History
Britain in the late iron age had to deal with climate change, immigration, rogue traders, and greedy neighbours. They lived communally in round houses, with a strong sense of status from the chief down to the lowest slaves. They had to work hard to get enough food for this year and to plant for the next. They bred animals and milked cows and sheep. They built their own houses, wove their own fabric, made their own tools, or traded for them with the neighbours. They loved colour, style and a bit of bling. They loved a party, and were proud of who and what they were. They were ready to fight for what they had, and stood for. They lived well, but mostly died young.
Housing
In the iron age a family would all live in the one round house. Sometimes these had post holes dug deep in the ground, sometimes the posts seem hardly to have any foundation. The outer walls are quite low, in a circle, made of wattle and daub, or occasionally of stone. Then the roof is built up with long poles resting on the walls and tied together at the centre. This is then thatched with reed or straw.
You can see modern reconstructions at various sites. Butser hill, and Castell Henlyss are good examples. Further north, Whithorn museum is also excellent.
A fire would be kept burning in the centre of the house, for cooking and for light. A little extra lighting could have come from lamps, simple pots of fish or vegetable oil, with a wick dipped in it. There were no openings for windows, as far as we know. There was no chimney, the smoke would filter through the thatch, killing off most of the bugs and helping to keep the thatch dry and in good order. It is thought that more ventilation would make it much more likely for fire to catch in the thatch, and burn the building down. Most of the cooking would be done here, impressive 'fire dogs' have been found, dating from this age.
So it would have been pretty gloomy in there at the best of times. There might have been wattle walls, or draped skins or fabric to make rooms inside, as well as simple furniture, places to store things and beds. There is some debate as to whether the stone weighted vertical looms would have been inside near the door for the best light, or whether they would have been placed outside, where the light was better, but rain would have wet the work in progress.
Many different people would have shared each house, extended family members, trusted supporters, distant relatives being fostered here, servants, and slaves, all in their own hierarchy.
Wattle partitions, or hanging curtains would have partitioned off parts of the interior for special uses, the leader's sleeping area etc.
IRON