Clan Donald and Dunyvaig Castle
The medieval castle of Dunyvaig, perched on the headland of Lagavulin Bay, Isle of Islay, is a legacy of Clan Donald and a treasured item of Scotland’s cultural heritage. The castle was the naval fortress of the Lords of the Isles between the 14th-16th centuries when they rivalled the Kings of Scotland in their political influence, military power and patronage of the arts and the church.
Today the ruins of Dunyvaig remain picturesque but are unsafe, rapidly deteriorating and have a risk of collapse. Deposits containing unexcavated remains from Clad Donald’s past are at risk of being washed away.
Urgent repairs and consolidation are required to save Dunyvaig for present and future generations.
Dun Fhinn – the oldest known dun in Argyll
There are over 50 duns on Islay – circular stone built structures often located on the tops of crags or coastal promontories. These were built during the Iron Age, probably in a response to climate change and population pressure. Whether they were all constructed at...
Fox and Geese on Islay
There are no foxes but plenty of geese on Islay today. But both were present in the 16th period as pieces in medieval board game known as ‘fox and geese’. The 2021 excavations at Dunyvaig Castle discovered large slabs of slate engraved with criss-cross diagonal lines...
Report of the Dunyvaig Excavations in 2019
The full excavation report from last year's Dunyvaig excavation has just been released! Click the link below to read a full account of all the exciting discoveries from summer 2019.
Archaeological Evaluation of Loch nan Deala Crannog
In early October, Islay Heritage carried out an archaeological evaluation at the site of a crannog in the partly drained Loch nan Deala near Keills. This is the second time we have come to this intriguing site having conducted detailed topographic and geophysical...
A Visit to Texa Chapel
During the summer, Professor Steven Mithen and Sarah Lambert-Gates travelled to briefly survey the ruins of a chapel found on the Isle of Texa. The chapel is dated to the Medieval period and was dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. Some 16th century...
Report on the Dunyvaig and Hinterland Assessment Project 2019
We've just released the interim report of our Dunyvaig and Hinterland Assessment Project 2018/2019. The project aimed to answer five questions and the report details how far we have come in getting these answers. To read the report, just click the button...
The Dunyvaig Excavation Report 2019
We have completed another exciting season of excavation at Dunyvaig this summer. You can read all about the excavation and its results in our excavation report by clicking the link below.
Dunyvaig Castle 2018 Excavation Report
We have just produced a new fascinating report about the 2018 excavation at Dunyvaig Castle. You can read the whole thing a the link below.
Islay Archaeology Week – 8-14 August 2018
The next Islay Archaeology week is here! Check out the poster below for more information and visit the Islay Archaeology Week 2018 page for to find out even more.
