Rubh an Dunain

Rubh an Dunain

Although today, this is a remote and uninhabited area, there is evidence that it was inhabited or at least visited in Mesolithic times

The cave or rock shelter was excavated in 1932 by W Lindsay Scott who found many worked stone tools and the debris from their manufacture – evidence of repeated visits to the site during the Mesolithic period.  An oar like piece of wood was found.  This has not been dated and it was apparently decided that although it resembled an oar, the shortness of the handle indicated that it was not

Later, on, during the Iron Age it appears that the same cave was used as a forge.  Iron working debris were found and there appears to be a smelting hearth.

In the Neolithic period, a chambered tomb (also excavated by Lindsay Scott in 1932 was built on the rise at the western end of Loch na h-Airde.  This would seem to be evidence of a settled farming community.   Finds from the tomb chamber included a beaker, presumably from a secondary burial, and many flint tools. 

There is a smaller cairn nearby believed to be Bronze age.

Additionally there is evidence of hut circles /round houses and field enclosures.

The Dun itself dates from the iron age and today appears as simply a massive wall across the top of the peninsular.  The need for such defence seems to indicate that times had become less settled.

Loch na h-Airde has been joined to the sea by an artificial tidal canal – often referred to as the “Viking Canal”.  However, there is no evidence to show that it was constructed by the Vikings.  There appear to be different types of construction along the canal so it is possible that it was started around the time the Dun was constructed but further developed with construction yards and slips at a later date.

Medieval boat remains were found in 2000 and 2006 and an underwater excavation of Loch na h-Airde was carried out in 2009.

Details of the excavation of the Lochan can be found here:

http://her.highland.gov.uk/hbsmrgatewayhighland/DataFiles/LibraryLinkFiles/161440.pdfhttp://her.highland.gov.uk/hbsmrgatewayhighland/DataFiles/LibraryLinkFiles/161440.pdf

Some of the boat timbers found during that excavation are now in Inverness Museum and have been dated to around 1100.