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Home , Dun, Dun Beag, Dun Carloway, Dun Ringill, Dun Telve, Dun Troddan

BROCK DUND SAN S by ALISON YOUNG, F.S.A., F.S.A.SCOT. THE study of the brochs has been the concern of many students of Scottish Arch- aeology, not least among these Professor Gordon Childe and Sir Lindsay Scott. To these I wish to pay tribute, both for their published works and for discussions with them. I would also like to record my indebtedness to the Society for grants which enabled me to examine brochs and duns in the far North, not previously included in fifte morr th yo e sites visited. This pape base s rlecturi a n do e Societe giveth o nt n yi 1960.* Joseph Anderso Rhins hi n i d lectures2 describe architecture dth broche th f eo s as 'absolutely peculia Scottise th o t r h area'. Eve , the e closelnso yar y localised, seldom far from the sea, and, but for strays, confined to , , the northern mainland and the Western Isles. In the , many brochs bear names which derive from the Norse words burg, burh, for example Burrian, Berwick, Burland, Brough l nameal , latef so r derivation tha buildinge nth s themselves, while on the west coast 'dun', a word for which Johnston gives an Irish-Gaelic derivation denoting a fort or strong place, is applied to and allied structures alike. The fact that the incoming Norse gave the buildings names which are variants of their word for strong places indicates that some were still functional at that time. That ninte otherth hy b scentur y were already grassy 'tullochs' alss i o apparentn i r fo , several instances they have been used as burial howes by the Norse invaders.3 Later stone robbers, as reported by eighteenth-century antiquarians, have used the brochs as convenient quarrie builo t s d house d wallssan 4; others, t the no s now a ne ar , certainly identifiable. Reports of the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments show that brochssome th f eo , mainly totall coastalw no ye destroyear , d by wind and weather, so that accurate numbers for the incidence of these structures givene cannob w . no t qualite Th dry-stonf yo e buildin thesn gi e circular towers depend somo st e extent on available material, but, though the quarries of the Northern Isles and Caithness can provide better building stone than those of the Western Isles, characteristic skilled masonry work is apparent both in the northern brochs and in the scatter of broch and allied structures on the west coast. valuabls hi n I e pape brochs,n o r Angur 5M s Graham suggests thao t thertw e ear

1 Acknowledgemen mads i t H.Mo t e . Stationery Offic permissior fo e reproduco t n photographe eth f so Culswick, , Burland, Grugai Srod gDuian n n a n fro Inventoriee mth Royae th f o ls Commission o n Ancient and Historical Monuments; thanks are also due to Mr Angus Graham, Miss M. Richmond and Miss . RichardsoKM . photographr nfo Dornadillaf yo , Clachtoll, Caisteal Grugai Telved gan . 2 Anderson, ]., in Pagan Times: Iron Age (1883), 174. 3 Arch. Scot., v (1890), 76. Okstrow Broch; 131, Broch of Yarhouse; 154, note, How of Hoxa. 4 ibid., 181, 'Cullswic bees kha n greatly destroye builo dt d houses since 1774". Archaeologia, (1779)v , 250, 'Abou gentlemaa year 0 2 o t ag s than ni t neighbourhoo spoe lairs f grounth i o tf o d o whicn dwh o h this beautiful remnant of ancient grandeur is placed (Dun Alisaig) pulled down 8 or 10 ft. from the top of these walls for the sake of the stones to build a habitation for its incurious owner.' 5 P.S.A.S., LXXXI (1946-7), 79. tOO SO SO 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 10 ,0 • BROCBROCHIO DU HI A TN SCtLC IH HILCS FIG. I. Map showing location of sites described BROCKS AND DUNS 173 strains; it seems possible to go further, and, by studying structural features of brochs duns and related buildings, to offer a chronological sequence. BROCH I The earliest in the series fall mainly within the maximum range of inner dia- meters show s Graham'r ,a M n i s table. Thes commonle ear y buil closn ti e proximity seae th , o oftet flan no t sites chose conveniencr nfo e rather tha strategir nfo c value. The choice of building stone is good and the coursing even. maie Th n characteristic broche th doublf e so sar e walls rising fro msolia d ground course, corbelled cells withi thicknese nth wale th lf sopenino g ont centrae oth l area, and a guard chamber with access from the entrance passage. The latter rebates from fro. entrancft e m5 th o t agains d 3 ean chece th t formeo ks dooda r coul securee db d by means of a cross-bar housed in the thickness of the main wall. Thereafter the low passage usually widens towards the inner entrance allowing for the manipulation of the door, which, in two cases, consisted of a single slab of stone. In many brochs a scarcemen corbeller o t d cours stoneworf eo interiofoune s ki th heigha n di t ra t vary- frog . o 1abovt 3ft in m 5 e floor level. This featur alsy e builledga ob ma e s a te bonded into the stonework, and there are examples where the same result is achieved by a free-standing wall. This device, it has been presumed, is to provide support for some form of roofing, perhaps of verandah type. Corbelled mural cells opening from the interior give access to stairs which spiral up and flatten into galleries. These galleries offer possible sleeping and storage places at the lower levels, but, since the inner wal perpendiculas i l outee th rd curvean r s inwar t risesi highee s da th , r stairs galleried an s narrow somn i d e an ,case lattee sth r coul t havdno esuc o t bee t h npu a use, nor could the diminishing spaces form a means of access to the wallhead, which may, however, have been reache laddera y db . Window-like opening r 'voidsso n i ' the interio abovre wall otheon e t separateed th ,se ran transomesy db thoughe ar , o t

SITES DESCRIBED IN TEXT 1 Hogsetter 18 Keiss 35 Troddan 2 Culswick 19 Wester 36 Chonil Tirefui7 3 r Fors0 2 e Burlan3 d 4 Clumlie 21 Dornadilla 38 Mhuilig 5 22 Clachtoll 39 Ardifuir 6 Levenwick 23 Ga an Duin 40 A Choin Dhuibh 7 24 Rhinovie 41 Kildonan lardhar2 4 d Vide5 2 n Burg8 i 9 Okstrow 26 Chealamy 43 Beag 4 Ringil4 l Salachad7 2 h 10 Berwick 5 Grugai4 g e BorTh g 8 2 11 Skirza 6 Carlowa4 y Kilphede9 2 r 12 Freswick Barabha7 4 t Carnliat0 3 h 13 Everley 14 Ness 8 Scurriva4 l 31 Backies 15 Nybster 32 Alisaig 49 Cuier Caistea3 3 Bah0 5 nl Grugaig 16 Road Telv4 3 e 17 Whitegate 51 Sro Duin na n 174 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, ig6l-62 have been designe relievo dt e pressure t als provid,bu o t e som estairwaye lighth o t s galleriesd an . Well cisternr so commonle sar y foun Brocn di hcentraI l courtsn i d an , some ther alse ear o underground storage chambers. distributioe Th Brocf no confines i Northerhe I th o dt n Isles, Caithnese th d san east coas Sutherlandf o t .

FIG. 2. Keiss, No. 18 (left) and Road, No. 16 (right), Broch I/II

BROCI HI Brochsecone th n si d category ten shoo dt wsmallea r inner diameter, varying from 19 to 32 ft.; their size, however, may have been governed by the lie of the land. They are commonly sited on precipitous and rocky ground and where possible a strategic defensive positio s chosenni , which coul smala hele db y db l forcn i e sudden attack. In some cases, where the broch is on sloping ground, the foundations hav obtaieo t beesid. e mucft s eon na levena 9 n s builho a l p floorinteriou e t Th . r may include living rock, smoothed and sometimes levelled up with earth. While the building carefull materialo s t no ye sar chose Brocn i ingeniou n s a n beea s , hI ha ne sus madsizel typed al f s ean stoneo f so , reflectin gtraditionaa l skil dry-stonn li e building. As in Broch I, bar-hole defences are common. Wells and underground storage places are not normally found, though careful siting within easy reach of water is the rule. Broch II sites carry on the traditional use of corbelled mural chambers opening centrae onth l guara cour d entrancee dan t th cel t a l : some have eart stond han e enclosing walls. In some instances the reoccupation of Broch I structures may be attributed to the builders of Broch II, for, as will be seen below, reconstruction is carried out some- times in Broch II building technique, but rarely in Broch II proper has any major rebuilding taken place. An innovation which occurs in this period is the use of triangular lintels over the BROCHS AND DUNS entrance, a feature which, it has been suggested, could be an attempt to relieve pressure. From now on it is used in varying related structures. e distributioTh Brocf widens o i I hI r spread tha nearliee thath f o tr typd ean includes the west coast.

LEVENWICK CLUMLIE

° FEE30 T

6 FEECCPTT SO

ARLOWAC Y IARDHARD

I——I——I——1

O 0 re£3 T O 0 FEE3 T FIG. 3. Levenwick, No. 6 and Clumlie, No. 4 Broch I/II; Carloway, No. 46 and lardhard, No. 42 Broch II 176 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1961-62

DUNS e followinth n I g categorie e brocth s h traditio s outworni d showan n s great diversit formf yo . The duns are sometimes built on promontory sites with defensive walls across the neck of land. The choice of an island site reached by a causeway is not uncommon.1 structuree t alwayTh contouf o no e e b s sar y rcircula planma t ;bu r they still show, however, some relatio broce th o nht idiom. Some early features persist bar-holee th , , murae th l cell, and, while possibly grea y nevean f t ro height , stairways giving access to the wallhead. New characteristics are the use of an extra wall2 (which may be a device to reinforce the build-up on sloping sites), floors at different levels within the structure, slab lined sockets for post-holes and forming a courtyard, possibly used for stock. distributioThe dunthe mainl sis n of y wester includenand Oute sthe Inne rand r . There is, however, a small number of structures in Strath Naver, Suther- land, which may be included in this wider category. These are largely ruined, and, while lackin positivy gan e Broc I characteristicshI , offer certain features founn di the duns. Mention may be made of the 'semi-brochs' of , described by Erskine Beve- ridge as concentric walls with no stair or upper gallery, and well denned entrance, regularly built of large stones. Internal diameters are given as 30 to 40 ft.3 Recent excavations, however, have already show presence nth stairwaa Mhon f eo Du rt ya Vaul.4 GALLERIED OR CHAMBERED WALLS Walls with defended entrances, showing bar-hol d checkan e , built acrose th s neck of a promontory, or guarding the approach to a walled island site,5 appear to end this era of dry-stone defences. Still echoing the broch tradition,, these have chambers and/or gallerie wallinge th n si . Comparabl simplifiea o et de forth f mo Galleried Dun, these walls may even have been contemporary with them. The well- nigh inaccessible sites chosen suggest the last stand of people overpowered by enemy pressur postulatd ean temporarea y refuge rather tha npermanena t dwelling place. followine Th g example brochf so dund offeree san sar illustrato dt charactere eth - istics of the suggested sequence (fig. i).

Mansmallee th f yo r examples bear women's names Nighean , sucDu s ha n Righ Lochlainn (Portain), Kine th f Lochlainn'f go o n Du e sth Daughte1 r (R.C.A.M., () Locn c Du h ni . 199d No ,an ) Ruaidhe (), the Dun of the Red Haired Girl (R.C.A.M., (Outer Hebrides), No., 454), but these appear belon o undefendet e th o gt d wheel-hous farr eo m complex, rathe rdefensive thath o nt e dun. r Fairhurst'D 2 s 'median walling' see t Kildonanna . 41.No e se , 8 Erskine Beveridge, TireeColld an (1903). 73 , I have to thank the excavator, Mr Euan Mackie for this information. His work in Tiree will be followed with 4interest. These sites have sometimes been reoccupied by Early Christian communities, as may be seen at Annait (R.C.A.M.6 (Skye), No. 499). The place-name, Annait denotes a religious enclosure. In this instance the cells of the original defensive walling may be traced, as well as the remains of a church and other secondary buildings. Unbaptised children were buried within the enclosure till the early years of this century. BROCK D DUNAN S S 177

RINGILL A CHOIN DHUIBH

SEA 0 FEET 75

FEET 3O

SRO DUIN NA N

PROMONTORY

SEA SEA,

LANDWARD

FEET 3O FIG. 4. Ringill, No. 44 and a' Choin Dhuibh, No. 40, duns; Sron an Duin, No. 51 galleried wall 178 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1961-62

BROCHI . BURLAND3 , Paris Brindisterf ho , Shetland (111)445360) 1 e brocTh hprecipitoua lien o s s headland, abov seae th e , backing onto good pasture, between Culberswick and the East Voe of Quarff (PL VII: 2). Three irregular bank eartf so stond han e with quarry ditche centrad san l passage-wa- yen close the headland.2 The entrance to the broch faces the sea. Here two inner walls have been added, the first covering access to a stairway which is now just discernible originae th n i l walling e finaTh .l reductio innee th f rno diameteo t s i r. froft 0 m3 e regularitTh e stonework r 1. 14o th 5ft f yo , thoug t littlhbu e remains standing, resembles tha t Levenwicka t describes a , Goudiey db .

4. CLUMLIE, Parish of Dunrossness, Shetland (HU 405181) 3 The broch now known as Clumlie,4 was built on rising ground lying in good agricultural land, less tha nmila e fro msanda y bay. Though distorte modera y db n field boundary, enough of the structure remains to show the rebuild covering the stairway entrance, which was above ground level, but giving access to a wall chamber originae Th (fig . 3) l. guard-chamber open abov. ft passags3 e eth e level irregun A . - larly built addition considerably reduces the original diameter given as 34 ft. A flagged hearth, stone edged, is assigned by Mr Goudie, the excavator, to a later period. The original walling shows even, carefully chosen stonework. Pottery with sharply everted rim and fluted bevel was found at this site, which identifies the secondary occupation as wheel-house (N.M.A. GA 1204). 5. MOUSA, Parish of Dunrossness, Shetland (HU 457236) 5 The best preserved broch is Mousa, on an offshore island a mile in length, on the east coas Shetlandf o t , standin heigha 1866o n gt i 4. f 1o tft . slighe Builth n t o tslop e of a shelving rock promontory above the sea, the broch is asymmetric, having an inner diameter of 20 by i8£ ft. at floor level. The quality of the stonework is excellent. As at Jarlshof and Clumlie, the entrance to the stairways is above ground level, in this instance 4 ft. A storage tank, 4^ ft. by 2 J ft. and 2 ft. deep, has been partly cut roce th oukf o tfloor innen A . r wald threan l e surviving radial piers have been added by wheel-house farmers. One of the piers covers in part the storage tank, which must therefore have been an original feature. By reason of its small inner diamete d impregnablan r e siting, this broch appear e transitionab o t s l between Broch I and II. Little remains of an outer , though in 1882 Sir Henry

R.C.A.M., (Orkney and Shetland), vol. in (1946), No. 1247. e sam 1 Th 2 e outee seeth e lay-ou b n rni y defence e cliff-castlema t th f e westero sth n o sn seaboarf do Brittany, ascribe r MortimeSi y db r Wheele Venetie th o rt , defeate Juliuy db s Caesa Wheelere B.C6 5 Se . n ri , R. E. M., Report Research Comm. Soc. Ants. Land., xix (1957), 'Hill-forts of Northern France', p. 4 (Castel Coz,

Castel Meur, etc.). R.C.A.M.,3 ibid. . 1145No , . GoudieCeltice Scandinaviand Th an , G. , Antiquities of Shetland (1904), 21. e adjacenTh t lan stils di l know s Chapena e naml th Field ed Clumlian , s beeeha n derived froma

dedicatio4 t ColumbaS o nt . 6 R.C.A.M., ibid., No. 1206. Arch. Scot., v (1890), 207-11. BROCKS AND DUNS 179 Dryden reports remains of an 'intrenchment' on the SE. and NE., which now only shows as slight footings. The defence was against the mainland and the broch is well hidden from the open sea. Pottery recovered from the site includes sherds with everted rims (N.M.A. GA 1121-24). Mosey Jarborg, whic sufferes hha d some changes recordes i , d earl medievan yi l times and was evidently a known place of refuge.1 . LEVENWTCK6 , Parish of Dunrossness, Shedand (1111415197) 2 The broch, now quite ruined, stood on a cliff above the shore. Excavated and planned by Goudie in 1871, it is described as 'built with great regularity, the stones uniform in size' (fig. 3). The original entrance had already collapsed when the building was reoccupied and the guard chambers suppressed. The plan shows that stairwayo tw f blockes o addee accesn swa a on y db do st wall with radial compart- ments. In the thickness of the secondary walling a cell had been inserted, and, thoug intrusive hth e originaconstructioe th f o le stairwayson nt a showe p ga , da Goudie reports tha entrance th t beed eha n carefully buil , prooup t thes f thanwa t i t considere ruinouo dto e reductiouser sfo Th . spacn ni e fro innen ma r diametef o r somethino t . oveft 0 3 r ginterestings i unde. ft 4 2 r belod an ,e nagge wth d entrance passage a drain leads out, a feature characteristic of the aisled- and wheel-house group. 7. JARLSHOF, Paris Dunrossnessf ho , Shetland 398095U (H ) 3 Here the broch, built within a courtyard, has an inner diameter of 29£ ft. and a wall-chamber about 3 ft. above floor level. The building must have been partly ruined whe nseriea intrusivf o s e wheel-house structure roce addes th k d wa s dan build depthn i t an well. apparentlsecondars e te ft cu th ovewa 8 us ,, y f b ro t yyou occupants. From the wheel-house levels Mr Hamilton records pottery of his Jarlshof Class II, with everted rim and fluted bevel. A long-handled bone comb is reported from broch sherlevela d dsan with finger pinched band unde rime th r . Mention mus broce made b th t f t Clickhimihea o n (R.C.A.M . 1246No . ) also excavate r HamiltonM y drecenb a n I . t publication describes ha e 4h develope dth - site menth e f froo t mLata Earln ea Bronzo t y e Irosettlemente eAg n Ag , whice hh compares to pre-broch Jarlshof, and which is followed by the complicated broch- wheel-house occupation. The full report is awaited with interest. . OKSTROW9 , Parish ofBirsay, Orkney 253267Y (H ) 5 Little remain originae th f so l buildin thif go s broch, planne described dan y db

1 Egill's Saga makes mentio temporarf no y occupatio broce runawaa th y f hnb o y pai A.Dn ri . 900, while Orkneyingae th Saga record exploie sth t of Erland Jung 1154n i , whe elopee nh d wit widoe hth Maddadhf wo , Ear Atholf o l repulsed an , r sonefforte dth he ,f Haraldo s , Ear Orkneyf o l laio d ,wh stronghold e siegth o et , wels whichwa l t provisionedi s a , ,taken e coulb t dno . Munch, Mems. Soc. des Ant. du Nord (1850-60), 127. R.C.A.M., ibid., No. 1144. Goudie, ibid., p. 14.

23 R.C.A.M., ibid., No. 1149. Hamilton, J. R. C.., Excavations at Jarlshof, Shetland, H.M.S.O., 1956. 4 The Northern Isles, edited by Wainwright, F. T., (1962), p. 53, 'Brochs and Broch Builders'. 6 R.C.A.M., (Orkney and Shetland), Vol. n (1946) No. n. Arch. Scot., v (1890), 71, fig. 4. l8o PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F SO , igSl-62 Petrie afte moune th r beed dha n cleare fary db m labourers innee Th . r diametes ri . Thaft givebroce 5 4 re-usetth s s na h wa wheel-housy db e farmer shows si threy nb e slab piers, set radially, as well as by the drain which led out through the original entrance wellA . , with steps leadin asymmetricalls g wa dow , it o nt y placee th n di interior. Afte brocdesertee a th s r hovergrowd wa dan n hillock uses a s wa da t i , burial plac shord ean t slab-built cists were inserted. These containe burne dth - re t main bonef so bowl-shapeA . d stone 'urn cists e reportes i th ' f .o e founs da on n di Three lamps copyine on , Romae gth n plaia type d nan ,sandstone bowlf o l al , , were amon unstratifiee gth d finds, long-handleo wels tw a s a l d bone cornbs bona , e pinhead with iron shank bronz,a 1 e penannular brooch with flat expanded zoomorphic terminals bronza d witn an , epi h engraved shan loosd kan e ring-head lattee ,th r most probabl cise th t f periodyo . Sherd Samiaf so n lat f foro e5 m second/thir4 d century date, whic beed hha n drille repairr dfo , were also recovered, which indicates that the site was still inhabited after that period. 18. KEISS, Parish of Wick, Caithness (ND 353610) 2 Keiss is one of a group of brochs just south of John o' Groats, excavated by Sir Francis Tress Barry and described by Joseph Anderson. Built on the shore, a narrow strip of sward dividing it from the shingly beach, the broch encloses an area 38 ft. in diameter latee th ry ,additiob reduce. ft scarcemena 5 3 f no o d t t wall (fig . Stil.2) l standing at 12 ft. in height when excavated in 1901, this broch shows good, well coursed masonr originae th yn i l buildin footina d gan g course. Fro plae md th nan detailed description it would appear that the original entrance faced the sea, though destroyethis swa earln a t yda datonld ean y traceearle th f yso guard-chamber were excavatorsnotee th y db . Keis gooa s i d example classi e ofth c stairwaBroce Th h. I y entrance withi wale n th . 3s abov i l^ft e floor level featura , e already e noteth n di Shetland group. From this entrance nine steps leading upwards remain, as well as five down lattee ,th r descendin whago t describes ti 'water-hole'a s da , communicat- witg in hwela storagr lo ecentrae tanth kn i l court broc e firss it Th .t n hi phas e must have presente dformidabla e exterior would strona ,an e db g tower wit hmagnificena t outlook. In the next phase (Broch II) the original entrance, now ruined, was built up and replaced by.a secondary doorwa NE.e th ,n y o contrive d throug openine hth a go t stairway, chose reconstructionr nfo , perhap accounn so thinnef o t r wallin t thaga t point. Joseph Anderson comments on the massive masonry of the secondary entrance passage, which measures 2| ft. at the outer end, widened behind the checks to 3 ft. 3 in., with a large slab of stone, originally forming the door, now wedged across the passage triangulaA . r lintel stone, built int wale lateoy th lb r inhabitants, must have fallen from its place over the entrance. In the succeeding phase the outer wall was rebuilt, incorporating the fallen tri- angular linte closind lan passage-wae gth y permanently slae bTh . doorwaw no s ywa firmly fixed in the entrance against door-checks, with stone wedges thrust into the

1 Anderson , Scotland,J. Pagann i Times: (1883)Irone Ag , 241, figs. 214-19. R.C.A.M. (Caithness) (1911) . 515No ,. P.S.A.S., xxxv (1900-1), 122. 2 BROCKS AND DUNS l8l bar-holes additionan A . l wal r scarcemeno l t built withi e brocnth h blockee th d secondary entrance from within originae Th . l seaward passag apparentls ewa - yre constructe simplifiea n di d well-mada form d an , e drain leading fro centrae mth l area now passed under the slabs of this entrance which widened towards the sea. e guard-chamberTh , opening fro e originamth apparentlw lno passagey b s y wa , ruined and disregarded, for no sign of it shows on the plan. During this third period or even later, the interior of the broch was divided by slab structures and paved at varying levels. e findsTh , which were unstratified, include saddle querns probably froe mth early horizon, rotary querns a sandston, e d 'lamp'handlean p , cu dston e discs, quartzite strike-a-lights, three painted pebbles ornamented with brown-black pig- ment, a triangular crucible containing a residue of bronze, bone pins and a long- handle1d bone comb. Pottery with everted rim recovered from the site (N.M.A., relatee Gfirse b A th y t 17o rebuildt ma ) Brocn di I periodhI fragmento Tw . f o s Samian second-centurf foro 7 m3 yshera dat d f Rhenisdo ean h ware, black with white paint, of third-century date, were also recorded. 16. ROAD BROCH, Parish of Wick, Caithness2 (ND 348615) Less than a quarter of a mile distant from Keiss, a broch, now ruined, lies to the roae th lefdf o leadint . DescribegN Josepy db h Anderson plannine ,th thif go s build- showg in sbese grea perhapth s ti f examplet o ti e skild son an l Brocf so hI (fig . 2). originae diametee Th Th . ft lgive s 4 rentrancei 3 s na , wit guard-chambers hit d ha , been ruine distorted dan rebuildingy db interioe th passagewayo n I .r tw s gave access to stairs and wall-chambers. On the left of the entrance one chamber, 12 by 5 ft. lay stairwafooa e f th o t t a whicf yo h twelve steps remained secone ;th d chambere th n o , entrancee righth f o t , stretchin ft.0 3 , r openegfo d onto stairs whicf o , h eleven steps survived. Almost opposit primare eth y entrance rectangula,a r doorway througt ,cu h larga e stone slab built int maie oth n wall intd le ,osmal a l cell wellA . , centrally placed and partly cut out of the natural rock, 5 £ ft. in depth, had steps leading down . toThiit s feature when excavated beed ,ha n covere flagstonesy db , probable th n yi post broch period, whe interioe nth filles rwa d with stone slab compartment ovet sse r debris, and the original doorway was rebuilt in a simplified form. As at Keiss a secondary entranc beed eha n contrive Broce th I n phasedhI i , whert a wals e eth wa l its thinnest, betwee lon. stairwaft e gn0 th 3 wal d ly an chamber . bar-hola Thi d sha e and a door formed of a single slab, again comparable to Keiss, in that this doorway was securely blocke larga , edup stone lying outlinagainse broce Th th . f eho tit was, latea n i r phase, distorte wala y ldb varying thicknes n froi 3 o . t ! ft m 2 s whics hwa addeoutee th o rdt circumference, blockin secondare gth y entrance. The broch finds cover a long period and include a shale armlet, bone pins and needles a long-handle, d bone comb, strike-a-lights incisen a , d sandstone disr o c

'tableman',3 spindle-whorls, a 'lamp' and a handled cup, all of stone, two saddle Thes1 e have been described as of ritual or cult significance but could also be gaming pieces. They are also reported from Wester Broch (se. 19)eNo , Burrian, Jarlsho Glickhimid fan n brochs Shetlandn i , . 1 R.C.A.M., ibid., No. 517. P.S.A.S., xxxv (1900-1), 131, and ibid., xun (1908-9), n. Ornamented disc reportee sar d from Nes Burgf so iseverad (Noan ) 8 .l from Jarlshof (No. 7) . 3 l82 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1961-62 quern twelvd san e rotary querns, ingot mould foud san r painted pebbles. Professor Childe comments on whalebone rings from this broch, the exact copy of a bronze prototype from Traprain, regarde s horse-trappings.da t Keissa s A 1, sherds with notee b y deverte (N.M.Ama m d ri 912 A G .) als ofragmena f Samiao t n form 3f 7o second-century date. . CARNLIATH30 , Paris Golspief ho , Sutherland 870013C (N ) 2 Built above the sea, the broch is surrounded by indeterminate secondary struc- tures. The interior is much ruined, but when planned by J. Maxwell Joass in 1871, the original diameter was given as 30 ft., the walls standing then to 12 ft., with a lintel covered passage. At 8 ft. from the entrance an irregularly formed corbelled guard- chamber opens fro passagewae m th quarte a t a d ry an distanc e roun innee dth r court left e openintn oth a , g gives acces fligha interioe o sstepst f th o t n I .passagra e leads suna o t k chamber . deep,ft . long1 8 . wid1ft . ft d Thi7 ,e an noticeabls si y largr efo the usual well. On the N., close to the main wall, is a second underground chamber, 8 ft. long, 6 ft. wide and 6 ft. deep, the roof supported by flags set on edge. The main e brocwalth f unusualls ho li y thick. ft 2 2 , Both saddl rotard ean y querns fro broce m th showe har Dunrobinn ni museum, as are shale ring roughouts, stone spindle whorls, two steatite cups, one handled, and two long-handled bone combs finde Th .s also includ esilvea r fibula thoughf o e b o t European origin, possibly of fourth-century date. This, however, as well as ingots of brass were reporte founs da d outsid maie eth n building. 3 The brochs described have all been reused. It would appear that the original stairways, entrance wall-chamberd san t Burlandsa , Levenwic Glumlid kan e wero en longer considered safe by the subsequent inhabitants and were reinforced. Okstrow after reuse by wheel-house farmers, indicated by the radial slabs and a drain running fro centrae mth l 'grassa area s ,wa y mound 'use s wheburialsr wa dfo t ni , froe mth evidence of the loose-ringed bronze pins probably during the Norse invasions.4 The broch Roae Keisth f sCaithneso dn d i san s were obviousl neeyn i repaif do r when they were refortified and secondary entrances were devised. It seems probable that the Broch II forts in this area were built at about the same period; they are smaller and of simplified typee CarnliatTh . d thirhan d perio f reoccupatiodo f Keisno d an s Road brochs resemble squattese thath f to r dwellings outsid broche eth Lingrf so d oan Gurness in Orkney. BROCH II . CULSWICK2 , Paris Sandstingf ho , Shetland 253448U (H ) 6 The broch lies on a high promontory above the sea, at the entry to Gruting Voe, opposit e islanth e f Foulado . Buil f pino t k graniti mucw cno hrocs i ruined t ki , though the walls still stand in places to 15 ft. The shrewd use of the sandstone in S.

1 Childe, V. G., Prehistory of Scotland (1935), 248, now in N.M.A. R.C.A.M.2 (Sutherland) (1911), No. 270. Arch. Scot., v (1890), 102. 3 Anderson, J., Scotland in Pagan Times: Iron Age (1883), 223. The alloy was of copper, zinc and tin. 4 P.P.S. xxi (1955), 282. 6 R.C.A.M. (Shetland), No. 1397. Low's Tour in Orkney and Shetland 1774 (Kirkwall, 1879). BROCKS AND DUNS 183 Shetlan vers di y marked when comparing this structure wit Broce hth hI example s already noted innee Th . r diamete . Therft 5 tracee 2 ewall-chambear s a ri f so t rbu no certain evidence of a stairway. Four corbelled stones project into the interior at fro. ft m9 floor level t ther sigscarcemento a bu ,n f ns eo i outstandine Th . g featurf eo the broch is the triangular lintel over the entrance, roughly equilateral in shape and 4 ft. across the base (PL V: i). The building is surrounded by a stone revetted ram- part, 13! ft. broad. 10. BORWICK, Paris f Sandwickho , Orkney (HY 223167) 1 The broch of Berwick, which lies on a cliff 90 ft. above the sea, was excavated in 1881 by Mr Watt, who records the remains of an outer wall enclosing the promon- tory. Ther tracee ear outbuildingf so quarra f o d y sditchan innee Th .r diametef ro the broch is 27 ft. reduced to 16 ft. by the addition of walling at a considerably later period, founded on the debris of the original stone-work. A guard-chamber opens from the entrance passage, which is paved and roofed for a distance of 9! ft. by six large slabs. 11. SKIRZA, Paris f Canisbayho , Caithness 394684D (N ) 2 broce Th buils defendeha i n o t d promontory ditca , h approximatel . widft 0 ey3 separating it from the mainland. The interior diameter is 22 ft. The entrance faces seae th .buildine Parth f falleo s t gha n ove verclife d th ran f y little remaine th f so walling, though there is evidence of a stairway. The well, i o ft. deep, an unusual feature in Broch II, still holds water. uppee Th r rotarstoneo tw f yso querns, disc slatef so y stone sherdd an , charf so - acteristic Hebridean ware with applied fillet, (N.M.A 911A G .) were foun t thida s site. followine th Thid sCaithnesan x gsi s brochs were explore Francer Si y db s Barry reported an Josepy db h Anderson. 12. FRESWIGK SANDS, Paris f Canisbayho , Caithness 376676D (N 3 ) Akin to Wester (see No. 19) this broch is built on the sandhills at Freswick Bay. innee . Th Therrin diamete8 wala . s eft i l 2 gallery3 s ri , lon. 1staira 2 ft d g san wall - chamber. Two quern stones are recorded from the broch, and a yellow bead. 13. EVERLEY, Parish of Canisbay, Caithness (ND 369682) 4 broce Th h lies inland, with outlook over Freswick Bay e inneTh . r diametes i r 2. Onl9wale ft th ylf o remai3 . 1ft n standin chambeo n d gan visibles ri , possible yth entranc stairwae th o aboves t ywa e ground level. Fro smals mit l diamete t woulri d appea belono t r thio gt s group. A handled stone cup and four quern stones are reported from this site and a fragment Romaa fro hollof e o mth m nw ri ambe r glass vesse f first-centuro l y date used as an amulet. A sherd of Hebridean ware with pillow type decoration on the 1 R.C.A.M. (Orkney) . 679No , . 2 R.C.A.M. (Caithness), No. 35. P.S.A.S., xxxv (1900-1), 144. 3 R.C.A.M. (Caithness), No. 34. P.S.A.S., xxxv (1900-1), 143. 4 R.C.A.M., ibid., No. 36. P.S.A.S., ibid., p. 142. 184 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1961-62 applied fillet (N.M.A .fragmen a 730 d )an Samiaf o t n first-centur f foro 9 m2 y date were also found. 14. NESS, Parish of Canisbay, Caithness (ND 381666) 1 This much ruined broc hpromontorya lien so , defended acros neca e sth y kb wel landwarle buil th long. ft n t5 O .7 wall hig. dwal e d ft wella sid th h6 , s an i lf eo , gi ft. deep with twelve steps leading downwards, roofed with slabs. The broch has innen a r diamete. ft 2 2 f o r Three quern stones, a sandstone mould for an ingot, a small bronze ingot and a projecting ring-hea wern dpi e recovered from this site. 15. NYBSTER, Paris Wickf ho , Caithness 370631D (N ) 2 Built on a promontory cliff, the broch has an inner diameter of 23 ft. No wall chamber coul tracede db . Acros landware sth d sid wid. eft run0 e2 ditcha sa d an , forework, perhap adden sa d feature, with centra r defenceslba entranco s tw ha ,d ean steps leading from the interior to the wallhead. Finds include a long-handled bone comb, rotary and saddle quern stones, two round crucible fragmena d san Samiaf o t n second-centur f foro 7 m3 y date. 17. WHITEGATE, Paris Wickf ho , Caithness (ND 354612) 3 The broch, though totally ruined has been included as one of the Keiss group, listed an Brocs accounn da o smals I hit I f o tl diameter, recorde. ft 6 2 s da 19. WESTER, Parish of Wick, Caithness (ND 338583) 4 Wester broc poine h th lie t tsa wher watee eth Westef o r r f flowo y s Ba inte oth Keiss. This innen broca s rh ha diameteremain e chambee th d on f 27an f so r o . ^ft r leading to the stairs, but little survives of the structure, probably due to the numerous later outbuilding landware th n so d side. uppee Th r ston rotara f severad eo yan l saddle querns were broche founth n di , as well as three quartzite painted pebbles and a long-handled bone comb. After the sand had covered all trace of it, the site was used as a burial mound, when four stone cists containing extended burials were inserted. 21. DORNADILLA, Parish of Durness, Sutherland (NC 457450) 5 This broch is situated on the banks of the Strathmore river where it turns abruptly westere fro th fooe f mth o t n hills, crossin gwida e flood eastere plaith o nt n range. The bare moorland gives place here to a fertile strath, as the river runs N. to Loch Hope, which ultimately empties into . Spelt variously Dornadilla, Dornaigil and Dornagail, the broch is built like Carloway (see No. 46) on the slope 6 1 R.C.A.M. (Caithness), No. 33. P.S.A.S., xxxv (1900-1), 143.

2 R.C.A.M., ibid. . 518No ,. P.S.A.S., ibid., 139. 3 R.C.A.M., ibid. . 516No ,. P.S.A.S., ibid., 127.

B 4 R.C.A.M., ibid., No. 513. P.S.A.S., ibid., 119. R.C.A.M. (Sutherland), No. 155. alternative name th interesf o e Th 6 s ar ei s a te names used. Dornadille appear earln si y King listn si Hollinshed's Chronicles wher recordes i t ei d tha laws chiefle hi t sar y concerned with venerys hi l . al 'H t ese pleasur huntinn eo keepind gan houndf go greyhoundsd san , ordeining that everie householder should find him two hounds and one greihound'. His death is said to have occurred at Beregonium or Dunstaffnage. His father's nam gives ei Mainuss na son's hi , s nam Reuthers ea , whic bees hha n take equato nt e with Riadat bu , attractive as this evidence would be, Professor Skene found the dating unacceptable. (Holinshed, The Des- cription of Scotland (1585) . 36.p , ) BROCK DUND AN S S 185 of the bank, still standing to a height of 20 ft. (PI. VI: 3). In 1766 the walls stood showed an . ft d5 thre2 o t e galleries innee th ; r diamete gives fin A rwa 26s nea . £ft exampl triangulae th f eo r t ovelinte entrancee se th rs i l , measurin . acrosft ge 5 sth bas witd ean h almost equal side V L broc:e s(P 2) Th . h masonr gooys i include d dan s stonel sizesal f so . Apart fro beaut interese e settine msitee th th th th d f ,f yo go t an guarding as it were the arable land and good grazing from the bleak moorland to the south, Dornadilla is notable as one of the furthest inland of the group. 22. CLACHTOLL, Parish of Assynt, Sutherland1 (NC 036278) On a promontory S. of the Bay of Stoer, where flat ledges of rock fringe the shore, stand broce sth f Clachtollho . Wit naturao hn l defenclandware th n o e d side, this broch has a massive outer wall and an inner wall at 40 ft. from the main structure, whic greatls hi y seaware ruineth n do d sidee interioTh . e rTh diamete . ft 2 3 s i r entrance on the E. has a triangular lintel, 3! ft. from base to apex and 4^ ft. across base . th e3) (PI: V . A founs steatitwa dp nearbyecu . 24. RHINOVIE, Paris Farrf ho , Sutherland 723575C (N 2 ) Also known as Alt Caisteal, this broch, at the mouth of a high pass overlooking the Naver admirabls ,i y situated name th s ea , suggests brisa n ko , littls e burnha d an , a commanding outlook. No chamber can now be traced. A triangular stone fallen entrance sideo th f tw outebases o e e s . measurind th th ft e ha t r,en 4 d a an . . 10ft in g2 2 in. The broch is defended by an outer earth and stone bank. 27. SALAGHADH, Paris f Lairgho , Sutherland 549092C (N 3 ) Near Salachadh burn, on a knoll rising from a terrace above Loch Shin, is a broch with walling slightl e slopinth yn o gbuil e interiop siteu tTh . r diameter measures 31 ft. and the walling stands to a height of 10 to 12 ft. The entrance passage is distorte comparatively db y recent rebuildin lintele th d s gan hav e been removed, entrancbar-holbu e e righ e tracede th th t th b f o tn n excellenn eO eca a . t corbelled cell abov. standft debrie 8 eth o s t s which cover interiore sth . Facin gopene thith s si - ing to a second, much ruined chamber. On the left of the interior another opening above floor level leads to the stairway. No trace of a void can now be found.. Stones of varying size have been skilfull ymasonre useth n di y work. BORGE TH , . Paris28 Farrf ho , Sutherland 899509C (N 4 ) This broch lie Stratn si h Halladale builrocks a i n d o ty an , knoll surroundey db marshy ground. The inner diameter varies from 31 to 26 ft. The broch stands to a considerabl intractable th ef skilfue o heigh th e d us le an t granitic ston buildins ea g material is noteworthy. The interior is much ruined, but straight walling at 5 ft. from the lintelled entrance may indicate a wall-chamber; a bar-hole was traced at the entrance. This broch, like Dornadilla (No. 21), lies at the junction of moor and arable land. 1 R.C.A.M. (Sutherland). 7 . No , 2 R.C.A.M., ibid. . 182No , . 3 R.C.A.M., ibid., No. 392. 4 ibid., No. 186. l86 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , 1961-62

29. KILPHEDER, Paris Kildonanf ho , Sutherland 994188C (N ) 1 On a high terrace above the Helmsdale river, Kilpheder is built of granitic rock encloses i d an imposiny db g stone-cored earthworks wit quarrha y innee Th .r diameter is 32 ft. The remains of a stairway rise from a chamber on the right of the entrance lintellee Th . d passage stilfivs eha l stone brotsitu.e n si Th wonderfull hs i y complete and well built considering the refractory stone used. This is the most striking of the Helmsdale group. 31. BACKIES, Parish of Golspie, Sutherland (NC 835026) 2 contour. ft 0 Buil60 plateaua e ,n thio th t t sa brocfina s e hha outloo k seawards, to E. and S. and is enclosed by strong outer defences. The inner diameter varies entrance Th 27o fro t . ^ft 5 m e2 passageremaine th d an ,s . whic checft a s 6 t hha ka of a bar-hole at 9 ft., has ten lintels still in situ. There are traces of a scarcement wall and of a void in the interior opposite the entrance. A wall-chamber opens into the central area at 6 ft. from the left of the entrance, giving access to a narrow stairway. All sizes of stone were used, but the structure shows skilled masonry. Apparently ther soms ewa e rebuilding, using broch material. quarter outsidW e e th th n f .o ,e o The site was explored by J. M. Joass in 1855. Shale roughou tston a ring frop d emcu san thi seese b broc Dunrobin i y hma n Museum. 32. ALISAIG, Parish of Edderton, (NH 656868) e brocTh h Dornocstooe th risin n f do o . ghS grounFirthe th n ,do opposite eth Iron Age fort of Creich.3 While singularly well documented in antiquity4 the broch, spelt variously Alisaig, Aliscaig or Alascaig, is now a total wreck. Approximately twenty earth-fast boulders remain and a heap of stones, apparently too small to repay removal gooy B . d fortun triangulae eth r linte recentls lwa y found almost grown over heathery b e basth , e measurin n 175I d . 3 7. wit^ft an ft g. . 5 h1 ft 0in side 2 f so Maitland5 record triangulae sth r linte noted an l s three galleries, givin internae gth l diamete . Cordinerft broce 0 3 th f s hra o 1776n i , givin ggrouna d plan, represents 6 the lower storey with four 'oval ended chambers'. Dun Alisaig was also described by James Anderson papea n i r rea 177n di 7 wher Agglesan reporte eDu h s d a gt an si 7 gives the internal diameter as 50 ft., he is also somewhat optimistic in the size of the lintel; this is however pardonable as, in his report, he admits having mislaid his notes. . TELVE34 , Paris Glenelgf ho , -shire (NG 829172) 8 One of two brochs in Glenbeg, opening from Glenelg, lies on haugh land fea , w feet abov rivee eth r level (PI. VI :basie 2)Th .c stonewor remarkabls ki e

R.C.A.M. (Sutherland), No. 307. '" ibid., No. 272. 31 ibid. (Sutherland). 54 . No , 4 Joseph Anderson quotes Boece's comment fro Scotorums mhi Regni Descriptio, Parisiis (1520): 'Servantur valln i e quadam Rossiae duae aedes vetustatis monumenta rotunda, figur formn i a a campanae, Arch.e se ' Scot, v (1890) , 192r Hamilton'M . s reconstructio broce th f Jarlshoft hna o , indicatin gpenthousa e roof over the upper gallery carries out the 'bell' comparison. In 1588 these are described as 'Churches' by Ubaldini in

his Descrittione de Regno di Scotia. 6 Maitland, History of Scotland (1757), vol. I, p. 145. Cordiner, Antiquities Sceneryd an North e oth f of Scotland (1776) . . 11d PIp , 8XX an . 'Jame6 s Anderson, Archaeologia, v (1779), 241. P.S.A.S., L (1915-6), 241. 8 BROCKS AND DUNS l8j gread an t boulders flan entrance kth e whic e innehTh face r. diamete. W s ft 2 3 s i r and the broch is notable in having two scarcements. There is no provision for storage r water o e masonrTh . botf yo Troddan h Du Telv d nean (No. 35), buil closn i t e proximity excellens i , showd an t s rather careless choic materialf eo sitine Th f .g o thes brocho etw unusuals si ; the buil e steea y ar n ti p sided glenpartlw no , y wooded, not far from the narrows of the Sound of . The remains of nine rotary querns, three handled stone cups and five stone spindle whorls were foun t Telva d e during excavation. O . A r sM carriey b t dou Curie. 35. TRODDAN, Parish of Glenelg, Inverness-shire (NG 834172) 1 The broch lies on a sloping hillside and built-up stonework is used. The interior diameter is 28 ft. There is no provision for water or storage, but a stream runs nearby. . Curiee excavatoO . Th A , r founM r d superimposed hearths whicf o , earliese hth t had been built to adjust to a ring of slab lined post-holes, i ft. 9 in. in depth. These havy ma e been use r somdfo e for roofingf mo . An upper rotary quern stone was found at this site, also seven stone spindle whorls and a flat bead of yellow vitreous paste.2 42. IARDHARD (Dun Vegan), Parish of Duirnish, Skye3 (NG 231504) The word lardhard means an exposed headland, an apt description of the rocky knoll mainly covered by the broch. The inner diameter is 31 ft. (fig. 3). There was no sign of a bar-hole at the entrance, which is reached by a flight of rock cut steps, but there had been some stone fall at the doorway and it is possible that this feature existed, especially as the jambs rebate as though to accommodate a door. There is a second entrance in the walling almost opposite the main doorway. From the lin- telled masonry of the opening, this appears to be original. At Dun a' Choin Dhuibh (No. 40) on West Loch Tarbert, there is also a secondary entrance, an unusual feature brochn i dund an s s alike .ova o Thertw l e corbelleear d chambers eithen o e ron , side of the main entrance, as well as a wall-chamber and a gallery opening onto the stairway galleryA . lengthn ,i . 17ft , leads fro secone mth d entrance . MacleoT . F . d reporte investigationn do s mad Countesy eb s Vincent Baille Latoure d t . mose Th t outstanding find from thi little s brocth es terra-cotthwa a modea f o l baled fleece which suggests possible trade in hides.4 A fragment of a steatite armlet bead9 6 d s weran e recovered yellof o e won , vitreous paste ambe(sef o e9 not5 r, e2) nind glassf an e pottereo Th . y includes typical Hebridean wares with decoration of raised rondels as from the a' Cheardach Mhor wheel-house,5 lattice and feathered patterns, and girth strip or applied decoration. One sherd is figured with a finger- presse potteryn akidu m dri o n t which implie lonsa g occupation.

1 ibid.,6 LV (1920-1). 83 , 2 These hav ewida e distribution P.S.A.S.,e se , xcm (1959-60), 164ibid.d an , , LXXXVH (1952-3), 104. 3 R.C.A.M. (The Outer Hebrides, Skye and the ), 1928, No. 508. P.S.A.S., XLIX (1914-5), 57. 4 P.P.S., xm (1947), 18. 6 P.S.A.S., xcm (1959-60), 144, figs. 5, 17 and 18 where other references are given. Found at Cuier, P.S.A.S., 89 (1955-6), 311, fig. 7, and a' Cheardach Mhor, ibid., 93 (1959-60), 154, fig.

J°> 45-576 - l88 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , ig6l-62 43. BEAG, Parish of , Skye (NG 340386) 1 Built on a high rocky site, this is larger than the normal Broch II, with an inner bar-holo N diamete. entrancee notes ft th ewa 5 n d3 i f o r. Ther gallera s ei t ya ground-floo rstairwa a leve d an l y opening fro mwall-chambera stonewore Th . s ki uneven investigates e sitewa Th . Countesy db s Vincent Baille - Latoue re d t d an r porte . GrahaJ y db m Callender. Finds fro broce mth h cove lonra g perio includd dan whetstones o etw , stone discs, two round clay crucibles, part of a glass armlet and seven glass beads. Among the pottery recovered are sherds with characteristic, sharply everted rims and fluted inner bevel, also Hebridean wares with applied girth-band and finger channelled decora- tion.2 Presumabl latef yo r gola dat e dear strip ring bronzo tw , e buckles, four bronze pins and a knife and a leister, both of iron. . CARLOWAY46 , Paris Uigf ho , Lewis 189412B (N 3 ) The broch stands on precipitous ground, overlooking Loch where there is a dangerous tid enarrow racthe ein s opposit innesiteethe The . r diameteft. 24 is r (fig. 3) and the levelled interior, with its protruding boss of natural rock, is 9 ft. above lowese th t cours built-uf eo p foundation irregularite (PI: i)Th .VI . stonee th f yo - work is noteworthy. could easily be defended on three sides, but a feature of Broch II is the total disregard of higher ground when choosing a site, and this broch, like some othergroupe th f soverlookedo s i , . DUNS 20. WAG OF FORSE, Parish of Latheron, Caithness (ND 204352) 4 Thi complea s si x succeedinsitd ean g occupations . CuriewerO . eA ,tracer M y db excavator.e th primare Th 5 y building, circula shapen i r , underlyin parn gi recta t - angular house of later date, has an entrance with a lintel not strictly triangular in shape, 3 acros. ! ft heigh n basi e 2d . sth |ft e an t (PI. VII: i) comparabl sube th -o et triangular ston t Grugaigea , Skye (No. 45)bar-holeo N . s were found t stobu ,p stones e passag a worth d n i nan e socket stone indicat e dooth e r setting e interioTh . r walline th estimates d gwa an . diameteft onl s da 7 4 y widthn s i 4 . !wa rft . Seven steps rose from the entrance passage to the wallhead, giving some means of defence doorwaforthe suggestinyand g higher wallin destroyedgnow excellenThe . t masonry of this structure is noted (a feature not always to be observed in duns) as is also the largf skilfuo e e us lstoneentrance e th t sa . 23. CA AN DUIN, Parish of Farr, Sutherland (NC 697609) 6 This dun is built on an impregnable position, a rocky peak of cliff at the estuary

of the Naver, overlooking Pol na Marraich Mor, Pool of the Great Seamen. Below R.C.A.M.1 (Skye) . 479No , . P.S.A.S., LV (1920-1). no , 2 This last typ decoratiof eo founs potnn wa do s from a' Cheardach Mhor, P.S.A.S. xcin (1959-60), 146,

fig , 28-326 . , where other reference givene sar . R.C.A.M.3 (Outer Hebrides) . Arch.68 . Scot.,No , (1890)v , 383.

R.C.A.M. (Caithness) . 263No , . P.S.A.S., LXXX (1945-6), 11. 4 Wag is the name given to varying sites in the NE. of Scotland. Mr Curie gives the derivation from the

Gaeli5c 'uamh' cave,a , from whic wore hth d 'weem' use Perthshirn di undergrounn a r efo d dwelling, also stems. 6 R.C.A.M. (Sutherland) . 184No , . P.S.A.S., XL (1905-6), 132. BROCHS AND DUNS 189 lies the sandy plateau of Baile Mhargait, 20 ft. above the tide level, on which hut circle varyinf so g size sho greatlwellw p w u innen a No . ys rcollapsedha n du e th , diameter of 26 ft. and a scarcement can still be traced formed by jutting out slabs reminiscent of Dun Cuier (No. 49) and Caisteal Grugaig (No. 33), but the entrance cannot with certainty be identified. From its position and the poor quality of the surviving masonry, this may be classified as a dun. 25. VIDEN, Parish of Farr, Sutherland1 (NC 726518) edg e terraca Buil th e tof . contoueo n th o ft o t t ea r abov fertile eth e e plaith f no Naver Videnn greatlDu w , no , y ruined, looks acrosChealamy.n rivee Du th so t r 2 interioe Th Joass. r visitediameteo M . sitJ wh ,e abou. dn eth i ft gives 0 ri 3 t s n1862a , notes that it was 'double walled','a feature not now identifiable. Dun Viden could inferioclassee e b th t Brocs da bu r , stoneworhII k which survive mors si e character- istic of the duns, and the small outer courtyard, with stone walling supplementing the natural rock, may be compared to a like feature at Dun a' Choin Dhuibh (No. 40). 26. CHEALAMY, Parish of Farr, Sutherland3 (NC 719514) Carnache . ban th N fror standn f e kfa o m t du th e sno y burnTh , which flows into Navere largelth w No . steeye destroyedth py b flan a . defendef s N i k o t e i , th n do bankquarra o d tw san y y b ditch. W d , botan . hS smalende th f so ln o burn d an , which are built up with stone. This last feature is also seen in another site N. of Inchlampi 720473C e(N ) where stonework alternates with living rocksurvivine Th . g masonr Chealamn Du f yo poor s yi innee Th . r diamete abous . ri ft 6 2 t 33. CAISTEAL GRUGAIG, Parish of , Ross and Cromarty (NG 866250)

Planne r HenrSi y dyb Dryde n 187ni described 1an r Angu M y dsb Graham, 4 Caisteal Grugaig5 lies on a rocky knoll at 250 ft. O.D. above where it joins Loch Long and . A burn flanks the E. of the dun which is built on t fro e footingsou e slopem th . th d revette e ft rock an ,6 Th .r y dfo outcro p rises withi centrae nth l court innee Th unusualln . rA diamete . ft scarcemenw 5 2 ylo s i r t gives place to a row of single stones, corbelling over a wall chamber and the entrance to a stairway. This feature, and the rocky interior, are paralleled at Dun Cuier (No. 49). The 3 ft. wide entrance, lintelled by a large triangular stone (PL V: 4), has a wall-chamber opening from it on the E. and a single bar-hole, the bar ap- parently closing agains rebate th t e wher passage eth e widens, another feature found at Dun Cuier. The masonry is skilfully constructed of stones of very varying size. The setting is of interest; hidden from the sea loch, the dun overlooks the little harbour of Ob Inag. 36. GRUGAIG or CHONIL, Parish of Glenelg, Inverness-shire6 (NG 851159) heae th Glenbeglief n dt o sa du e Th , abov precipitoue eth s ban burna e f ko Th . outlin irregulars ei , conformin. where b W wallinw e o banee n th no th n n ko o gt gca

1 R.C.A.M. (Sutherland) . 181No ., P.S.A.S., (1862-3)v , 360. 2 Remains of a chambered tomb with fine quartzite slab may be seen nearby, also the ruins of a clachan, lattee th r doubtles quarrya s a n s. du use e dth 3 R.C.A.M., ibid. . 179No , . * P.S.A.S., LXXXIII (1948-9), 14. 5 Grugaig, meaning moros sullenr eo . • P.S.A.S., ibid. . 19p , . PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, ig6l— 62 . Theridentifiedft a defende8 3 s ei e arey b Th a.7 d 4 enclose entrancew no s di , mural chamber and steps leading to the wallhead. The built up walling on the steep slope of the bank and the uneven interior are characteristic of the group. The site was planned by Sir Henry Dryden in 1871 and described by Mr Angus Graham; his PL VII, 3 shows the walling built up on the slope. 37. TIREFUIR, Isle of Lismore, Argyll (NM 867429) Tirefui s somethini r n enigmaa f go . Straddlin ga dyk outcroppinf eo g lime- stone 157 ft. above the sea, it is built up on the seaward side to a height of 5 ft.; the stones used are poorly chosen and of all sizes. Admittedly the choice was mainly confine surfaco dt masonre rockth t bu , y work could have been better, thouge hth walling still stands to 15 ft. The interior, enclosing an area varying from 38 to 41 ft. in diameter, is less well preserved than the outer walling. A scarcement . 1dee8in visibls pi placesn ei e interwalTh . l spac Cuien narrows Du ei rt a s a , (No. e entranc49)Th . e passage, 17 . longruined!ft w no , , show traco sn guardf eo - chambe r bar-holeo r solio Tw d. earth-and-stone banks cros e rockth s y ridgn eo which the dun is built, to N. and S. From the size of the area enclosed this would appear to be a dun. The stronghold commands an extensive view to the S. down the Firt significana Loms f i ho d ean t landmark. . ARDIFUIR39 , Paris Kilmartinf ho , Argyll 789969R (N ) 1 Ardifuir a narrolie n i s w glen with stee ps buili siderisinn d o t an sg ground 10 . abov0ft e sea-level yds0 50 ,. fro shoree mth , facin sandga y bay t welbu , l hidden fro seae mth . Three hill-top forts overloo e sitekth , whict itselno fs hi defensive. While still undated, these2 forts would constitute both outlook and f ,necessaryi , nearby dwellings of greater security than the dun itself. A swiftly-running burn flows through sitemarshthe , providinof y N. groun the ggooa dto d water supply a defence d s difficuli an t I .asseso t t whao t s t heigh groune th t de S. ,th ros o t e now modere parth f o t n farmyar seaware used dumpa th ds an d a n O d. side, 1. 5ft out from the entrance, there is a suggestion of dry-stone outworks which could be of even date with the main building. Excavated by Dr Christison and described by Joseph Anderson Ardifuir has an inner diameter of 65 ft. and a broad scarcement. The walls are 10 ft. thick at base shod an wsligha t batter presene , th decreasin t a . t ft heigh rect7 A o . gf 1t -0o ft t angular passage gives accescarefulle th o st y built stairway survivine th , g steps well shape skilfulld dan y pinne maie th no dt walls t Kildonaa s a , n (No. 41) stonA . e sill stretches across the entrance where the passage widens from 6 ft. to 9 ft. with rebate of 18 in. against which the door would close. No bar-hole can be traced. The floorin passaginterioe e para th th f f d go o t ean r leadin staire irregularlth e sar o gt y paved as at Kildonan. On the S. side of the inner passage a square opening, 2 ft. above floor-level, leads to five steps descending to a small chamber 7 ft. high. Per- haps the most interesting feature is the stone bench, 2 ft. high, surrounding part of

P.S.A.S., xxxix (1904-5), 259. 1 I am indebted-to Miss Marion Campbell of Kilberry who told me of these forts when I visited Ardifuir in he2r company. BROCH D DUNAN S S IQI the inner wall and varying from 3 to 9 ft. in width, carefully built of earth and stones faced with large upright slabs. Thi bees sha n partly remove earliey db r excavation t examinatiobu remainine th f no g structure suggest sleepinsa g bench which would serve the purpose of the continuous gallery at ground-level found in some brochs, suc s Midhoweha t ArdifuiA . e putloth r g holes, possibl verandaa r yfo h typf o e shelter, should be noted; these are irregularly spaced though of even height. The finds from the dun are mainly such as would not be out of place in a Dalri- adan context: whetstones, a cup-shaped crucible, a spindle-whorl, a polisher of quartzit open a nd moulean greef do n micaceous schist, somewhat damagedt bu , wit hrhinda cavitiesthesr f o fo e s ,ei rotar f denotino On .e yus quernse gth , another is an oval mould for a flat, short-handled, spoon-like implement, used perhaps for turning some form of scone or bread baked on heated slabs. Similar moulds have been foun t Dunadda d . Pottery include a shers f Samiado n f second o for 7 m3 - century date.

CHOIA . N40 DHUIBH, Paris f Southo h Knapdale, Argyll 804641R (N ) 1 Built on a crag overlooking West Loch Tarbert, the walls of this suboval fort, the Blace th f ko Dogn Du , still stan part n d. (figi heigha ft o innese 8 t . 4)f o Th t .r dia- remarkabls i t I . ft 5 havin4 n e i s i entrances o n gtw du metee th f , ro bot h somewhat irregular; signs of a door-check can be seen in the N. entrance. In the western wall, there is a triangular lintel over the doorway. The lintelled passage at this entrance turns sharpl t 5. ya and! ft , afte furthea r r right-angled turn, appearo t s descend for 4 or 5 ft. into the uneven interior. Outside the dun, two small courtyards are formed by an outer which follows the edge of the rocky summit on the continued an . W s roun dlittla e terrac lowea t ea r level, endin entrancn a t ga f eo which one jamb is formed by a single stone. 41. KILDONAN, Paris f Campbeltownho , Argyll 779277R (N ) 2 Standing 40 ft. above the sea, on the E. coast of , with an extensive out- look, this roughly triangular dun encloses an area 63 by 42 ft. The entrance, with check bar-holesd san , opens int rocke oth y interior. Stairway swallheade leath o dt , and t anothea , r point stila , slabf eo buils si t int structuree oth featur,a e also present Cuien Du rt a (No. 49) Scurrivan Ringiln Du ,Du d l lan (No (No) . 48 .44) e .Th masonry work, including stones of very varying size, is excellent. A quernstone closely comparabl Cuiern foun e lyins Du on t wa ,dga o et inside eth maie th fooe f nth o t wallt a n , coveredu earty db h throw leveo t unevee n th nli n interior and therefore of the earliest period. A fragment of Samian, too small for identification was also recovered, and a penannular brooch assigned probably to the seventh century. It is suggested by the excavator, Dr H. Fairhurst, that the dun was built in the perioScotie th f do c raiders lateo rTw . phase occupatiof so n were recorded.

P.S.A.S., LXXVII (1942-3), 41, PI. XL, where the 6-in. O.S. map is wrongly stated: for cii NE read cci SE *P.S.A.S.,1 LXXIII (1938-9), 185. IQ2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1961-62 . RINGILL44 , Paris Strathf ho , Skye 561170G (N ) 1 promontora n O y . shor abovW Locf o e eo eth buils tw i h n n Slapino t du e th , subovas leveli d . (fig san plaft n i l 5 . n4 4) witd . Addean h 9 axe3 f dso wallins gwa used round the exterior and there is a mural cell 18 ft. long by 5! ft. wide in the thicknes walle th f .so . GRUGAIG45 , Paris Strathf ho , Skye (NG 535124) 2 This dun is built on a rocky promontory 50 ft. above the sea, on the eastern side of the peninsula. The fort encloses an area 69 ft. in length, varying from 24 to 35 ft. in width., the wall following the line of the headland. The dun is strongly defende landware th n do d side wher walline eth massivelgs i y buil 14d . broad^an tft . Asevee sth latf ns o 192 ea lintex 1si l stones remaine placn di e acros entrance sth e passage, resting on a scarcement 8 in. wide. The door jambs are 3 ft. 2 in. from the doorway, where the passage widens. Housing in the thickness of the wall on the NW. would accommodat barea , wit hshortea r openin receivo gt bar-ene e eth th n do opposite sideremaine Th . galler tracea e f b s o n dyca abov entrancee eth , with access from withi dune nth , where three stepstairwaa f so stilln seene yVIIIca b L P . , i show entrance sth e passage with well laid masonry which includes very large boulders. The outer lintel stone 4^ ft. across the bottom and 2 J ft. across the top, is not now strictly triangular stonewore th t righe th ,bu tn khano dVIIIL sidP f eo : i shows that the wall carried up and inwards as though the lintel were at one time higher or that another stone, completin fallene trianglew gth no s . ha ,Thi s strong point with defensive entrance owes somethin broce th o ght tradition. . BARABHAT47 , Isl Berneraf eo , Lewis, Outer Hebrides 156355B (N )

This island sit Locn ei h Barabhat, reached fro mainlane 3 mth a 10 . lony 0ft d b g causeway, is irregularly shaped, the suboval walling rising from the water's edge. Captain Thomas visiteo site wh , deth before 1890, reports tha wale th t l then stooo dt ft. 7 gave 4 4 extenH e y interioe Ther b e1. th th 4 ft 0 f 4 o te s ra wer e then sign fouf so r galleries. Accesground-flooe th o t s r gallery r cellaro , througs wa , openinn ha t ga first-floor leve dowd righte an l th nfligha first-flooe lefte o th ,f step T th o .t n o s r gallery could be traced for 4 ft. The third gallery was reached through a second opening also at first-floor level, and up a flight of stairs to the right. An opening above the second led into or gave light to the fourth gallery, from which traces of a stairway appeare leado t d downward directioe th lef maie e n i tth th f o nsnt o entrance. Captain Thoma apparentls swa . noteS d dy an tha solidmai. e th tW n.e walth f o l More recently, Sir Lindsay Scott recorded that the N. side of the entrance passage could still be identified, a 4 ft. lintel lying nearby. He also noted two remaining 5 openings e survivinTh , g walls the , nabov ft stoo e uppe4 eth o dt r transomer Si . Lindsay also traced a stairway from ground level to scarcement, the lintelled floor of the gallery forming the roof of the ground-floor passage-way. In his notes he adds the possibility that the galleries were not continuous, but that there were steps con-

R.C.A.M. (Skye), No. 650. * ibid., No. 651.

1 R.C.A.M.3 (Skye), No. 71. Arch. Scot., v (1890), 391, PI. XLVIII.

R.C.A.M., record aree sth noted a complicatioenclosean e . sth ft 3 4 56 s da y ^b secondara f no y building whic4 h incorporate soriginae parth f o t l walling. Unpublished notes. 6 BROCH D DUNAN S S IQ3 nected each with a separate gallery. It is of interest to find an example of such an irregularly-shaped structur whicn ei h broch technique e usedar s ; scarcement, lin- telled passage, stairways and galleries. . SCURRIVAL48 , Eoligarry, Isl Barraf eo , Outer Hebrides 695081F (N ) 1 Dun Scurrival, built on the crest of a high promontory, has built-up walling and an extra outer wall which may be traced on the precipitous northern scarp. Galleries are still visibl ruinee th n ei d entrance wallsth t ,bu totalls ei y destroyed buildine Th . g is not strictly circular, and the area enclosed has been estimated as 59 by 39 ft. Across the neck of the promontory the boulder footings of a defensive wall may be seen. 49. CUIER, , Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides (NF 664034) 2 Dun Cuier shares features in common with Broch II and is a fairly well preserved exampl galleriee th f eo d dun. Roughly circula plan ri n wit innen ha r diametef o r 25 ft. the walling backs against the crest of the rocky outcrop on which the building stands entrance Th . e passage, which rebates opposit singlea e bar-hole,e riseth o st uneven interior whic bees hha n levelled with sand corbelleA . d scarcemene th n o t eastern arc gives place on the west to two shelf cavities. Beside the hearth a slab lined post-hole could have taken a support for some form of roofing. An extra outer wall built against the main walling can be seen here as at Dun Scurrival (No. 48) and Ringiln Du Skyn li e (No. 44) subsidiara . n Insiddu e eth y wall curveforo t t ma sou small chamber on the left of the doorway, with flat slabs set stile-wise as the sole mean accessf raisea o s n O d. platfor e entrance righth th f o o tmt ehearta s hwa laid over a discarded rotary quernstone. The building still stands to 8 ft. and above the entrance a chamber was traced, the floor formed by the lintelled roof of the passage whicf o , h onlslabo ytw s remain rowo .reinforcinf tw so Outsid n du e eth g wall may be traced. Dun Cuier yielded artefacts which suggest a span from fourth to seventh century A.D., these include an iron sickle, fifteen bone pins, five bone dice, six bone combs (five double sided) a round clay crucible and pottery of late and post wheel-house type. 50. BAHN, Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides3 (NF 632003) Another promontory site defended by an outer wall, is Dun Bahn on the SW. islande coasth f o t . Here traceentrancn a f so e throug defensive hth e eb waln ca l seen, as well as slight footings of a subcircular building within the space enclosed. Surface find potterf o s y equating with material froCuien mDu r have bee- nre corded from this site.4 Other duns wort hRostann notinDu e g,ar above , Argyll, with built- wallingp Ruign u a n h ;Du Ruadh , Rhiroyd Re e , th Ros Cromartyf d o san n du e th , steee th Kingpn o ban t ,se k rising from Loch Broom possibld an Burgidaln yDu n ei 5 Bute.

R.C.A.M. (Outer Hebrides), No. 449. 1 " R.C.A.M., ibid., No. 441. P.S.A.S., LXXXIX (1955-6), 290.

R.C.A.M. (Outer Hebrides), No. 446. 8 4 P.S.A.S., LXXXIX (1955-6), 292, fig. 2. 5 P.S.A.S., LXXXIII (1948-9), 72. IQ4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, igGl-62 GALLERIE CHAMBERER DO D WALLS i. HOGSETTER, Isl Whalsayf eo , Shetland 559620U (H ) 1 Hogsette islann a s ri d sit Locn ei h , wher walline eth g follow line f th seo rocke th y isletenclosure Th . reaches ei d fro mainlane mth causewaa n y i d b . ft 9 y9 lintellede lengtth d han entranc defendes er housei thicknese ba th a e n dy i th db f so wall. On each side of the entrance, rectangular buildings contain corbelled cells opening toward interioe sth therd ran als s wale i ocelth a l n surroundinli cene gth - tral area 177n I . 4 these entrance towers stoo heigha o dt 1f 5to ft.,celle th s corbelled 2 with stone slabs. Jospeh Anderson compares this structur e foreworth o t et a k 3 Clickhimin in Shetland.4 8. NESS OF BURGI, Dunrossness, Shetland (HU 388084) 5 inaccessiblw Nese no a Burg f Th sn o o s i e promontory narrowess it t of t fcu a , y tb a low bank extending from cliff to cliff. A few hundred yards beyonds this, an earth stond an e rampart witditcheo htw s defend maie sth n rectangular structure. This sha lintellea d passage entrance t centrallno , y placed, with bar-hole defence. There ear two lintelled chambers in the thickness of the wall, one opening from the entrance passage, the other from the interior. Blocks of native sandstone, up to 4 ft. square, were used in the construction. A restored pot from this site in dark ware, irregularly made, is comparable to the coarse cooking pots from Dun'Cuier in Barra (No. 49). While this vessel could derive from reoccupation of the Ness of Burgi, it supports a late dat thesr northereo fo etw n examples which have some affinity wit westere hth n sites described below. 38. MHUILIG, Parish of Craignish, Argyll (NM 776018) 6 Dun Mhuilig consists of a transverse wall stretching across a high, rocky bluff, on Craignise th h peninsula, 15 . abov0ft e sea-level site furthes ei Th . r defendee th n do landwar ruineo d tw sid y deb walls acros. respectivelft nece 7 7 sth kd soman y2 e4 from the dun. Of the main building all that can now be seen is the lower courses of a massive wall, widening from 12 to 15 ft., which contains a mural gallery with three slab lintel precipicea f o s wal e easters p stil it th li situ. e n t li le d th ,stopA th n en n so western end curves and there is some thickening of the inner wall face at this point, perhaps towards the entrance, of which there is now no sign. Mr Angus Graham compared Dun Mhuilig to Sron an Duin, Barra Head (No. 51). 51. SRON AN DUIN (Barra Head), Isle of , Outer Hebrides (NL 548802) 7 mose Th t remarkabl westere th f eo n typ Sros ei abov. Duinn ft n a sea e 0 eth 68 ,, where a promontory with an area of 135 by 42 ft. is defended by a galleried wall stretchin . acrosft nece 2 5 sth f lan r ko gfo d (fig e spac. 4)Th . e enclose s beedha n quarrie provido dt e materia crose th r s wallfo l formino s , parapega t - rounin e dth

1 R.C.A.M. (Shetland) 1316. No , . 2 Low's Tour Orkneyn i Shetland, d an 1774 (1829). Whe r MitchelnD l visite e sitedth , stones were being removed to build a school. 3 Anderson, J., Scotland in Pagan Times: Iron Age (1883), 260.

4 Hamilton , ThC. e . NorthernR . ,J Isles, edite Wainwrighty db , 'BrochT. . BrocF d , san h Builders', . fig22 . R.C.A.M.5 (Shetland) . 1154No , . P.S.A.S., LXX (1935-6), 381. P.S.A.S., LXXXII (1947-8), 53. ' R.C.A.M. (Outer Hebrides), No. 450. 0 BROCKS AND DUNS 195 terior one-storieA . d construction walline fortifieth ,a s gha d entrance with checd kan bar-hol VIIIL e(P : 2). Seven lintelgroune th f so d floor gallery still survive t . 12ft se , fro. clife W m th f e edgth n eo followine Th g additiona mentionede b l sitey sma . Mr A. L. F. Rivet has drawn my attention to Dun Bhilascleitir, Ness, in the Island of Lewis (R.C.A.M., Outer Hebrides, No. 34, NB 562576). Here the stone rampart cutting off the promontory is reported to have had a well-built entrance, with guard- chamber in the thickness of the walling, on the north side of the gateway. I am also indebte r Rive M r informatio o fo dt n about anothe f theso r e sitesVlarvegn Du , , , in Skye (R.C.A.M. (Skye), No. 584, NG 518369). He reports that the galleried . walFairhurststil n H seene ca b lr D . o o t Lastl wh ,e thanky du ym e sar has describe comparablda e Muirgheidhsiten Du , 413236)Muln e i ,M th (N ln O . . sid S Locf eo h Scridai promontorya s ni , defende landware th threy t b a d d e den walls running from cliff to cliff, with central passage ways. The innermost, about . thick1checa 7 ft s bar-hold kha ,an entrancee th n ei . Ther sign e passaga e ar f so e within the wall, leading to a mural cell or to a stairway. Light walling round the promontory completes the defences. Fe t recurrinwbu g find recordee ar s d fro broche mth dund san s which have been investigated. Amon bone gth e objects mose th , t common perhap typa s longf si e o - handled comb, probably used for beating up the weft in weaving, which indicates some sheep farming. The same implement could also have served in carding out sinews for stitching the skins of sheep and deer in fashioning clothing, and doubtless household coverings, for which woollen thread would be too soft. Such combs have been recovered from south-western site Englandn si Josepd an , h Anderson notesa similar implement use Indin di carpen ai t making. Possibly employe conjuncn di - tion with the weaving combs is anothe1r artefact commonly found in brochs and duns alike, a roughly trimmed stone disc which was probably held in the hand when working hide preso s t bone sth e needl modere borerr th e o s i s na , sailmaker's 'palm'. More carefully shaped stone discs, sometimes ornamented and usually called table- men, are also found and are commonly held to be gaming pieces, but it is possible that these were mad women'r e fo sewinn i e sus g leather. Strike-a-light quartf so e zar frequently foun dunsd Brocn di an .I hI Painted pebbles have been recorded from reoccupied sites in Caithness and the . In some of the brochs collections of white pebble evef so n size have been recovered, probably, likpaintee eth d pebbles, gaming pieces or counters. Little survives of iron tools, though from the better work- manship of bone combs, pins and needles, the craftsmen of the duns would appear to have had more efficient iron tools than their predecessors. Early broch potter poorlys i y represented mose Th .t widely distribute latera s di , better fired type of first/third century A.D. date, with sharply everted rim, sometimes showing fluting on the inner bevel. This form has been recovered from Broch I sites in Shetland and Caithness which have been reoccupied by aisled or wheel-house farmers, from Broch II ( in Skye) and from the aisled and wheel-houses of the Outer Hebrides wher e characteristith e c native applied band indicates local 1 Anderson , Scotland,J. Pagann i Times, (1883)I , 254, fig. 241. ig6 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , 1961-62 manufacture. This common style implies some communication between Caithness, the Northern Isles and the Hebrides, and sherds with the applied band from Skirza Everled an y broch Caithnesn si furthea e sar r proo interchangef o f . Samian sherds have been recovered from both broch dunsd an s , usually single fragments, some too small for identification. These well nigh indestructable sherds may have been prized as a status symbol, as amulets or used in barter.1 The Northern Isles would not be an impossible landfall for incomers from the Continent bees ha n t pointeI . that d voyageou ta r could reasonabln ,i e weather, sighn i lanf o t d from Gibralta Muckle th o t r e Flugga. e brochsTh 2 , however, need not be altogether an importation. The skilled builders at Skara Brae in Orkney devised the earliest recorded bar-hole defence,3 and certain devices used in broch building may be traced to the first Early Iron Age inhabitants of the Northern Isles. At Jarlshof, the native force postulated by Mr Hamilton already had a traditional skill in dry-stone building,4 for the lintelled souterrain passages related to the pre- broc hchamberso t hut long. 1e d 1 ft sothele e on th ,e rth , roughly square,5 with flag- stone roofs. Comparable techniques were ultimately used by the broch builders in devising chambers r tyin fo s wele doubl a ,s gth a l e wall foro t s m stairwayd an s galleries. The Iron Age stone mason's tools likewise show little change from those Late useth en d i Bronz e Age; well chosen beach stones, abraide use y t eithedb a ,d ren as wel hones a l polisherd san fine-grainef so d sandstone, were r Curi founM y n ei db the pre-broch levels at Jarlshof. The two new elements used in building the brochs are height and corbelling. The innovation of these essential features of broch construction supports the theory thaarchitecte th t s were newcomers r buildinfo , heighn gi t woul contrarn dru . yto native tradition.6 The need for height was regarded as urgent, and with that the necessity for scaffolding. The structure of the brochs answers both requirements in a treeless country. Professor Piggott has suggested that the brochs are comparable to the Border peel towers of medieval date. Certainly they supply the same needs: a look-out when necessar strona d ygan defenc uncertain ei n territory. It could be that the strangers were fugitives from western Gaul, following on the defeat in 51 B.C. of the confederacy of tribes in revolt against Rome.7 This would explai knowledge nth procedurf eo e showrulere th Orknef y sno b y when they made overture Romo st offered ean d formal submissio Claudius.o nt 8 Perhaps some mis-

writee see1s Th rha nchippea d soup plate fro mCook'a s steamer proudly displayed abov dooe a eth f ro native mud hut at Abou Simbel and Nuremburg tokens by Hans Krau Winckel of sixteenth/seventeenth century date offered as coinage in the Sudan. 2 A lighthouse off the Shetland mainland. 3 Childe , SkarraG. . V , Brae (1931) t StanydalA . Shetlandn ei , ther massivs ei e stonewor whico kt e hw must look when considerin origiwheel-housese e gth th f no , whil radiae eth l compartment late th e f Bronzso e Age huts at Jarishof may also be noted in this context. 4 Jarlshof, pp. 33 and 35, Huts IVC and VI. 6 This type of chamber may be exactly paralleled in Orkney. 6 e.g. Jarlshof pre-broch occupation and earlier dwellings such as Skara Brae and Rinyo in Orkney, possibl protectios ya n agains galese th t , were largely built underground. 7 Caesar (Hirtius) Bellae D : Gallico vm ff4 .: 2 This revolt, mainly centre territore th Pictonese n dth i f yo , S. of the Loire, included some of the Armorican tribes and doubtless many who had fled thither after the suppression of the earlier rising of the Bituriges, Carnutes and Bellovaci that same year. e As suggested by Professor V. G. Childe in Scotland before the Scots (1946), 129, quoting Orosius, Historiae adversum Paganos, vn, 6, 10. BROCKS AND DUNS chance of weather and currents forced these intrepid sailors to stand out round Irelan makd dan e their final landfal Northere th l n Isles. newcomere Th Shetlann si d were abl enliso et skilleta d native labour force, either compulsioy b r rewardno directed an , buildine dth defensive th f go e towers- Un . assailable by fire, and provided with wells and storage places, these were equipped to stand against assault and short-term . The sophisticated technique of the Caithness broch buildings suggests penetration south to better farming land at a slightly later date. The first occupation of the brochs was relatively short lived; either the need for such strongholds was over or it was no longer feasible to maintain them. By the second century A.D Jarlshoe th . f broc d courtyarhan d were filled with aisledd an - wheel-house dwellings, the well forgotten and built over, while stones were filched from the broch for use in succeeding, humbler farmhouses. This pattern persists in Shetlandf o . S e th : Mousa, Clumli Levenwicd ean k brochs, after the falled yha n into disuse, were all reoccupied by wheel-house farmers. Contemporary with this reoccupation of the Shetland sites, the great brochs of Keiss and the Road in Caithness, which had been abandoned, were not only reused t refortifiedbu thiy B s. time communications must have been established between the Northern Isles and the Mainland, as well as some contact with the Outer and , as is shown by the pottery evidence. Sherds of vessels with everted rims recovered from Clumlie, Mousa, Jarlshof, Keiss and the Road brochs, compar- abl wareo et s foun Hebridean do n sites, imply tha reoccupatioe th t broche th f no s was in the second to early third century A.D.1 Not only is there refurbishing of existing strongholds built w brochw no ,ne e Broct sar bu , usin hII gsimplera form and showing a wider distribution which includes the western coasts, though repeating, partn i , Broc htraditionsI . These stronghold mainle sar y smalle interion ri r diameter welld storagd an san e chamber longeo n e srar techniquusedw ne built-ue a ; th s ei p walling which serves to level the central area on a sloping site, presumably chosen for strategic reasons. Fro concentratioe mth broch f Keisne o th n ssi area, this woule d appearon e b o t point of departure towards the W.; the straths show the distribution of Broch II, up Helmsdale and over the watershed by Halladale; from Loch Fleet up the Fleet to Loch Shi frod Dornoche nan mth Firth Stratp u , h Oykel Loco t l o ht Assyno s d an t seae th . Though possibly due parn i , t leasta t unsettleo t , d conditions westerle th , y drift of Broch II builders could also have resulted from a cycle of unusually bad seasons. Apart from the hazards of weather, what disturbance on the mainland of Scotland havcan e alerteNortfar hdthe causin reviva earliegthe an of l r for defensivmof e building? Following on the revolts in the lowlands in the late second century A.D., durin absence gth f Clodiueo s Albinus, Governo f Britaino r e Emperoth , r Severus himself organised punitive expeditions against the Caledonians and Maeatae. These, Firte base th Fortf h o n supplie d o han seay db , were pressed home int vere oth y 1 Young, A. N., 'Sequence of Hebridean Pottery', forthcoming in The Iron Age of Northern Britain, edited by Rivet, A. L. F., University of Press. ig8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, ig6l-62 heart of Scotland, as far N. as Aberdeen and perhaps beyond,1 resulting in the un- conditional surrende defeaMaeatae e Caledoniane th th f th d o tf ro an 210 n ei 9 .20 n si There were doubtless various movements of refugees and the repercussion would ultimately involve the North. Further campaigns in the same year were cut short with the death of the Emperor. dune Th s represent another aspecbroce th f ho t tradition, buil latea n i tr period of danger, for, wit exceptioe hth outlierf no strathe th n Sutherlanf si s o Caithd dan - ness, the distribution is mainly western and coastwise. This implies that these later structure havy sma e bee ndefenca e agains inroade Scote tth th Dalriada f f so so o wh , . coasraide W Scotlanf o e t dth d fro late mth e fourth century onwards. Still dry- broce builth n hti tradition dune ,th s site e tenb strategicn do i d t positions outern A . , 2 extra wall built against the main structure is a new feature of this very diverse group. e gallerie th e serie th Lase ar r schamberen i do t d walls promontorn o , y sites, referre somearliey n db a o et r phase whict ,bu h also merit consideratiof o d en e th s na e brocth h sequence fringa .e b The e y productyma , contemporar somo yt e extent with the larger widespread group, the galleried dun, for from one of the northern sites, Dun Burgi, in Shetland, sherds of a bowl akin to the later pottery from Dun Cuier were recovered. Possibly they were temporary refuges. These are the last of the dry-built structures which incorporate features of the broch tradition.

APPENDIX Four traditional stories are worth recording. Firstly fro mnativa Glenelgf eo Troddanbrochse n stonee th TelvDu :Th n r sd fo Du , ean , were brought from a quarry up the glen and handed along a chain of men; the way can be traced by chips of the stone used. Secondly from a native source in Ullapool: The stones used for building Dun Ruigh Ruadh were handeacrosn ma bridgsa o d t fron raftf emo ma s from Lech Melm (the flat ston r slabeo o t ) . shorW Locf e o th h Broom.3 Thirdly, a tradition told to me by Professor Childe: The stones for the broch of Harray were quarrie t somda e distanc broughd ean sitee clean raftth n I .o t o t sr wate stonee th r s from capsized rafts coul loc seethe hd be nalonin routgthe e from quarr brochyto . e fourt lasTh d han t story comes fro mchange th Mull d directiof eo an , n rather enhancee th s traditional natur thesf eo e widespread tales. Stones fro mbroca h 'uhille pth ' were handed dowy nb

a chain of men and used to build a medieval castle on the shore. A fifth tale is recorded by Captain Thomas in his paper on the Duns of the Outer Hebrides. 4 In Lewis they have a tradition that when these towers were being built a row of men reached from the shoree th o t , fron mdu whenc stonee eth s were passed from han hando dt tha d towere ;an tth s being conical, they were built to such a height that only a single stone or flag was required to close the top.' In all these stories the human chain element occurs. It may be that the lintels and slabs used for stairways were specially chosen and were handled to the site in the manner described. 1 Dio states that Severus in his first campaign reached almost to the extremity of the Island (Cassius Dio Historia Romana, LXXVII r commentFo : xiii . 3) , e Steersse , K. A., Roman Natived an North n i Britain, edited Richmond . A.I , , (1958) . 96 , 2 P.S.A.S., LXXXIX (1955-6), 301. Unfortunatel Moine yth e Schis Ruign whica f o tn hh Du Ruad constructeds hwa , occur outcropn si n so both 3side Locf so h Broom, thoug name hth e Lech Melmease th locte n sidth ,o h f emeano s flat slab. Perhaps e flath t slabs require r gallerdfo wald yan l chambers came fro e traditionamth l source alse se o, P.S.A.S., LXXXHI (1948-9), 73. 4 Arch. Scot, v (1890), 387.