An Iron Age stone structure, built throughout Scotland and concentrated near the coasts, as a defence against raiding parties. The walls were double skinned, providing small rooms and storage areas between the inner and outer walls. Steps were also built in the gap between the walls providing access to upper wooden platforms. See Midhowe Broch , and the Glenelg Brochs . The label used to describe the period of prehistory between around 2000 BC and 700 BC, named in this way due to the emergence of bronze smelting and working skills.
Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.
The Bronze Age falls between the Neolithic and the Iron Age, and like all labels of this kind must be treated as a rough guide only . Examples can be seen at Stanton Drew, Avebury and Arbor Low . A fogou is a stone underground tunnel or chamber. Nobody knows what they were used for, though suggestions include food storage, cattle shelter, refuge against attackers and ritual use. Fogous are found all over Cornwall and were generally built at the edge of settlements.