Broch with Sheep
As part of the Lismore Landscape Project, Dr Ewan Campbell and colleagues from the Department of Archaeology, University of Glasgow, excavated areas of the interior and surrounds of Tirfuir Broch in 2004-5. At the level of the foundations, they uncovered the most significant find: an enamelled copper alloy bow brooch that had been made in Roman Britain. Because of its position and undamaged condition, it has been described as a “foundation votive offering” – a ritual burying of a valued object to ensure the success of the building, not unlike the modern habit of burying “time capsules”. The headstud style of the brooch dates the building of the broch to around 100AD.
TE960: Enamelled bow brooch of Romano British manufacture (length 54 mm)
The catalogue of finds includes an unusual copper alloy stick pin; 11 non-ferrous metal objects (rings, brooch pins, a buckle and other fragments); 36 fragments of flint; 60 iron objects, mostly nails; pieces of bone and antler; shells of edible seafood; and 40 fragments of hand-made local pottery. The finds are predominantly late Iron Age, with traces of later Norse or Medieval occupation.
TE665 Copper alloy stick pin (head width 13mm)
All of these items are in the care of Glasgow University until the Lismore Landscape Project is fully written up and published. At that time, there will be the opportunity for CELM to bid for them through the Treasure Trove system. We are very grateful to Dr Ewan Campbell for providing a full catalogue of the finds.
As a result of the Lismore Landscape Project, and in view of the number of people walking and climbing over the broch each year, it became clear that the structure needed some attention to prevent further deterioration. In 2008/9, Historic Scotland funded a thorough programme of maintenance by Colin Rowan, including the reconstruction of a sizeable gap in the eastern wall. This was done with great skill and care, with weathered stone, so that it now is very difficult to detect the patch. A new wooden gate was installed to prevent sheep entering between the broch walls on the west side.
The “finds” turning up during this work include a further piece of handmade local Iron Age pottery, and a range of animal bones, bird bones and shells (of indeterminate age, possibly modern). These are held in the Lismore Museum object collection.
LISDD-2008.148: Fragment of Iron Age pottery (48mm x 30mm)
View Across Broch to Eilean Dubh