Use of Raw Energy Data in the Estimation of the 'Cost' of Building Iron Age Brochs in Scotland

Summary

Iron Age brochs, drystone-built towers unique to Scotland, are typically 18m in external diameter, 9m internally, and 12m to 14m high. Calculation of the volume of stone required for the construction is relatively simple. Calculation of its standard bulk density, only marginally more difficult so that the mass of stone involved can be calculated with confidence. The calculation of the number of kWhs of energy required to quarry, lift move, horizontally and vertically and place into the monument can similarly be measured. The continuous power rating of a fit human being is a mere 0.6kWh per diem – its ‘living cost’, just less than three times as much, is not available for labour. From these data, a minimum energy cost of construction can be calculated based only on physical parameters, and the labour force size/duration-of-build ratio can be derived, assuming 100% efficiency in the human agents. This approach is less subjective than, for example, guessing the person-hours and length of a standard working day, albeit that it is not totally free from the potential for such biases. At the very least its uniform methodology facilitates comparison between brochs in terms of their energy costs and thus of their social cost/values.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Architectural Energetics

Keywords

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