Dunan Aula, Bronze Age cist in Craignish, Scotland
Dunan Aula is a Bronze Age stone burial chamber located about 650 meters north-northeast of Barbreck House in Craignish, standing on a natural mound near an 18th-century burial ground. The chamber consists of carefully arranged stones resting beneath a distinctive gabled capstone that covers the burial space.
The burial chamber was discovered before the late 18th century and contained an urn with cremated remains, providing evidence of ancient cremation practices. These findings show how Bronze Age people treated and honored their dead.
The name Dunan Aula comes from Gaelic and means Olaf's Mound, linking it to a legendary battle between local Scots and Norse invaders in the region. This connection to the past lives on in the place name itself.
The site is best reached on foot by following a walking path from the nearby Barbreck stone row, with the river in the area serving as a natural landmark. The terrain is open and accessible, though proper clothing and sturdy footwear are recommended for the walk.
The burial chamber features a distinctive gabled capstone, and the arrangement of surrounding stones suggests that additional graves may lie undiscovered nearby. These details show how archaeologists use visible clues to hint at what remains hidden.
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