ARCHAEOLOGY
‘Be inspired and learn from the stories of Drumadoon’s remarkable archaeological remains and the diverse peoples who lived here’.
It’s the story of people and the natural world... past, present, and future.
The earliest settlers probably arrived just after the last Ice Age, and groups of hunter-gatherer fishers will have foraged on the dramatic landscape and rich coastline at Drumadoon.
When Neolithic farmers arrived at the Isle of Arran over 5000 years ago, they created a huge ceremonial monument on the high ground, the ‘Drumadoon Cursus’. It runs across the dramatic hillside overlooking Machrie Moor and the Northern Mountains. This was when people first began to radically change their environment by land use.
With new farming practices, the deforestation of the native Atlantic Rainforest began, and for thousands of years, generations of people lived and worked the land.
Drumadoon’s Cursus has been described by investigating Archeologists as being as significant as Okney and Stonehenge with global importance. The surrounding hill land and moors have extensive remains of prehistoric houses and field systems that have yet to be investigated.
The Iron aged Hill Fort is perched on dramatic Basalt cliffs at Drumadoon Point. The ‘Doon’ commands a strategic position overlooking the important Seaways to Northern Ireland and the world beyond. Around 2000 years ago, this was a centre of power, where industry and craft may have been focused.
The ‘King’s Caves’ on the shoreline show evidence of these distant connections. Amongst the extensive carvings, you can find Irish Ogham script and rare Norse Serpents. Recently we have laser scanned all the caves to create a detailed 3D digital model to record and concerve the nationally important carvings.
The sheer variety of historical sites and monuments at Drumadoon and other undiscovered sites will tell a remarkable story of how people lived, worked, and changed their landscape over thousands of years.
Along with our partner, Archaeology Scotland, we are developing unique visitor opportunities for exciting archaeological programs and creative artistic responses on these unique sites.
INTERESTED IN ARCHAEOLOGY?
If you are interested in learning more, supporting the archaeological work or participating in these initiatives, please do get in touch...