Knowledge Organiser – Scotland and Britain’s earliest people.

Key Ideas Life in Palaeolithic Britain Life in Scotland Life in Scotland During this period the people of Britain During the middle Stone Age Britain was During this period Britain underwent lived nomadic lives. cut off from Europe by the sea. a revolution. The people changed from living a nomadic way of life to The people were hunter gatherers who The temperatures would have been much becoming farmers living in permanent ate fish, animals and fruit. warmer than before and were similar to houses. those of today. They mostly lived around the coasts and built temporary shelters from whatever They cleared land to grow crops and The people were still hunter gatherers but materials they could find or lived in breed cows and sheep. caves such as Gough’s Cave where were becoming less nomadic. They were Cheddar Man was discovered. beginning to domesticate cattle and sheep During this period horses and pigs and dogs as family pets date from this were brought across from Europe. Bones, antlers and stone were used to period. make tools such as hammers and axes. There is a lot of evidence of the The Mesolithic people began to build more existence of beliefs during this period. There is plenty of evidence that as far permanent shelters and they lived in two or The stone circles at Brodgar and the back as the Palaeolithic period people three places throughout the year. They tomb at Maes Howe show that the were creative. For example, in a grave would have summer and winter homes. early peoples of Scotland had over 26000 years old a skeleton was discovered wearing bracelets made of This is the period where the earliest traditions and customs just like today. ivory and shells. discoveries of life in Scotland have been made. The most famous Neolithic site in While there is no written evidence from Scotland is at Skara Brae. Historians this period, cave paintings remain that For example, the remains of Scotland’s think people lived in this small group show drawings of cows and other oldest house were found near Edinburgh, of houses around 3200-2200BC. The animals. and evidence of life in the Western Isles 8 buildings were connected by

was uncovered with the discovery of burnt alleyways. Inside each house there hazelnuts and thousands of stone flakes were stone dressing tables and beds from tool making. that would be covered with soft heather.

Life in Britain Life in Iron Age Britain Similarities and Differences. The Bronze age lasted in Britain from Iron age Britons are thought to have worn The periods under study had many 2000BC to 700BC. Bronze is made from trousers and long colourful woollen or linen similarities and change did not happen mixing Tin and Copper. tunics with a belt at the waist. Cloaks were quickly. Scotland was still in the Stone Age worn, often with a fastening brooch. while other parts of Britain were already The Beaker folk were a Bronze age tribe Women wore long sleeveless dresses. We using Bronze. who came to Britain from Spain. They know this because clothing buried near were a sophisticated group and were metal sometimes left an impression on the The main similarities of famous for being a fighting people and metal. Both men and women were thought with modern Britain are that shelter, food, for making beautiful beads, jewellery and to have worn their hair long. family and safety were important. clay beakers. The Iron Age was a much more violent time The importance of belief in things that are Beliefs in the Bronze Age were than the Stone Age. Many Iron daggers, more powerful than humans is also true in important and this was the period that swords and wooden shields have been the past and present. The Ring of Brodgar saw Barrows being used as burial found by archaeologists. Sling shots were and Maes Howe for example are similar mounds to honour the dead. often used to help protect hillforts. There is to our Churches and cemeteries today. no evidence however of helmets or metal The Bronze age was a more violent age. armour during this period. The big changes that happened included We know this because of the weapons the move from a nomadic lifestyle to a found buried in Bronze Age Barrows. The iron age people were farmers who settled one, and the change from hunter grew enough to feed their families and gathering to farming at the start of the The Bronze Age saw the beginning of extra for swapping for other goods. Bread, Neolithic period. trade. We know this because Tin is not stew, beer and porridge were common mined in Scotland yet Bronze artefacts foods and drinks . Very little meat was The move from stone to metal around have been found suggesting that the probably eaten but when it was it included 2000BC was also a first step towards the peoples of Scotland must have traded dogs and horses as well as cows and pigs. modern world. goods for Tin to allow them to make Bread was made using quernstornes Bronze. Main Point Description Cheddar Man 10000 year old skeleton with the eyes gouged out found in Gough’s cave in Somerset, England. Ring of Brodgar An incredible stone circle on Orkney. The diameter of the circle is 104 metres. Originally there were 60 stones but only 27 remain standing today. There is no centre stone. Maes Howe Built before the pyramids in Egypt this is a huge burial tomb in the Orkneys. At winter solstice the sun shines through the small opening lighting up the whole tomb. Maes Howe is also famous for its graffiti with one Viking girl writing “Helgi was here.” The Vikings invaded Orkney in the late 8th Century. Callenais One of the most famous of Scotland’s Neolithic monuments. This circle of 13 megaliths, on the island of Lewis, is built around a 4.75meter centre stone. Key Numbers 1. Bronze is made up of 10% Tin and 90% Copper. 2. Scientists believe the earth was formed 4.5 billion years ago. 3. Before the Romans arrived latest historical estimates suggest between 3 and 4 million people were living in Britain compared to over 60 million today. Types of Iron Age House 1. Broch A stone tower lived in by the wealthiest of the tribe and a place for the whole community to go to if under attack. 2. Crannog Usually a wooden building in the middle of a loch. Could only be reached by boat and offered protection from animals.. 3. Hillfort Huge wooden constructions on the top of hills acted as strong defences. They were protected by wooden walls and fortifications. Local history 1. Burnswark near Lockerbie was an Iron Age Hill Fort. 2 Dyke Row or the “three Stannin Stanes” on the way out of Moffat are examples of Megaliths. Key vocabulary 1. Nomadic People moved from place to place during the year. They did this in search of food and shelter. 2. Palaeolithic The early or old Stone Age that lasted in Britain from 850 000 BC-10 000BC 3. Mesolithic Middle Stone Age lasting in Britain from 10 000BC-5000BC 4. Neolithic The New Stone Age lasting in Britain from 5000BC – 2000BC 5. Winter Solstice Shortest day of year. 6. Barrow A Bronze age burial tomb. 7. Megalith A standing stone. Often these standing stones were aligned towards the sun at a particular point of the year. 8. Beaker People During the Bronze age a group of people from modern Spain settled in Britain bringing with them pottery, beads and jewellery. They were also a fighting people known for their archery skills. 9. Celts The name given to the people from modern Austria who travelled to Scotland and settled there. 10. Prehistoric A term used to describe British history before the arrival of the Romans in AD43. Before the Romans there are no written records of British history.

Key Dates 65 million years ago Dinosaurs disappeared from earth probably after an asteroid smashed into modern day Mexico causing devastation to the planet. 20 million years ago The continents as we know them today were formed. 850 000 years ago The earliest humans - homo erectus - were living in what we now call Britain. 850 000 years ago The earliest evidence of human life in Britain was found in Happisburgh in East Anglia. Footprints dating from between 850 000 years ago. 60 000 years ago Neanderthals arrived from Europe. This descendent of humans are thought to have been the first to start fires and wear clothes. 36 000 years ago Homo Sapiens – our direct human ancestors- arrived in Britain and some historians think they killed off the Neanderthals. 15000 years ago This was the time that humans made Britain their permanent home, Before this time they had moved to and from Britain depending on the weather. At this time the British population would only have been around 1000. 8000 years ago Land bridges that connected Britain to Europe disappeared. These land bridges are now covered by water and called Doggerland. Until 2000BC The Stone Age 2000BC to 700BC The Bronze Age 700BC to AD43 The Iron Age AD43 The arrival of the Romans and the first written histories of Britain begin. The Romans stayed in Britain until leaving in AD 410

Self-Testing

 You will be expected to know the answers to the following question. All answers are on the knowledge organiser.  The most effective way to learn this information is to self-test as homework using the following questions to help.  Look over the information think about it, take notes then without looking at the information see if you can answer the questions accurately and in detail.

Quiz 1 1. Which N means the new Stone Age? 2. What piece of evidence was found in East Anglia that archaeologists think proves humans lived in Britain 850 000 years ago? 3. When do scientists estimate Earth was formed? 4. What does AD and BC stand for? 5. When and why do we think the dinosaurs disappear from earth? 6. When did humans make Britain their permanent home? 7. What does the word Prehistory mean? 8. What disappeared from Britain around 8000 years ago? 9. Which P means the early Stone Age 10. Which M means the middle Stone Age? 11. Who arrived in Britain 36000 years ago? 12. When did the Bronze Age begin and end? 13. When did the Iron Age begin and end?

Quiz 2 1. What word describes people who move from place to place? 2. What evidence is there of Mesolithic people staying on the Western Isles of Scotland in the Mesolithic era 3. What was the main difference between Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Britain? 4. Spell and give a definition of Mesolithic 5. When did the land bridges connecting Britain to Europe disappear under the sea.? 6. What covered most of Britain’s land during the Mesolithic era? 7. What was bloodstone used for? 8. Where is the oldest house ever found in Scotland? 9. What is the name given to the oldest skeleton ever found in Britain? 10. What animals became domesticated during the Mesolithic era?

Quiz 3

1. What do we mean by the term winter solstice? 2. What is the name of the Burial Chamber in Orkney? 3. What is a megalith? 4. What was the biggest change between Neolithic and Mesolithic Scotland? 5. Where am I - Standing in a ring of 27 standing stones with a diameter of 104 metres 6. Where am I ? A circle of 13 megaliths, on the island of Lewis built around a 4.75meter centre stone. 7. Spell and give a definition of Neolithic 8. Which famous buildings in Egypt were built during the Neolithic period 9. What word describes people moving from place to place 10. Which Neolithic monument has Viking graffiti saying “Helgi was here”

Quiz Four 1) What is Bronze made of? 2) What was local feature Burnswark used for during the Iron Age? 3) What B means a Bronze age burial mound Barrow? 4) What is the name of the Iron Age Stone towers? 5) What is the name of the wooden houses built on stilts in the middle of lakes? 6) What is the name of the people who arrived in Britain from Spain during the Bronze Age? 7) What is the name of wooden buildings found on high places ? 8) When did the Romans arrive in Britain? 9) Did men and women have long or short hair during the Iron Age? 10) How many people lived in Britain when the Romans arrived?