Dun Troddan
Dun Troddan ( Scottish Gaelic Dùn Trodan ) is one of the best preserved Iron Age brochs in Scotland . It stands about 3 miles southeast of the village of Glenelg , in the middle of farmland not far from the banks of the Sound of Sleat within sight of the Isle of Skye in the Highlands . Nearby is the Broch Dun Telve . The term Dun for Brochs is often found in the west of Scotland, where there are influences from Ireland in the Kingdom of Dalriada (300 to 800 AD), where the term comes from. The term Broch, derived from the norn , is much more recent.
description
Dun Troddan stands on the north side of the Abhainn a 'Ghlinne Bhig stream , in the floodplain of the Gleann Beag ("Little Valley"). The tower is in a good state of preservation. The stones of the approximately 7 m high Broch, which are about two thirds of the circumference and at the upper end, are said to have been used for the construction of the barracks in Glenelg. Historic Scotland oversees Dun Troddan and Dun Telve. The Broch is almost within sight of Dun Telve, a few hundred meters away. The closest brochure to the back of the valley is Dun Grugaig.
The outside diameter is over 16 m with a wall thickness of 3.7 m at the entrance and 3.3 m opposite the entrance and an inside diameter of about 8.6 m. The access passage is in the southwest, has an unusually long guard cell on the left and there is a ledge as a door stop. Another intramural niche, with off-center access from the interior, is located approximately to the north. It has a clockwise staircase.
The upper area of the wall is double-shell or hollow and only connected in short sections. The inside of the wall can be seen through vertical galleries. There are three vertical galleries visible in the structure. The double-shell design of the wall led to weight reduction and less material used. The low remaining height of the other brochures prevented identification of the building use. A circle of post holes was discovered in the broch during the excavation. These were interpreted as supports for an internal wooden structure or a wooden hut. There are several explanations of how access to the higher levels was made.
literature
- Ian Armit: Towers in the North: the Brochs of Scotland. Tempus, Stroud, Gloucestershire / Charleston, SC 2003, ISBN 0-7524-1932-3 .
Web links
- Description, picture and sketch (English)
Coordinates: 57 ° 11 ′ 40.7 " N , 5 ° 35 ′ 12.4" W.