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Dunan an Aisilidh is an Iron Age dun situated on An Aird in Inverness-shire, Scotland. This circular stone-built fortification represents a form of defended settlement characteristic of northern Britain during the later prehistoric period. The dun's construction exploited the natural topography of its location, with the underlying Palaeocene basalt bedrock providing a stable foundation and raw material for its defensive walls.
The basalt geology of the site is typical of the Inner Hebrides and parts of the adjacent mainland, where volcanic activity during the Palaeocene epoch created the dark, columnar stone that Iron Age builders favoured for substantial fortifications. This durable stone allowed the construction of thick defensive walls that could withstand both siege and weathering.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM904, reflecting its significance as an archaeological record of Iron Age settlement patterns and defensive architecture in the Scottish Highlands. Duns of this type generally housed extended family groups or small communities, combining domestic space with defensive capability during a period when territorial control and protection were paramount concerns for Highland communities.
Dunan an Aisilidh,dun,An Aird is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM904. View the official record →
Dunan an Aisilidh is an Iron Age dun situated on An Aird in Inverness-shire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM904.
Dunan an Aisilidh,dun,An Aird dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a dun,an aird. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Dunan an Aisilidh,dun,An Aird 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 SM904.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Raasay House, cross-incised slab & battery 310m SW of, Raasay (1.5 km), Raasay House,cross slab NNW of (1.8 km), Raasay House,St Maol-Luag's Chapel,110m NE of (1.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dunan an Aisilidh,dun,An Aird'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.
Dunan an Aisilidh,dun,An Aird stands on Palaeocene basalt, bedrock that formed in the Paleocene. The rock here is basalt group.