In September 2005 a team of archaeologists from Cambridge University led by Dr Simon Stoddart gave an update of their work on the Iron Age landscape of the island. In partnership with Historic Scotland, their investigations started in 2000 with aerial surveying and will be completed in 2006 with a final publication of their results.
The Broch
Dr Stoddart said Lismore had been chosen as, thanks to its unique limestone, it has a great number of well preserved sites. It also has a friendly and generous community who have not only taken the team to its heart, but offered hospitality and entertainment and a great willingness to participate with insights about the changing landscape.
The field work phase began in 2004 with work at the Broch, the dun at Park and some work at Castle Coeffin. In 2005 work continued at the Broch, and further sites were opened at the Cathedral enclosure, Killandrist/Clachan, above St Moluag’s Chair, Castle Coeffin and Bernera Island.
Dr Caroline Malone spoke about the work at Broch at Tirefuir – the most significant Iron Age site on the island visible for miles – where she has been looking at what lies around the entrance. Her interests are in both conservation of this great monument, so important to present day Lismore, as well as to its changing history and occupation. No work is possible inside the Broch as the weather, sheep, and tourists have greatly weakened what was a very strong structure and she hopes that engineers will recommend that it be shored up so that future generations of Liosaich will be able to appreciate the inspiring structure.
She worked on what turned out to be a rather impressive doorway with a large flat bottomed stone. In other diggings around the entrance where there was evidence of a dwelling, they found a Neolithic cutting tool of flint which probably came from quite a distance and showed the occupants were seafaring, a 1st or 2nd century AD Roman pin perfectly intact and maybe from the Antonine period, a bone spatula and many animal remains mainly cattle but also sheep, pig, red deer, roe deer, dog, goose and some fish. Also a bear phalange which would have come there on a pelt.
Archaeology on Iron Age Lismore 2000 to 2006 The Broch of Tirfuir
Archaeology on Iron Age Lismore 2000 to 2006 The Broch of Tirfuir
Archaeology on Iron Age Lismore 2000 to 2006 The Broch of Tirfuir
David Redhouse told us about the work on the Dun at Park in 2004 where not a great deal was found bar a rotary quern grinding stone and nearby a great deep mysterious hole, the significance of which they are still working on.
Megan Meredith’s interest lies in the early Medieval and she worked at the cathedral enclosure where there is a structure within the Cathedral circle which is very close to the old Cathedral entrance. They found an iron arrow head, a thimble (possibly German) and much dressed stone possibly from the cathedral.
Dr Megan Meredith’s team
She then moved with her team to the dun near St Moluag’s chair where there appears to have been two enclosures side by side which they surmise may be from different periods of occupation.