A broch is an ancient type of stone structure found in Scotland, particularly in the northern and western isles and mainland, dating from the Iron Age, roughly around 500 BC to 100 AD. A broch is a tall, circular, hollow-walled tower made of dry stone masonry without mortar, often double-walled with a narrow space between walls and internal staircases. Brochs can be up to about 13 meters high and are considered among the most sophisticated dry stone buildings ever made in prehistoric Britain. They were likely used as fortified homes, status symbols, defensive structures, or communal shelters for extended families and livestock. The word broch comes from Norse borg meaning fort or castle. The best preserved example is Mousa Broch in Shetland, which still stands nearly to full height. Brochs are distinct from other Iron Age structures like duns and wheelhouses. Archaeologists debate their exact purpose, but they represent impressive engineering skill and social organization. So a broch means an Iron Age Scottish stone tower fort, not to be confused with broach, brooch, or brush, which sound similar but have different meanings.
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