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Rubha Nam Brathairean, Dun Hasan and quern quarry is an Iron Age dun situated in Inverness-shire, Scotland. The monument occupies a headland position where Palaeogene mafic igneous bedrock forms the underlying geology. This hard, dark igneous rock was exploited by prehistoric inhabitants of the site for practical purposes, particularly in the manufacture of rotary querns used for grain processing. The dun itself represents a defended settlement type characteristic of Iron Age Scotland, typically comprising stone-built structures positioned on prominent landscape features.
The associated quern quarry demonstrates the dual exploitation of the site's geology. The mafic igneous stone, with its suitable fracture properties, provided ideal material for the production of upper and lower quern-stones. Quarrying evidence at the site preserves the physical traces of these extraction activities, revealing the practical economy of Iron Age settlement.
The monument remains protected by Historic Environment Scotland under scheduled monument reference SM13663, reflecting its significance as an archaeological resource. The integration of settlement and specialised stone extraction at this single location illustrates the resourceful adaptation of Iron Age communities to their local environment and available geological materials.
Rubha Nam Brathairean, Dun Hasan and quern quarry is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13663. View the official record →
Rubha Nam Brathairean, Dun Hasan and quern quarry is an Iron Age dun situated in Inverness-shire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13663.
Rubha Nam Brathairean, Dun Hasan and quern quarry dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a dun hasan and quern quarry. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Rubha Nam Brathairean, Dun Hasan and quern quarry 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 SM13663.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dun Dearg,fort 420m N of Valtos (2.1 km), Dun Grianan,broch on N shore of Loch Mealt (3.4 km), Upper Tote,cairn 320m S of,Tot nan Druidhean (3.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Rubha Nam Brathairean, Dun Hasan and quern quarry'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.
Rubha Nam Brathairean, Dun Hasan and quern quarry stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic igneous-rock.