Is there enough evidence to prove why Celts settled down in Hambledon hill?

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Is there enough evidence to prove why Celts settled down in Hambledon hill?

Today, Hambledon Hill is one of Dorset’s most impressive and distinctive landmarks. Now, it is home to a few grazing cows, but in the past it has been the home of many people. Some of the most well-known inhabitants of the hill in the past were the Celts of Dorset’s Durotrige tribe, during the Iron Age. There are many reasons why these people choose to settle on Hambledon, and this essay aims to examine why Hambledon was chosen.

Before deciding why the Celts chose Hambledon as the location for a settlement, we need to look at who they are, and therefore what they would need from a settlement. As the Celts did not often record things in writing, the evidence that modern historians have is derived from two sources. The first of these are writings by their invaders, the Romans, and the second is archaeological evidence.

The people that this essay is studying lived on the hill from circa 750BC to the Roman occupation of 43AD. They were the first farmers, growing their own crops, and rearing their own animals, so therefore flat and fertile land would be an essential requirement of a fort.

Archaeological artefacts such as ploughs and other farming machinery found across Europe show that the Celts were farmers, and gives a helpful insight into the crops grown, and methods of farming.

The Celts kept many animals such as cattle and sheep for produce such as wool, leather, milk and meat, and horses were certainly kept for transport and working in agriculture. The Celts also grew forms of barley, wheat and rye.

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Another essential aspect of the fort would be defence. An invading Roman Soldier described the Celts in Dorset as ‘a sturdy people, fierce and warlike’. If they were ‘warlike’ they were likely to start wars and a fort that was easy to defend would be an distinct advantage over the enemies.

Archaeological evidence shows that the Celts had basic forms of money, which they used to trade with other tribes, so being geographically close  other tribes was an advantage for a settlement.  

So, having examined what the Celts would require from a settlement, the task is ...

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