Neolithic

Neolithic Scotland, spanning from around 4,000 BCE to 2,300 BCE, witnessed a transformative shift from nomadic hunting and gathering to settled agriculture. This period was characterized by the construction of monumental stone structures, including the iconic chambered cairns, standing stones, and stone circles. Farming practices centered on the cultivation of cereals and the domestication of livestock. The emergence of permanent settlements, often in the form of timber longhouses, underscored the societal change. Pottery became widespread, and the intricately carved stone balls found in Scotland from this era remain an archaeological enigma. The Neolithic also saw increased social organization and the beginnings of a more structured society.