Monument record MHG4827 - Dun Fiadhairt

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Location

Grid reference Centred NG 2310 5042 (70m by 70m) (Buffered by site type)
Map sheet NG25SW
Geographical Area SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Old County INVERNESS-SHIRE
Civil Parish DUIRINISH

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Full Description

Dun Fiadhairt or Dun an Iardhard, NG25SW0001A

Brochs are round, tower-like houses, their monumental size intended to display the wealth and status of the agricultural communities who lived in them. Dun Fiadhairt sits on the centre of a small promontory, north-west of Dunvegan in Skye. Although surrounded by low ground, the broch is prominently sited on top of a steep rocky knoll. (55)

Dun Fiadhairt displays all the characteristic features of brochs. The approach is defined by parallel walls extending out from the broch tower, while the entrance passage is flanked by cells which could have been used as guard chambers. It is unusual in having a second, much narrower, entrance directly opposite the first. (53)

The interior living space is circular in shape and the drystone walls are hollow to contain intra-mural passages. Dun Fiadhairt was partially excavated in 1914. Among the finds were a necklace of amber beads and an unusual terracotta model of a bale of wool. (44)

Armit, I., 1997. Celtic Scotland. Edinburgh: Batsford.

Ritchie, G., and Harman, M., 1996. Exploring Scotland’s Heritage. Argyll and the Western Isles.
Edinburgh: HMSO, 131, No. 61.

RCAHMS. 1928. The Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles. Edinburgh: HMSO, 157-8, No. 508.

Information from SCRAN Project, March, 2000

NG25SW 1.00 2311 5042

NG25SW 1.01 terracotta figurine

(NG 2311 5042) Dun (NR)
OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)

Dun Fiadhairt, a broch, measures 31ft internally within a wall up to 12ft thick. The entrance in the W is checked for a door and fitted with two communicating cells. Another cell lies in the NW sector of the wall, and the stair-lobby in the N, while a gallery occupies the E and S sectors (R W Feachem 1963).
Excavated in 1914 (F T Macleod 1915). Finds included an amber necklace, various beads with one dating from probably 2nd century AD., and a terra-cotta model of a bale of wool indicating trade links with Romanized Britain.
F T Macleod 1915; J Curle 1932; RCAHMS 1928; R W Feachem 1963.

Dun Fiadhairt, as described above. Largely cleared of debris; good condition.
Visited by OS (A C) 14 April 1961.

Roman terra-cotta object now in NMAS.
A Robertson 1970.

Sources/Archives (34)

  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Green, M. 1981. 'Model objects from military areas of Roman Britain', Britannia Vol. 12 1981, p.253-69. Britannia. 253-69. 268, No. 7.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Topping, P G. 1986. 'Neutron activation analysis of later prehistoric pottery from the Western Isles of Scotland', Proc Prehist Soc Vol. 52 1986, p.105-29. Proc Prehist Soc. 105-29. 105-29.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Macleod, F T. 1915. 'Notes on Dun an Iardhard, a broch near Dunvegan, excavated by Countess Vincent Baillet de Latour, Uiginish, Skye', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 49 1914-15, p.57-70. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 57-70. 57-70; illust..
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun Fiadhairt. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Robertson, A S. 1970. 'Roman finds from non-Roman sites in Scotland', Britannia Vol. 1 1970, p.198-226. Britannia. 198-226. table II.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Curle, J. 1932. 'An inventory of objects of Roman and provincial Roman origin found on sites in Scotland not definitely associated with Roman constructions', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 66 1931-2, p.277-397. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 277-397. 349.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Mann, J C. 1974. 'The northern frontier after AD 369', Glasgow Archaeol J Vol. 3 1974, p.34-42. Glasgow Archaeol J. 34-42. 35-6.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Topping, P G. 1988. 'Typology and chronology in the later prehistoric pottery assemblages of the Western Isles', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 117 1987, p.67-84. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 67-84. 72, 79.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Feachem, R W. 1963. A Guide to Prehistoric Scotland. 1st. 171-2.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Guido, M. 1978. The glass beads of the prehistoric and Roman periods in Britain and Ireland. 195, 200.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Mann, J C. 1975. The Romans in the north. 31, No. 40.
  • --- Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1928. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Ninth report with inventory of monuments and constructions in the Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles. . 157-8, No. 508; figs. 227-9.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Ritchie and Harman, J N G and M. 1985. Exploring Scotland's heritage: Argyll and the Western Isles. 131, No.62.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Wild, J P. 1970. Textile manufacture on the northern Roman provinces. 23; pl. xii (c).
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Green, M J. 1978. 'A Corpus of Small Cult-Objects from the Military Areas of Roman Britain', Brit Archaeol Rep Vol. 52. Brit Archaeol Rep. 59.

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Record last edited

Jan 28 2008 12:00AM

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