Barnlusgan Dun, Enclosure and Cairn Excavation Results from Year One

Roderick Regan & Sharon Webb

Barnlusgan Dun, Enclosure and Cairn Excavation Results from Year One

Roderick Regan & Sharon Webb

Introduction 

More than 100 duns are to be found in the Mid Argyll landscape, yet so few have been investigated by archaeological excavation that it is difficult to even answer basic questions such as age and function of these structures.  In 2005 Kilmartin House Museum launched a project to attempt to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge and chose Barnluasgan Dun as a site worthy of detailed investigation.  The project was conceived of as a community effort and involved more than 30 volunteers (mostly local) as well as 7 professional archaeologists over the months work. KHM is grateful to all our hard working volunteers, and to the Forestry Commission Scotland for giving permission for the work to take place, as well as funding a significant proportion of the work.  In this context we are also grateful to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland who awarded a generous grant.  Historic Scotland gave scheduled ancient monument consent and will fund part of the post excavation phase.  We would also like to extend our thanks to Alex and Polly Hamilton of Leac Na Ban Farm for allowing survey work to take place on their land. 

The project has been conducted in three phases – a detailed site survey, followed by the excavation and a walkover survey on surrounding land.  The site survey took place in November last year, this identified the full extent of the site and created a three dimensional plan from which we were able to choose suitable areas for excavation.  Immediately prior to the excavation, the landscape survey was conducted on various parcels of land around the Dun.  Many new archaeological and historical landscape features were noted during this work.  The report will soon be available as a pdf download.

Site location and description
Barnluasgan dun, enclosure and cairn are situated in North Knapdale Forest, Mid Argyll.  The site lies in an area of mature sitka plantation (centred NGR NM 78720 91130) approximately 250m west of Barnluasgan Caledonian Forest Reserve, close to the B8025 road which runs between Bellanoch and Tayvallich. 

The underlying geology consists of banded epidote-chlorite schist covered by peat and clay based soils.  The Forestry Commission had previously over-planted the dun but most of the trees evident in the 1960’s (Campbell & Sandeman 1964) have now been removed.  Aside from a few mature sitka trees at the south of the site, vegetation cover now consists of low vegetation with a few rotten stumps remaining.

Aims and objectives

The project had a number of aims, first of which was to determine the extent, character, function and date of the archaeological deposits and features present as well as establishing a stratagraphic sequence.  The possibility of archaeological deposits being present outside the designated scheduled area was also of interest, as was the relationships of the monuments to each other.  The project will also in time, define and characterise possible late Iron Age and later activity at these sites, as well as come some way towards understanding how the natural prehistoric landscape has influenced human settlement and activity.  The project also aimed to evaluate the potential damage to the monuments by previous and present tree cover.  

Excavation Results
The earliest evidence on the site came in a rather unexpected form with a group of cup-marks incised on natural bedrock which had been utilised as panels at the north end of the dun site.   Four definite cup marks were identified with the possibility of four more, the latter very faint and badly eroded and noted by rock art expert Stan Beckensall on his visit to the site.

The excavation revealed that the north dun wall is poorly preserved and for the most part existing as either very disturbed walling or as just a few basal foundation stones.  However, enough of the monument survives to suggest the wall fully enclosed the northern part of the summit.  The existence of an entranceway at this northern end, while not disproved, now seems unlikely, given that a possible internal structure seen in one of the trenches would have partially blocked any entranceway.  The dun wall is better preserved to the south but again only the basal or foundation courses built directly onto bedrock survive.  The foundations indicate that the wall may have been deliberately accentuated on the steep east side in order to provide the footings for a batter or buttress, but without the evidence of any superstructure, this remains speculative.  The dun wall widens at the west where it ran beyond the edge of excavation and was partially masked by a mature tree.  Walls are often found to be thicker around the entranceways within dun construction, as can be seen at nearby Druim an Duin and it is a possibility that the wider wall indicates the entrance to the dun lay along this southern side. 

The enclosure walls have now been traced on all but its southernmost side, which would appear to mostly lie under a Post-Medieval estate wall.   The construction of the enclosure walls are of some interest as they seem to vary, with the eastern and western sides built entirely in drystone, while the northern arc of the enclosure wall was constructed with an earthen core.  The reason for this is not yet been fully known, but it may be that the earth core supported a palisade on this side.

Trenches were placed at the presumed junction of the dun and enclosure walls, in order to test the relationship between the two structures. On both counts the results have proved disappointing, with neither stratagraphic nor physical relationship firmly established between the two structures, although there was the possibility that the enclosure wall abutted the dun wall in one trench.  With this relationship unclear, only the better preservation of the enclosure wall at the north compared to the dun wall, suggest the former may be later in date. 

It was also hoped that excavation in other areas would reveal differences between the internal and external areas either side of the enclosure wall, no related surfaces were revealed, however, deeper, and as yet unexcavated deposits remain.  On the basis of the earthwork survey, one of the major assumptions was that the monument had been heavily robbed on the east while the western side of the ridge would provide us with a relatively undisturbed sequence of potential occupation.  It was quickly realised that this was not the case, and the ‘robbed face’ was a natural ridge running across the site.    However, the hoped for sequence of archaeology was present at the north end of the ridge within a series of dumped/midden deposits being found.   These deposits pre-date the enclosure structure and appear to have been dumped from the south west suggesting the possibility of occupation evidence surviving in this area.  Associated with these dumped deposits was a nearby surface suggesting occupation deposits might also survive within the eastern part of the site.   This possibility was also suggested by the existence of an internal face within the enclosure wall on the east with the probability that contemporary surfaces also survive.  Further evidence of internal activity was also revealed in another trench where a possible internal wall foundation and an associated surface were present.   C14 dates may be obtained from some of the ‘occupation’ deposits, particularly from the midden/dumped material.  However, these samples will only give a date prior to the construction of the enclosure wall, and while these deposits are probably associated with occupation of the dun this is as yet unproven. 

Interpretation of the ‘cairn’ as yet, proves elusive with possibilities oscillating between a Post Medieval bothy structure and it indeed being a cairn, although if the latter it is an unusual and interesting form for this region.  Needless to say, further work is required to fully unravel its date and function.

Rather more successful, was the exploratory excavation to the west of the dun/enclosure where an area off the main site was investigated.  While not fully understood at this early stage, it appears that extra mural activity is present and possibly exists in the form of a curvilinear structure.  However a date and interpretation of this possible building will have to await future excavation.

Artefacts
Fragments of charcoal were recovered from six contexts in two trenches. Some appeared to be from a possible hearth, whereas other samples were from area disturbed by roots, which will yield less secure C14 results.  Small fragments of burnt bone were found, as were charred seeds.  A preliminary identification suggests that these are barley. 

Stone artefacts included three possible rubbing stones or polishers and a possible quern fragment from the ‘midden’ deposit.  A large grindstone or sharpening stone was also recovered.

Small fragments of slate were also found within a number of contexts and as no natural slate occurs within the underlying bedrock, they must have been imported, but their origin and indeed function remains unclear.

A number of angular fragments of quartz were also found which are probably natural.  A sample will be sent to a specialist to ensure this assumption is correct since quartz artefacts are notoriously difficult to recognise.

Conclusions
With respect to the aims outlined above, there is much more work to be done at the Barnluasgan site before any firm conclusions can be made   The Kilmartin House Museum team hope to return next year for a further season of excavation.  Preliminary results demonstrate that previous over planting by trees before the site was recognised have caused much disturbance to the site, which in some areas, made recognition of stratigraphy difficult.  The team were able to establish the presence of human activity off the scheduled area and form some ideas about the relationship of the dun to enclosure.  The charred seeds and stone artefacts give a tantalising glimpse into the use of the site, but postulation as to the length and character of occupation await further work.  The project has been a very positive first excavation for Kilmartin House Museum, not least because of the enthusiastic help of our volunteers and the support of the local community – many of whom visited the site on our open days. 

Kilmartin House Museum Reports

Regan, R. and S Webb 2004. North Knapdale: An Archaeological Survey (unpublished Kilmartin House Museum Research Report). Regan, R. and S Webb 2005. Ormaig Forest: An Archaeological Survey (unpublished Kilmartin House Museum Research Report)

Regan, R., S. Webb & M. Abbot 2005, Barnluasgan Dun and Enclosure, Dalriata Dun, Community Archaeology Project, Interim Report.  (Kilmartin House Museum. Report No.8)

Regan, R. & S. Webb 2006, Barnluasgan Dun and Enclosure, Dalriata Dun, Community Archaeology Project, Project Design (Kilmartin House Museum. Report No.9)

Further reading……. If you are interested in finding out more about Duns and the Iron Age/ Early Historic Period of Mid Argyll here is a list of books and articles……

• Alcock, L. and E.A. Alcock. 1987 Reconnaissance excavations on Early Historic fortifications and other royal sites in Scotland, 1974-84: 2, Excavations at Dunollie Castle, Oban, Argyll, 1978, Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., 117, 119-147.
• 1654 Blaeu, J. (John) Knapdalia Provincia que sub Argathelia Censetur, (Vel), The Province of Knapdail which is accounted a member of Argyll. Avct. Timoth. Pont. (National Library of Scotland, WD3B/21)
• Campbell, M and M. Sandeman 1964, 'Mid Argyll: an Archaeological Survey', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 95, 1961-2
• Christison, D. 1904 . 'The forts of Kilmartin, Kilmichael Glassery, and North Knapdale, Argyle, Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., 38, 1903-4, 205-251. Christison, D, Anderson, J and T. Ross. 1905 Report on the Society's excavations of forts on the Poltalloch Estate, Argyll, in 1904-5, Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., 39, 259-322. 
• Craw, J. H. 1930 Excavations at Dunadd and Other Sites on the Poltalloch Estates, Argyll, Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., 64, 111-146. Harding, D.W. 1997 Iron Age Settlements in Argyll, in Ritchie, G. (ed.) The Archaeology of Argyll. Edinburgh. 
• Lane, A. and E. Campbell 2000 Dunadd an Early Dalriadic Capital. Oxford. Maxwell, G 1969 Duns and Forts: a note on some Iron Age Monuments of the Atlantic Province, Scot. Archaeological Forum, 1, 41-52. 
• Ordnance Survey 1873, First Edition Argyllshire Sheet CLX
• RCAHMS 1971. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Argyll: an inventory of the monuments volume 1: Kintyre. Edinburgh. RCAHMS 1975. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Argyll: an inventory of the monuments volume 2: Lorn. Edinburgh. 
• RCAHMS 1988. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Argyll: an inventory of the monuments volume 6: Mid-Argyll and Cowal, Prehistoric and Early Historic Monuments. Edinburgh.

Happy Reading!