Although there is evidence to show that Beaker folk (given their name by the shape of their pottery shown left - drawings based on finds at Northton) had settled in Britain by 2500 bc their first appearance in the Hebrides is dated at around 1654 bc.
In Northton 2 Beaker occupations were found virtually on top of each other. In the lower of two levels of beaker period occupation were two houses, aligned north-east to south-west, one of which was complete enough to provide a detailed ground plan (see previous page). This building was around 7 m long by 4.5 m wide and had few internal features other than a scatter of stake holes, a hearth and adjacent pit. Its entrance faced south-west, towards the sea. Both structures were dug into the sand dunes and revetted with drystone walling, a technique which was to remain common on machair locations at least until the Norse period.
It has been suggested that the internal stakes may have supported a light skin roof there seems no reason to suppose that a more substantial timber-framed roof did not rest on the sand dune at the wall head as was the case with later prehistoric sand-revetted buildings. The wall probably stood around 2 m high and this kind of roofing would have enabled free movement around the building. The site yielded sherds of numerous beakers from house floors and middens. Perhaps surprisingly, much of this material was of a very high quality more usually associated with burial. Bone and antler tools including points and combs complemented an impoverished chipped stone tool-kit reminiscent of those from the earlier, Neolithic settlements. The absence of any signs of agricultural processing at Northton along with the lack of grain impressions on the abundant pottery has led to suggestions that the inhabitants were involved in a predominantly pastoral economy.
