, is one of the largest known hill forts.
- Building these required significant cooperation, evident by examples like Ravensburgh Castle, in Hertfordshire, with a 14-meter rampart and 1190-meter perimeter.
- Construction employed 19,000 lengths of timber and involved significant manual labor (175,000 man-hours, estimated completion 109 days for 200 men).
Purpose of Hill Forts
- Historians and archaeologists disagree on the specific uses of hill forts.
- Possible uses changed over time.
- Potential defensive sites, possibly castles, due to their prominent location atop hills.
- Evidence of conflict and possibly sacrifices at some sites.
- Potential meeting/gathering places for tribes, for ceremonies, treaties, weddings, and trading.
- Could've served as storage for grain or livestock shelters, suggesting occupation beyond defensive purposes.
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