Calling Greywether

Dun Dornadilla 1

Image by summerlands

Mr Hamhead Mar 30, 2004 21:14:47

Thanks for sending me in the right direction, I never knew the name of the place and I have not got an OS map to find out where I was that stormy night 14 years ago.
S'cuse my ignorance but from what age do the brochs originate?, are there many in the same condition up there? Am I right there was a inner wall within?

Cheers

Mr H

greywether Mar 30, 2004 23:28:56

Replying to Mr Hamhead

Brochs generally dated to late 1st mill bce/early 1st mill ce.

There are several still in good condition - mainly in the islands.

Mousa on Shetland is the best.
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3989

There are several in Orkney including Midhowe
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/598

Another good one at Dun Carloway in the Hebrides
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/791

On the mainland, there are two good ones at Dun Telve and Dun Troddan in the west
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/792
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/793

and a not bad one at Carn Liath in the east
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5118

From these photos, you can get a good idea of the construction.

The walls are partly solid, partly double-skinned allowing for intra-mural passages and stairs. Entrance is through a defended ground floor door.

The Orkney sites show the best surviving use of the internal space (because stone was used) but some of this was added after the main period of broch use.

wideford Mar 30, 2004 23:43:43

Replying to Mr Hamhead

Some time back The Broch Age maxed out at 5th century B.C.E. TO 5th century C.E. but since then it seems that archaeologists cut and trim the period, and occasionally the definition, to fit with particular theories and the different assumed affinities chosen to support them.