Strongholds of the Picts: The fortifications of Dark Age Scotland (Fortress) by Konstam Angus

Author:Konstam, Angus [Konstam, Angus]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Strongholds of the Picts: The Fortifications of Dark Age Scotland
ISBN: 9781472801661
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2013-02-19T16:00:00+00:00

The eastern side of Dunadd, viewed from just inside the eastern enclosure. This sketch by Christison was drawn in 1904, when the fort was first properly investigated. The path leads to the rock-cut ascent to the upper courtyard, overlooked by the summit of the hill, where the stone-built citadel once stood.

This sketch plan by Christinson reveals how close the stronghold is to the river Add, although in the Early Historic period it is thought that the low-lying surrounding area was marsh, fed by the waters of the river. Dunadd was therefore an island.

The main area of the stronghold was clearly designed to take advantage of the craggy contours of the mound, and the leaf-shaped or tear-shaped summit is reached by a series of outer courtyards, built at various levels. The citadel on the summit (labelled Fort A by archaeologists) was surrounded by a substantial stone wall at least three metres (ten feet) thick, while similarly thick walls surround the outer courtyard area to the east (Fort B), the lower terrace (Fort D), and another outer terrace beyond that (Fort F). A possible extension to the upper courtyard – Fort C – lies below it, in the north-east corner of the site. This may have been nothing more than a wall, blocking the head of a ravine which climbs the hill at this point, and which separates the main fortified hill from a small northern peak or summit. Fort E is effectively the northern portion of Fort D (the lower terrace of Dunadd), and traces of walls that were once thought to divide them were most probably the remains of stone-built buildings. Fort E/F therefore comprises a habitable area – and the outer enclosure or courtyard of the fort.

The main entrance to the fort passes through this outer enclosure, and is cut out of the solid rock, forming an impressive and easily fortified passageway. Evidence of buildings can be found in this outer courtyard, together with a well. A narrow entrance leads to the inner courtyard, where a stone slab might have once formed part of a defended gateway. From these a narrow flight of stone steps cut into the rock curves up to a smaller upper courtyard, and the entrance to the citadel. Anyone climbing these steps would be exposed to missile fire from the defenders of the citadel, looming above them. Another narrow entrance leads from this upper courtyard into the citadel itself.

Unfortunately the site was extensively turned over by 19th-century and early 20th-century antiquarians, and as a result much of the archaeological information the site might have yielded has been lost. However, these keen amateurs uncovered broken moulds designed for the casting of ornaments, which indicated that Dunadd was an important site, possibly the seat of a Dal Riatan Scots’ court. The importance of the site is also underlined by the presence of several carvings in the upper courtyard. These include a ‘footprint’ and a carved rock basin, along with the carving of a Pictish-style boar, and a frustratingly indecipherable inscription written in Ogam script (a Celtic alphabet in runic form).

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