Scheduled MonumentsScotlandDun Athad, fort, Islay
Iron Age · Fort, islay

Dun Athad, fort, Islay

Scotland
HES SM13271
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort, islay
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Dun Athad is a Iron Age fort located on the island of Islay in Argyllshire, Scotland. The site comprises a heavily fortified settlement characteristic of the Atlantic seaboard tradition of Iron Age defensive architecture found throughout the Scottish Hebrides and western mainland. The fort demonstrates the strategic importance of Islay during the Iron Age, when such fortified settlements served as centres of territorial control and elite occupation. The site's archaeological designation and record maintain its significance as an example of prehistoric Scottish maritime settlement patterns, though the specific structural remains and their current state of preservation reflect the challenges of maintaining visibility of such monuments in the Hebridean landscape.

Dun Athad, fort, Islay is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13271. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Dun Athad, fort, Islay?

Dun Athad is a Iron Age fort located on the island of Islay in Argyllshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13271.

What period does Dun Athad, fort, Islay date from?

Dun Athad, fort, Islay dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort, islay. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.

Who is responsible for protecting Dun Athad, fort, Islay?

Dun Athad, fort, Islay is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM13271.

What other scheduled monuments are near Dun Athad, fort, Islay?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cill Eathain,chapel 370m NE of Lower Killeyan (2.7 km), Cill Chomhan, chapel and burial ground 480m NE of Stremnishmore, Islay (3 km), Lurabus,township and farmsteads,Mull of Oa,Islay (6.3 km).

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