ARCHEOLOGISTS working in southern Scotland have uncovered the remains of the first Iron Age loch village ever to be discovered north of the border.
The discovery is being hailed as Scotland's Glastonbury, as it resembles a lake village of similar scope discovered in Somerset.
The ancient dwelling place was revealed during a dig in Wigtownshire and was built on wetlands around a small loch more than 2500 years ago.
Experts examining the site thought they had found a single crannog, or man-made island, but were startled to find the remains radiated out to take in at least seven houses.
The dig was a small-scale pilot excavation in the now-infilled Black Loch of Myrton, which is under threat as a result of drainage operations.
During the excavation AOC Archaeology Group, who worked on the dig in conjunction with local volunteers, discovered a massive stone hearth complex at the centre of a roundhouse.
Timber which would have made up the walls of the roundhouse has been preserved, as have foundation beams which lead out from the hearth.
Radiocarbon dating shows that the site was first occupied around 500BC, with further activity taking place around 100BC, before a third phase of occupation around 220 AD.
Crannogs and lake villages appear throughout the Iron Age period across the British Isles, and may have been built because they could be easily defended.
Dr Graeme Cavers of AOC Archaeology said: "There may have been complex reasons for living on or near water. Partly it may have been showing off, by building a settlement that looked impressive the occupants could stamp their authority on the landscape."
Fiona Hyslop, the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, believes the find has national significance.
She said: "There are some excellent examples of lake villages in England but this is the first time archaeologists have found a loch village in Scotland."
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