Skye, Rubh' An Dunain, 'viking Canal'

Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, taken from the ENE.
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General oblique aerial view of the remains of the harbour at Rubh' an Dunain, looking towards the Cuillins, Isle of Skye, taken from the W.
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General view from dun.
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General shot from Loch na h-Airde to the Cuillin.
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The upper canal leading into Loch na h-Airde. The naust entrances are partly obscured (centre right), while the blockage of the canal towards its entrance into the loch is clear. (Colin Martin)
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Access to Rubh’ an Dùnain is not easy. By land the loch is a 5-mile trek each way, often in poor weather and carrying equipment. This severely restricted work on the site in 2009. (Colin Martin)
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Fast, comfortable access is available – at a price – by rigid inflatable boat from Elgol. This occasion, in 2012, was underwritten by the BBC, who were making a programme. At centre is Dr Jon Henderson (University of Nottingham) who was presenting the programme and providing expertise on the archaeology of the site. On the right is Edward Martin, who has been developing drone photography and photographic rectification for the project. (Colin Martin)
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Setting up base camp on site in 2009. (Colin Martin)
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Trials have been made using sector scanning to search the loch bed for archaeological features. Here Dr Brian Abbott prepares the equipment for a test run. (Colin Martin)
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Trials have been made using sector scanning to search the loch bed for archaeological features. The equipment is seen here being positioned. Results so far have been encouraging, but a more sustained programme is required. (Colin Martin)
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and the remains of the dun at Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the S.
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the E.
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General oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain with the Cuillin Hills in the background, taken from the SW.
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General shot from dun.
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General shot of building
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General shot
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Aerial photograph of the W tip of the Rubh an Dùnain peninsula showing Loch na h-Airde and the canal linking it to the sea. The islet of Sgeir Mhòr provides a sheltered anchorage beyond the canal's mouth. (Colin Martin)
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Aerial photograph of the headland fort and canal from the SW. Underwater indications of a stone-built quay can be seen on either side of the canal’s entry to the loch. Beyond the canal entrance a basin of deeper water largely clear of weed is visible. (Colin Martin)
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Aerial photograph of the headland fort, canal, and loch from the S. (Colin Martin)
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Aerial photograph of the canal and headland fort from the NW. The cleared channel towards the mouth of the canal is evident. (Colin Martin)
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Aerial photograph of the canal and headland fort from the SW. The cleared channel towards the mouth of the canal is evident. (Colin Martin)
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The Slochd Dubh – Black Dyke – a stone wall running from one side of the Rubh’ an Dùnain peninsula to the other, evidently defining a territorial boundary. Though the present wall is relatively modern its line shows modifications and traces of earlier structures, and the line may be of some antiquity. (Colin Martin)
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Plan and N elevation of the headland fort at Rubh’ an Dùnain. (Colin Martin)
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Headland fort, wall from interior looking N over Loch na h-Airde. (Edward Martin)
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Headland fort, intramural chamber adjacent to entrance. Scale 2 metres. (Colin Martin)
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Tumbled stonework from the quay on the E side of the canal entrance into Loch na h-Airde. (Colin Martin)
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Filming, archaeological, and aerial drone equipment come ashore at Rubh’ an Dùnain. The drone system is in the box, centre foreground. (Colin Martin)
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Dr Chris Burgess established a survey network with Total Station. (Edward Martin)
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the SSW.
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the WSW.
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General oblique aerial view of the remains of the harbour at Rubh' an Dunain, looking towards the Cuillins, Isle of Skye, taken from the WSW.
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Map showing features connected with the canal and its surroundings at Rubh’ an Dùnain. (Colin Martin)
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Oblique panorama of the upper canal and nausts. (Edward Martin)
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Detail of the change in the stonework between the lower and upper sectors of the canal. Scale 2 metres. (Colin Martin)
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The lower end of the canal’s outlet to the sea, photographed at low water. This sector is not strictly a canal, but a cleared strip which runs towards the nausts to facilitate landing. Even so, some revetment to the edges is evident. The headland fort is visible at the upper left. (Colin Martin)
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The upper canal leading into Loch na h-Airde, with the blockage part-way along it. (Colin Martin)
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Boat component discovered at the N end of the loch by Dr David MacFadyen in 2000. It is a bite, part of a small four-oared boat of Norse type, and has been C14-dated to around 1100 AD. Scale 50 centimetres. (Colin Martin)
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Part of a boat component discovered at the N end of the loch by Dr David Macfadyen in 2000. The piece is a bite, part of a small four-oared boat of Norse type, and has been C14-dated to around 1100 AD. This detail shows a wooden peg or treenail, and a slot cut in its side. Scale in centimetres. (Colin Martin)
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Setting out one of the primary baselines. (Colin Martin)
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Roger Miket plots measurements as Peter Martin calls them out.
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Edward Martin, filmed by a BBC crew, steadies his aerial drone by the mouth of the canal prior to a photographic sortie. (Colin Martin)
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Dr Colin Martin (left), the Project Director, confers on site with Dr David Macfadyen (right), who found the 12th century boat timber in 2000.With them is Gavin Parsons of Sabhal Mor Ostaig, the Gaelic College on Skye, who is advising on place-name studies and other local cultural issues. (Edward Martin)
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The locations of Dùnan an Thalasgair on Eigg and Rubh’ an Dùnain on Skye, where watch-posts are believed to have been established. (Colin Martin)
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General oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain with the Cuillin Hills in the background, taken from the WSW.
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Oblique aerial view centred on the harbour at Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the S.
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and the remains of the dun at Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the SW.
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and the remains of the dun at Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the SSW.
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the WSW.
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General oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain with the Cuillin Hills in the background, taken from the WSW.
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General oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain with the Cuillin Hills in the background, taken from the SW.
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General shot
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General shot (panorama)
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Headland fort from the W. Note the likelihood that much of its seaward interior has been lost to rock fall. (Colin Martin)
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Vertical aerial photograph from drone of the headland fort at Rubh’ an Dùnain. (Edward Martin)
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Headland fort, N face of wall, looking S towards Rum. (Colin Martin)
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Vertical photograph by aerial drone of the two nausts with their upper hauling bays. (Edward Martin)
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Edward Martin setting up the elevated pole-mounted camera system in 2009. (Colin Martin)
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Trials have been made using sector scanning to search the loch bed for archaeological features. Here the equipment has been positioned near the canal mouth. Results so far have been encouraging, but a more sustained programme is required. (Colin Martin)
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Philip Robertson of Historic Scotland takes a break from assessing Rubh’ an Dùnain’s archaeological and historical significance to Scotland and the wider world. (Paula Martin)
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Skye, Rubh' An Dunain, 'Viking Canal', NG31NE 8, Ordnance Survey index card, Recto
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the WNW.
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the SW.
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General oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain with the Cuillin Hills in the background, taken from the WSW.
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General shot of building
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General shot (panorama)
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Aerial photograph of the Rubh’ an Dùnain peninsula from the W, with the Cuillin Hills rising in the background. Loch na h-Airde is close to the tip of the peninsula. Loch Brittle is on the left, with Glenbrittle at its head. (Edward Martin)
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Loch na h-Airde from the settlement above Rubh’ an Dùnain, looking SW.
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Headland fort from the NE, looking towards the islet of Sgeir Mhòr and the sheltered anchorage between. (Colin Martin)
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Headland fort, interior of wall showing scarcement. Scale 2 metres. (Colin Martin)
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Rectified vertical photomosaic of the canal, quay, and nausts taken by aerial drone. (Edward Martin)
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The upper canal leading into Loch na h-Airde, with the blockage part-way along it. The left-hand revetment is relatively intact, but that on the right appears to have been dismantled to its foundations and the stones thrown onto the bank. Tradition asserts that this was done to bring larger vessels into the loch. Scale 2 metres. (Colin Martin)
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The edge of the quay on the E side of the canal entrance into Loch na h-Airde. (Colin Martin)
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Boat component discovered at the N end of the loch by Dr David Macfadyen in 2000. It is a bite, part of a small four-oared boat of Norse type, and has been C14-dated to around 1100 AD. Scale 50 centimetres. (Colin Martin)
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Treenail, or wooden fastening peg, from a boat component discovered at the N end of the loch by Dr David MacFadyen in 2000 which has been C14-dated to around 1100 AD. The treenail has been tightened with a wedge. Scale in centimetres. (Colin Martin)
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Attempts have been made to search the shallow loch bed, since it is likely that further early boat components will be found there. The simplest method has been to use a small inflatable raft pulled along rope lanes stretched across the loch by a snorkeller. (Colin Martin)
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Trials have been made using sector scanning to search the loch bed for archaeological features. The equipment is seen here assembled and ready for launching. (Colin Martin)
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Dr Colin Martin (left), the Project Director, confers on site with Dr David Macfadyen (right), who found the 12th century boat timber in 2000.With them is Gavin Parsons of Sabhal Mor Ostaig, the Gaelic College on Skye, who is advising on place-name studies and other local cultural issues. (Edward Martin)
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the SSE.
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Headland fort from the NE, looking towards Rum. (Colin Martin)
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Headland fort, aerial view from drone looking S. (Edward Martin)
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Headland fort, entrance. Scale 2 metres. (Colin Martin)
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Headland fort (skylined, on left), the two nausts below it, and the canal leading into Loch na h-Airde. The islet of Sgeir Mhòr and the sheltered anchorage lie beyond. Rum is on the horizon, and the headland on the far left is Dùnan Thalasgair on Eigg, which according to tradition was a watch-post and signal-stance linked to Rubh’ an Dùnain. (Colin Martin)
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Interpretative survey drawing derived from the rectified vertical photomosaic of the canal, quay, and nausts. (Colin Martin)
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Oblique photomosaic taken from an elevated pole of the canal blockage. Scales 2 metres. (Edward Martin)
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The edge of the quay on the E side of the canal entrance into Loch na h-Airde. (Colin Martin)
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Access by boat from Glenbrittle is convenient but entirely weather dependant. This demanded a much more flexible approach predicated on exploiting windows of opportunity with a small family-based team. Here Dr Paula Martin and Peter Martin prepare to set out for the site with a load of equipment. (Colin Martin)
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Within the Total Station network much of the detailed survey was done by plane table. (Colin Martin)
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The site was potentially dangerous, and risk assessments were rigorous. Project Director Dr Colin Martin is more secure than he looks as he records details of the headland fort. (Paula Martin)
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Edward Martin composing the picture and adjusting the camera on the elevated pole-mounted camera system from his computer on the ground. (Colin Martin)
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Attempts have been made to search the shallow loch bed, since it is likely that further early boat components will be found there. The simplest method has been to use a small inflatable raft pulled along rope lanes stretched across the loch by a snorkeller. (Colin Martin)
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This site has elicited much interest and discussion from heritage agencies and others. Here, seated on the remains of a Neolithic chambered cairn overlooking Loch na h-Airde in September 2013, an informal international seminar is taking place. From left, Philip Robertson (Historic Scotland), George Geddes (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland), Edward Martin (archaeological photographer), and Dr Ian MacLeod (Western Australian Museum). Behind the camera is Dr Colin Martin (University of St Andrews). (Colin Martin)
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, taken from the SSE.
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and the remains of the dun at Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the E.
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the SE.
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Oblique aerial view centred on Loch na h-Airde, the 'Viking Canal’ and Rubh' an Dunain, taken from the ENE.
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Skye, Rubh' An Dunain, 'viking Canal'

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