The first millennium BC is a time of change and diversity in the British Isles. Much of what we think we know about the British peoples comes from scant Roman history and commentary, including the political organisation of large tribes and the presence of 'Celtic' language and religion. The archaeological evidence, however, suggests a far more complex picture of the development of large political entities around hillforts from the Late Bronze Age in the south through the midlands and north, to smaller and less hierarchical groups in the west and north-west. Lectures will take a regional as well as thematic approach to enable the student to interrogate the increasing archaeological evidence of the intensification of farming, technological advancement and political change in the landscape. Throughout the course, reference will be made to highly influential spheres of Europe and the Mediterranean, particularly towards the end of the 1st millennium BCE. Seminars will provide students an opportunity to present and discuss themes of interest, including language and religion. Students will be pointed towards the increasing available data from online sources as well as literature.
Iron Age Britain: Brits, Celts, and Others
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings which take place in Oxford.
Overview
Programme details
Courses starts: 21 Jan 2026
Week 1: introduction to the study of the British Iron Age: regions, timelines, challenges
Week 2: Iron Age technologies: metal, ceramics, salt
Week 3: Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age transitions: late 2nd and early 1st millennium BCE
Week 4: the 'Middle Iron Age' - problems in site identification during the 'aceramic' Iron Age
Week 5: Later Iron Age society - in the shadow of Europe and the Mediterranean
Week 6: Field trip - The Ashmolean Museum
Week 7: Life outside of the hillforts in the hillfort zones of Southern and Central England
Week 8: Southeast England - the rise of the agglomerated settlement
Week 9: West and Northwest England and Scotland - alternative Iron Age narratives
Week 10: Language and religion in pre-Roman Britain
Recommended reading
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.
There is a Guide for Weekly Class students which will give you further information.
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Optional preparatory reading:
- Atlas of the Hillforts of Britain and Ireland / Lock, Gary
Certification
Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) Points
Only those who have registered for assessment and accreditation will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard. Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. Please follow this link for more information on Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) points
Digital Certificate of Completion
Students who are registered for assessment and accreditation and pass their final assignment will also be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Information on how to access the digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course attended. You will be able to download the certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Please note students who do not register for assessment and accreditation during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee (with no assessment) | £300.00 |
| Assessment and Accreditation fee | £60.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Tutor
Dr Helen Loney
Helen Loney is a European Prehistorian specialising in craft organisation and ceramic technology. Helen is currently researching Iron Age and Romano-British settlement archaeology in the Lake District National Park, as well as Industrial Archaeology. She is the editor of the Journal of Post-Medieval Archaeology.
Course aims
Students will learn about the archaeology of Iron Age Britain through the themes of material culture, settlement history and social diversity and development.
Students will be able to:
- expand their knowledge to Iron Age archaeology
- acknowledge the regional diversity of Iron Age past societies
- appreciate the changing relationship of aspects of the British Iron Age with Europe and the Mediterranean.
Teaching methods
Combination of lectures and seminar discussions. Online searches will be demonstrated in class, for students to use in preparing their assessments. An in-person museum visit will be used to illustrate the material culture of periods and places discussed.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be able to:
- demonstrate familiarity with Iron Age archaeology in Britain
- demonstrate insight into the diversity of the settlement and material culture record within Britain during the 1st millennium BCE.
- demonstrate facility with some of the published and online sources of evidence in a written assessment.
Assessment methods
Assessment Methods:
Option A:
Three x 500 word pieces. You may submit one of these pieces for feedback in week 6.
Option B:
Formative: 500 words. Due in week 6
Summative: 1500 word essay.
Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation will submit coursework.
Application
To be able to submit coursework and to earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £60 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Please use the 'Book now' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment form for short courses | Oxford University Department for Continuing Education
Students who do not register for assessment and credit during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.
Level and demands
The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.