Conservation Beyond Consolidation for Prehistoric Monuments: Finding Narratives from Archaeology to Architecture for Scottish Brochs

== Abstract ==

The sophisticated drystone Iron-Age brochs of Northern Scotland, called Complex 
Atlantic Roundhouses by archaeologists, have shown a relatively high technological culture. 
Their  architectural  conservation  should  strike  a  balance  in  presenting  their  key 
features  (structure,  materials,  building  use  and  architectural  elements)  in  a  concept  of 
wholeness  that integrates its major phases rather than design unity of a hypothetical original 
form.  However,  currently  there  is  uncertainty  due  to  the  lack  of  agreement  for  a  standard 
broch scheme and the need for more archaeological research. As most brochs in Scotland are 
fragile  ruins  and  only  a  few  of  them  have  been  scientifically  explored,  they  have  been 
conserved  through  basic  consolidation  for  safety  reasons  in  very  localized  methods, 
primarily by archaeologists.  All of them are open to the public but only a few are developed 
as tourist sites. In both situations, none has shown the complete features of anything close to a 
standard  typology  as  a  narrative  of  their  origin  and  a  few  have  interpreted  correctly  the 
changes  after  Iron  Age  as  narratives  for  modification.  Significant  conservation  was 
conducted  often  before  full  archaeological excavations  and  did  not  lead  to  a  satisfying 
architectural  experience,  so  people  still  have  a  inconclusive  image  of  brochs  after  a  visit. 
This  paper  studies  the  brochs  through  their  collective  concept  as  a  building  typology  rather 
than separate images of different sites. Conservation for brochs  in  Scotland  could  argue  for 
modern  holistic  projects  that  go  beyond  consolidation,  exporting  narratives  from 
archaeology to architecture.

== Full document ==
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