It's not just the blackhouses of the 1800's that burnt peat fires, peat has been used as a heat source for centuries. The Iron age house at Bosta regularly has a peat fire on, a warm welcome awaits you on a wet and windy day.
Once your eyes adjust to the dark you start to see the inner walls of this subterrainian dwelling. Elizabeth (the Iron age house guide) gives a very thorough talk on life for these iron age hunter gatherers.
The bosta Iron age houses were discovered after a storm, when sands where moved by the wind revealing the top of stone walls buried in the sand. Extensive excervations revealed all the details of the design and building method of these dwellings and uncovered some bone artifacts and tools left by the previous inhabitants.