Why did the Iron Age Celts settle on Hambledon Hill?
AQA GCSE History A - SHP
Coursework Model A
Assignment 1 - Local History Study
Dorset In The Iron Age
Why did the Iron Age Celts settle on Hambledon Hill?
The basic needs of a human of any race or culture are food, water and shelter. Once this has been provided, we start thinking of extras such as central heating, cars, ensuite bathrooms and personal items like clothes and books. Two thousand years ago, a Celtic tribe called the Durotriges were looking for somewhere with a water supply, fertile land for their crops and a shelter - but also for nearby building supplies, defence systems, grazing land for animals, and ways to protect themselves against their enemies. Did Hambledon Hill offer them all these things?
The Iron Age Celts were not the first humans to leave their mark on the hill. There is a large Neolithic complex south east of the Iron Age fort which has been excavated and dated to 2900 - 2600 BC. Archaeologists have yet to agree on what exactly the Neolithic causewayed enclosure was for, but there have been suggestions of fortifications, cattle kraals, a site for ritual feasting or a cemetery. In Celtic times, the Neolithic area was certainly used as a cemtery, with skulls and bones buried in the barrows and ditches. The Iron Age Celts may have realised that the hill had been settled upon once before and this would have encouraged them to settle.
The food of the Celts was very meat-based, and they reared and ate cattle, pigs and sheep. Wild boar, deer and possibly game birds were hunted too, and fish were caught in rivers. Celts also ate shellfish, but we can assume that the Celts settling on Hambledon Hill would not have been able to include that in their diets, being situated so far from the sea. The fertile land on and surrounding the hill would have been ideal for raising animals and there would be plenty of room for grazing, and the forests around the hill would have ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
The food of the Celts was very meat-based, and they reared and ate cattle, pigs and sheep. Wild boar, deer and possibly game birds were hunted too, and fish were caught in rivers. Celts also ate shellfish, but we can assume that the Celts settling on Hambledon Hill would not have been able to include that in their diets, being situated so far from the sea. The fertile land on and surrounding the hill would have been ideal for raising animals and there would be plenty of room for grazing, and the forests around the hill would have been home to many animals such as boar and deer.
As well as eating the fish from the nearby River Stour, it was one of the main sources of water. It is possible that they collected their own rain water too, as the Stour is quite a journey from the hill itself - especially when taking into consideration the climb up and down it. Another possible use for the river is the Celtic religious ceremonies. After the capture of enemy warriors it was custom for the Celtic priests, called druids, to cast the enemies' weapons and adornments in to a lake or river. Celtic brooches, swords, shields and other metalwork have been discovered in lakes situated near Iron Age settlements so it is very possible that the Durotriges used the River Stour for the same purpose - if they were successful in battle.
As well as meat and fish, the Celts ate wild fruits and nuts. These probably grew in the forests surrounding the hill. Bread was also an important part of their meals, baked from corn, and porridge made from oats, cheese from the milk of the cattle, sheep or goats; all of these things could have been made by a tribe living on Hambledon Hill. With their meals, Celts drank ale, mead and wine. Families made ale from barley, or sometimes wheat, oats or rye, and wine was imported from other countries by the chief of the tribe. Bees were kept to make honey, the main ingredient of mead, but honey was also used as a sweetener in many other dishes.
When compared with other potential places to settle locally, Hambledon Hill would have been an easy choice, having a summit of 189m; its neighbour, Hod Hill, only 143.5m. Its perimeter is also bigger, 2103m to Hod Hill's 1874m. The flat ground on the top of the hill is ideal for building structures such as houses and granaries, and its steep slopes useful when the tribe came under attack. There is room for animals to graze and the land around surrounding is fertile. However, the Celts did make moderations to the hill. The ramparts surrounding the main enclosure are up to 21m from the outside, but just 1.2m inside, above the level of the natural slope. Around most of the enclosure, three ramparts are visible. Three entrances were created in the north, north-east and south-east. The slope of the hill is gentler in the south, and as it was therefore the weak spot in the hill fort, the ramparts were built higher - but not high enough to protect the Durotriges from the Romans.
When fighting against other tribes, or Romans, the ramparts were the main defence system. Climbing up the steep slopes whilst being attacked by the inhabitants of the hill fort from above was hard enough; if a warrior made it up one slope he would then find himself in the ditch of another. The view from the top of the hill was not purely aesthetic in the Iron Age; it was one of their best means of defence because they could see enemies when they were still miles away. There is evidence on the hill of rushed building in the Late Iron Age, to protect themselves against the powerful Roman army. However, even the strongest of ramparts could not protect the Iron Age Celts from the tactics and artillery used against them.
My visit to Hambledon Hill assured me of the spectacular view, and it is easy to see why the Celts would have felt much more safe and protected living on its summit. However, the weather conditons on a hill are hostile, and being constantly windy and usually cold must have been a big drawback to those who lived on the top of the hill permanently. However, as the name 'hill fort' suggests, it was a place for the tribe to retreat to in times of danger, and many of the tribe probably lived and worked in the fields below most of the time. Maiden Castle was very similar to Hambledon Hill in its structure, with huge ramparts protecting the inner enclosure. The lives of the Celts living on Maiden Castle were probably much the same as those living on Hambledon Hill. The Dorset County Museum, which houses many of the objects excavated and found on Maiden Castle and on other local Iron Age hill forts, gave more of an idea of what life was really like in the Iron Age. Evidence of Iron Age huts (207 of which have been identified on Hambledon Hill) showed how much wood the Celts needed for their settlements, and having so much around them, like at Hambledon, would have been a necessity.
In conclusion, the main reasons why the Iron Age Celts decided to settle on Hambledon Hill are the fertile land for grazing and growing crops, the abundant supply of building materials, the instant defence system and a water supply flowing quite close by. Ultimately, they could not protect themselves against the power of the Roman army; but the Durotriges chose one of the safest and most secure sites in the area to accommodate and provide for them.
Bibliography:
School produced booklet, 'Hambledon Hill'
Dorset County Museum
'The Celts' by Robin Place
'History In Focus 1 - Pre-History to Roman Britain' by Ray Mitchell and Geoffrey Middleton
