The Celtic World (Routledge Worlds)

Probable early Celtic

metalwork

in northern Britain

NB

.5 • 1

•• @ 2

V7[!]3

lid] 4

HZ

34. 1 Main zones of middle and late iron age Scotland

the southern mainland - the Tyne/Forth (TF) and Solway/Clyde (SC) provinces - are most of
the examples of early La Tene metalwork (below), most of the bun-shaped rotary querns and
most of the glass armlets.
In the North-eastern province (NE) - which may be said to include most of Argyllshire
until about the first century Be -are about three-quarters of the timber-framed hill-forts (all
save one vitrified), perhaps nine-tenths of the Pictish stones of Class I (pre-Christian) and II
and most of the pit place-names. Most of the late La Tene-derived metalwork is here, namely
the massive armlets, spiral armlets and the 'Donside' terrets.
The maritime Atlantic province (A - including Shetland) is adjusted here to include only
the zone of fine pottery and the main broch concentrations. The shaded area (Caithness and
Sutherland) is an intermediate zone where the fine pottery is mainly absent but where there
are large numbers of brochs and, in the south-east, many Pictish stones (a few of which also
occur in Orkney).

Symbols: I - straight-jointed bridle bits; 2 - iron single-jointed bridle bit from Dun Lagaidh;

3 - Group III swords and scabbards; 4 - Group lIla swords and scabbards; 5 -Group IV

'Brigantian' swords and scabbards; 6 - penannular fibulae of Type Aa; 7 - the Deskford

carnyx, the Torrs pony cap and the Balmaclellan mirror.