Dunan Aula
Encyclopedia
Dunan Aula, also known in Scottish Gaelic as Dùnan Amhlaidh, is the site of an exposed cist
, located in the parish of Craignish
, in Argyll and Bute
, Scotland. The site is located at . The place-name means "Olaf's mound"; it is said to commemorate a Viking prince so-named, who fell in battle against the native Scots.
, in Argyll and Bute
, Scotland. The cist is located on the top of a large mound, north of an 18th-century burial ground and mausoleum
. The site is located at .
The cist consists of large large slabs of stone and a gable
d capstone. It is aligned northeast and southwest. The cist measures 4 feet (1.2 m) by 2.7 foot (0.82296 m) by 2.9 foot (0.88392 m); the gabled capstone measures 5.4 feet (1.6 m) by 4.8 feet (1.5 m). Other stones which project from the mound may suggest that there are other graves in the area. There is no trace of any cairn
material.
There is also an upright slab located roughly 9.5 metres (31.2 ft) to the north-northwest, on the side of the knoll. It is aligned northwest and southeast. It measures 0.6 metres (2 ft) by 0.4 metres (1.3 ft) at the base; and is 1 metres (3.3 ft) high. The slab has straight slides and a flat top. It is not considered to be part of the cist.
Lachlan M'Lachlan, parish minister. Within his account, M'Lachlan noted that "not many years before" some workmen uncovered the cist after removing some loose stones on the mound. Within the cist an urn
was found; which was then broken and destroyed in an attempt to get at its supposed "treasure". M'Lachlan noted to the great disappointment to those who destroyed it, all the urn contained was ash.
Rev. Archibald Francis Stewart wrote the account of the parish in the 1834–45 Statistical Account of Scotland. Stewart wrote an expanded form of the tradition mentioned by M'Lachlan. Stewart wrote that it was said that a great battle took place in the parish; fought between the "Danes" [Vikings] under Olave, or Olaus, son of their monarch, and the natives under their king. The battle was said to have begun at Druim Righ ("the king's ridge"). In the first encounter, the natives gave way and retreated up the valley. However, once they retrieved reinforcements they rallied at a place called Sluggan, and managed to successfully respell the foreigners. One of the "Danish" leaders, Ulric, was slain and a grey stone was said to still mark the spot where he fell. The "Danes" then recovered themselves and stood their ground where the battle first commenced. Olave and the Scottish king were said to have fought in single combat, in which Olave was slain. His body was then interred in the tumulus
, known ever since as Dunan Aula, located about a quarter of a mile from Druim Righ where he fell. Stewart stated that there were other monuments in the area which tradition stated were erected for those who fell at this battle. He wrote that some of these still stood at his time of writing, although one large grey stone, and a circle
of smaller stones was removed when the modern Barbreck House of constructed.
A brief, but similar version was published in the late 19th century, within a collection of Argyllshire traditions titled Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition. This version states that a force of Norwegians landed in the area and the locals fled to the upper end of the district, up to the Slugan (gorge) of Glean Domhnuinn (the Deep Glen). The locals were, however, rallied by a young man who slew the Norwegian leader, with either a spear or an arrow. The invaders then lost heart, and were pushed back past the Barbeck river. The invaders afterwards buried their leader on Barbreck farm, which bears the name Dùnan-Amhlaidh, or Olav's Mound. The locals of the district also raised a stone at the spot where Olav fell. In the early 20th century, Patrick H. Gillies wrote of the same tradition; although in his version Olaf was himself a king who died fighting the King of Scots.
Cist
A cist from ) is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead. Examples can be found across Europe and in the Middle East....
, located in the parish of Craignish
Craignish
Craignish is a peninsula in Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland. It lies around south of Oban, and north of Lochgilphead. The peninsula is around long, and is aligned along a north-east to south-west orientation, in common with much of the landform of coastal Argyll. To the south is Loch...
, in Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
, Scotland. The site is located at . The place-name means "Olaf's mound"; it is said to commemorate a Viking prince so-named, who fell in battle against the native Scots.
Location
Dunan Aula is located 650 metres (2,132.5 ft) north-northeast of Barbreck House, in the parish of CraignishCraignish
Craignish is a peninsula in Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland. It lies around south of Oban, and north of Lochgilphead. The peninsula is around long, and is aligned along a north-east to south-west orientation, in common with much of the landform of coastal Argyll. To the south is Loch...
, in Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
, Scotland. The cist is located on the top of a large mound, north of an 18th-century burial ground and mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
. The site is located at .
Description
The cist is said to have been found sometime before the late 18th century. The 1791–99 Statistical Account of Scotland records that when it was discovered it had been covered in loose stones.The cist consists of large large slabs of stone and a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d capstone. It is aligned northeast and southwest. The cist measures 4 feet (1.2 m) by 2.7 foot (0.82296 m) by 2.9 foot (0.88392 m); the gabled capstone measures 5.4 feet (1.6 m) by 4.8 feet (1.5 m). Other stones which project from the mound may suggest that there are other graves in the area. There is no trace of any cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
material.
There is also an upright slab located roughly 9.5 metres (31.2 ft) to the north-northwest, on the side of the knoll. It is aligned northwest and southeast. It measures 0.6 metres (2 ft) by 0.4 metres (1.3 ft) at the base; and is 1 metres (3.3 ft) high. The slab has straight slides and a flat top. It is not considered to be part of the cist.
Archaeological finds
A history of the parish of Craignish appears in the 1791–99 Statistical Account of Scotland, written by Rev.The Reverend
The Reverend is a style most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style but is often and in some dictionaries called a...
Lachlan M'Lachlan, parish minister. Within his account, M'Lachlan noted that "not many years before" some workmen uncovered the cist after removing some loose stones on the mound. Within the cist an urn
Urn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
was found; which was then broken and destroyed in an attempt to get at its supposed "treasure". M'Lachlan noted to the great disappointment to those who destroyed it, all the urn contained was ash.
Local legend
M'Lachlan, in his late 18th century historical account of the parish, stated that according to local tradition, Dunan Aula was near the site of a great battle between "Danes" [Vikings] and the natives of the area. The tradition was that Olaus, son of the "King of Denmark", was slain in the battle; and that the mound of Dunan Aula, "the little Mount of Olaus", was named after him.Rev. Archibald Francis Stewart wrote the account of the parish in the 1834–45 Statistical Account of Scotland. Stewart wrote an expanded form of the tradition mentioned by M'Lachlan. Stewart wrote that it was said that a great battle took place in the parish; fought between the "Danes" [Vikings] under Olave, or Olaus, son of their monarch, and the natives under their king. The battle was said to have begun at Druim Righ ("the king's ridge"). In the first encounter, the natives gave way and retreated up the valley. However, once they retrieved reinforcements they rallied at a place called Sluggan, and managed to successfully respell the foreigners. One of the "Danish" leaders, Ulric, was slain and a grey stone was said to still mark the spot where he fell. The "Danes" then recovered themselves and stood their ground where the battle first commenced. Olave and the Scottish king were said to have fought in single combat, in which Olave was slain. His body was then interred in the tumulus
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
, known ever since as Dunan Aula, located about a quarter of a mile from Druim Righ where he fell. Stewart stated that there were other monuments in the area which tradition stated were erected for those who fell at this battle. He wrote that some of these still stood at his time of writing, although one large grey stone, and a circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
of smaller stones was removed when the modern Barbreck House of constructed.
A brief, but similar version was published in the late 19th century, within a collection of Argyllshire traditions titled Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition. This version states that a force of Norwegians landed in the area and the locals fled to the upper end of the district, up to the Slugan (gorge) of Glean Domhnuinn (the Deep Glen). The locals were, however, rallied by a young man who slew the Norwegian leader, with either a spear or an arrow. The invaders then lost heart, and were pushed back past the Barbeck river. The invaders afterwards buried their leader on Barbreck farm, which bears the name Dùnan-Amhlaidh, or Olav's Mound. The locals of the district also raised a stone at the spot where Olav fell. In the early 20th century, Patrick H. Gillies wrote of the same tradition; although in his version Olaf was himself a king who died fighting the King of Scots.