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Dun Barraglom is a Scottish Iron Age broch situated on bedrock of Lewisian Complex gneiss, one of the oldest rock formations in Britain, dating to the Proterozoic era. The broch itself represents a distinctive form of defensive roundhouse unique to Iron Age Scotland, built with concentric stone walls that could be sealed against attack or siege. The monument's position on this ancient metamorphic foundation provided a stable platform for construction and offered natural defensive advantages across the surrounding landscape.
The settlement evidence at Dun Barraglom extends beyond the broch itself to encompass associated structures and occupation remains characteristic of Iron Age communities in northern Scotland. Nearby cup marked rocks, their purpose still debated among archaeologists, suggest ritual or communal significance in the settlement's wider landscape. These portable or in situ carvings appear across prehistoric British sites, though their individual meanings remain elusive.
Fish traps discovered in the vicinity of Dun Barraglom demonstrate the settlement's integration with aquatic resources, likely exploited in coastal or riverine waters accessible from the site. Such structures reveal a diverse subsistence economy combining herding, cultivation and fishing. The site is protected as a scheduled monument under reference SM5429 by Historic Environment Scotland, recognising its archaeological importance as a multi-period settlement complex documenting Iron Age life in northern Scotland.
Dun Barraglom,broch,cup marked rocks,fish traps and settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5429. View the official record →
Dun Barraglom is a Scottish Iron Age broch situated on bedrock of Lewisian Complex gneiss, one of the oldest rock formations in Britain, dating to the Proterozoic era. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5429.
Dun Barraglom,broch,cup marked rocks,fish traps and settlement dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch,cup marked rocks,fish traps and settlement. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Dun Barraglom,broch,cup marked rocks,fish traps and settlement 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 SM5429.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tursachan, Barraglom, Beàrnaraigh / Standing Stones, Barraglom, Great Bernera (0.3 km), Aird Callanish,cairn 200m SW of,Crulivig (0.9 km), Airigh Mhaoldonuich,fallen standing stone (1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dun Barraglom,broch,cup marked rocks,fish traps and settlement's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Dun Barraglom,broch,cup marked rocks,fish traps and settlement stands on Lewisian Complex, bedrock that formed in the Proterozoic. The rock here is gneiss.