Clachtoll Broch

Clachtoll Broch is a spectacular Iron Age drystone tower on a precipitous coastal outcrop in Assynt, Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands [1] [2] [3] [4]. Dubbed the 'Pompeii of Brochs,' the structure was destroyed in a catastrophic fire around 50 AD [2] [3] [5]. Community excavations from 2017 revealed the broch served as an Iron Age farmhouse, uncovering charred cereal grains, iron sickles, stone lamps, spindle whorls, copper alloy pins, and a rare surviving fiber of ancient yarn [1] [5] [6]. Within the thick drystone walls were small cells, and a central hearth served as the focal point for cooking, crafts, and social life [2] [3]. The excavation was prompted by coastal erosion threatening the structure [1] [7].