Dun

A Dun ( in Irish dún, kelt * dunon; . Dùn in Scottish Gaelic, Welsh din dinas derived thereof ( "City " ), also Anglicized Doon or down, respectively, meaning " fortress" ) is a mostly round bronze or iron Age plant dry stone often with around 20 m in diameter ( Loher Fort ), which is also known as the " Atlantic Roundhouse " in Western Ireland frequently, and in Scotland.

Irish Duns regionally as Cathair or Caher ( anglicized form) or Cashel, or as Lis or Lios and location, shape or material-related as Cliff Fort, Coastal Fort, called Promontory Fort, Ring Fort or Stone Fort. You can find some on hills ( Moghane Hill Fort ), where they are called ( from an archaeological point of view wrongly ) as Hill forts, and on islands in lakes ( Dun Ban and Doon Doon Fort in Lough in County Donegal). Doon of Drumsna refers to a portion Wall ( mound ) the seals off a bend in the river. The earthen and far more frequent equivalent of Dun is the Rath.

The facilities were formerly classified in the group of forts. These were, as was the view, built as Fort Hill from about 1200 BC and as Duns from about 700 BC. An earlier origin of Duns, however, evidenced by the excavations at Aughinish in County Limerick. Here is a late Bronze Age chisel type Dowris was in a Dun, among other finds, along with a Early Iron Age object found. Thus, it is possible that the establishment of Aughinish during Dowris phase took place .. view endorsed by archaeologists Michael J. O'Kelly and Seán P. O'Riordain for some time.

Local shapes and dissemination

Ireland

Dun is with respect to former or still existent systems of this type, also a part of the name of Irish Castles ( Dunguaire Castle) and many places in the British Isles (Dundalk, Dundee, Dun Laoghaire ). Sometimes the alienated or anglicised forms Don or Doon occur (eg, Donaghmore, Donegal or Doonmore ). The regional designation Caher ( Caherdaniel, Cahersiveen ) is common in the southwest as a prefix of place names. The names refer to a real, possibly also ausgegangenes Dun. The most famous (largely) obtained Irish Duns are Duchathair Dun, Dun Aengus, Dun Dun and Eochla Eoghanachta on the Araninsel Inishmore in County Galway and Dunbeg Fort (the small Dun ) and Dunmore ( the great Dun ) on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. The last two names also occur in other counties.

Among the restored, primarily the large Duns, also known as Stone Fort, Fort Staigue and Cahergal in County Kerry, Dún Duchathair be highlighted on Aran and the Grianan of Aileach in County Donegal. Feature that Duns, called Cliff or Promontory Forts, is its location. Domestically, they are on a steep terrain edge, near the ocean on steep cliffs. Such documents had the advantage that one parte in the construction of the bund a larger portion ( about 40 % ) and only semi-circular systems created.

Duns were even written on tiny islands, such as Doon Lough (translated: the lake -Dun ), in Donegal, which occupies 90 % of the total rock island and is sometimes regarded as a Crannog. Another feature of Duns ( but especially of Raths ) basement can be, although also exist as stand-alone systems, but are often encountered in the context of the council or Duns, as in Drumena Cashel in County Down. Overall, the genus ring systems of earth and stone on the island of Ireland ( including Northern Ireland ), the huge number 35000-40000 assets are attributed.

Scotland

The list of ground monuments of the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland ( RCAHMS ) has for Scotland a total of 814 duns. The term is used in Scotland to describe different types of stone enclosures (Atlantic roundhouses such as Dun Ban, but also for Broch or Wheel Houses ), by the second half of the 1st millennium BC to the 2nd half of the 1st millennium AD were built and used.

They represent a variety of structures, which consist of dry masonry. Most Duns occupy in the agricultural land unusable locations. Duns are relatively simple, usually round or oval structures that can show abnormalities in the form, however, which are determined by the morphology of the landscape. You can of smaller outworks be accompanied (especially in the access area ). In some cases, the Dun is surrounded by a number of outdoor facilities, which reflects a different state or different functions. In addition to the simple Duns there are some that show a higher degree of architectural complexity, primarily by intramural aspects. They are called " Duns Galleried ". In addition to the gallery, the group divided by further building structures (eg berms, wall niches, guard cells, stairs, unusually thick walls and straight joints within the walls, which indicate a gradual construction). " Galleried Duns " are different from the other, with the exception of Dun Ardifuir I, including through the enhanced site. Its construction falls in the phase of development of Broch, with whom they share many dispositions and dating.

In several cases, duns come, forts and brochs in close proximity, sometimes as successive housing estates before, like it is for Dun Lagaidh ( Highlands ) is described: "A complex on on oval rocky hill Comprising a timber- laced fort, now vitrified, overlaid by a dark ".

About a quarter of Duns (202 ) is concentrated in the Western Isles.

In Scotland Dun is also part of the name of many round towers, which the Normans gave the name Broch. Duns were built between 300 BC and 1300 AD (after Stout ) in the late Iron Age and into the early Christian period and used. More than 100 places in the UK ( mainly in Scotland) have Dun as a prefix. In the county of Angus exists near Brechin a place called Dun, and in the border area is Duns. Much less common here are the prefixes Rath ( 5) or Council ( 13). Duns in Scotland:

Wales

In Wales there is the " Din Lligwy Hut Group". A situated on a cliff Roman period complex of rounded and angular stone huts within a containment. Bwrdd Arthur (or Din Sylwy ) is a Hill Fort at Llanddonna. But Megalithic as Din Din Lligwy Dryfol and carry the designation Din; However, all located on the island of Anglesey. Din or Dyn come to Wales as a prefix and suffix in the plant and location name before ( Tydd yn Bleiddin or Dinas )

Continent

On the continent some names of fortified settlements include ( " hilltop settlements " ) the word Dun with suffix -on and oppida most - dun -on. Thus, for example Tarodunon (Latin Tarodunum ), a late Celtic settlement in space Kirchzarten on Rotbach mentioned by ancient historians. It was also Singidunon (Latin Singidunum ), which is probably " round fort " meant a ostkeltisches oppidum on the northern Balkans.

Function

Whether Duns had other tasks, is not assured. In the English archeology of fortification character of the plants is emphasized.

However, it is argued that some systems would not meet the technical tasks of an attachment: You are too small to be defensible or a siege withstand unfavorable strategically located and had a disabled military structures inside and outside plants on. Thus, for example when Dún Chonchúir on the Aran island of Inishmaan at the outer walls of two ramps that end two meters below the crest. The author concludes that it is cult buildings at the plant. From early Christian times is narrated that clan chiefs who were converted to Christianity, the monks gave their Dun. The earliest Irish monasteries arose in former Duns or translated architecturally the form of Duns in barely altered form continued. Duns or Raths are brought in Irish mythology with Gods or equipped with godlike abilities heroes ( in the manner of Hercules ) in conjunction.

Dun name

The word Dun appears in many place names derived from the original fortifications, as in Dùn eideann, Scottish Gaelic for Edinburgh, or Dún na nGall, Irish- Gaelic for " fort of the foreigners ", anglicised Donegal. Cill to Dúin ( Killadoon ) means " church of Dun ". The 100 seats in the UK, leading the prefix Dun, to make sure the majority back to the Celtic term. In Ireland, is one of the anglicized forms of Dun Doon or down, such as in place names Downpatrick or Countynamen "Down" in Northern Ireland. The Proto- Celtic form * duno which corresponds to the English town and is also present in France and Switzerland in the name of Gaulish origin, such as:

  • Lundunum = London
  • Lugdunum ( Dun of Lugh ) = Lyon
  • Noviodunum = Nevers
  • Dunams = Thun
  • Verodunum = Verdun
  • Eburodunum = Yverdon

The word Dun is also part of family names such as Dunsmore (also Dunsmuir, Dunsmur, Dunmoor or Dunmore ).

Name Lios or Lis

These other names for Dun dive in Ireland and Scotland regionally eg in:

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