Archaeologists Find Bronze Age Wooden Platform in Scottish Loch

Archaeologists have identified a man-made wooden platform beneath a stone formation in Loch Bhogastail on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. The structure, known as a crannog, was constructed during the Neolithic period and later covered with stones. University of Southampton archaeologist Stephanie Blankshein said excavation revealed a coherent timber structure under the visible stone island.

The circular platform measures about 75 feet across and was expanded over centuries.

The platform rests on layered wood and brushwood rather than solid stone. Researchers found food residue and hundreds of fragments of Neolithic pottery on the site. C. The resources and labor required indicate organized communities existed at the time.

Hundreds of similar crannogs have been found in the region.

Archaeologists have not determined the exact purpose of the platforms but note they may have hosted community gatherings such as feasts. The team used 3D imaging to document the structure and distinguish the wooden base from the overlying stones.