THE theme for this year’s lantern parade is ‘The Battle of Dunadd’; a historical theme chosen to celebrate the Year of Highland Culture. Dunadd is one of Scotland’s most important archaeological monuments as it is thought to be the centre of the Kingdom of Dalriada – home of a tribal grouping known as the Scotti, from whom Scotland as a whole takes its name. It was chosen as the focus of this year’s parade for this reason.
Dunadd has traces of occupation stretching back right into the late Neolithic and early Bronze age, some four-and-a-half-thousand-years ago. The earliest fortification of the hilltop took place in the Iron Age, around two thousand years ago. No historical records survive from this time, so all our interpretations are based on archaeological evidence. The fortifications at Dunadd were changed and expanded to include other areas of the hill over the next thousand or so years into what historians and archaeologists call the early historic period. The archaeology and history of this time in Scottish history is complicated and not that well understood. There are very few historical references and it is not always possible to connect places and people mentioned in ancient texts to places we know exist today.
We do know that the Iron Age and Early Historic period was a time of unsettlement in Argyll. As well as ‘new’ religions being brought to Argyll by Irish Monks, many different cultural and tribal groupings are known from this period – the Picts, the Scots, the Britons and later the Norse for example. That conflict occurred is perhaps inevitable! There are historical references relating to battles during the 6thc for example, and weapons have been found at Dunadd. Archaeology also tells us that people felt the need to build fortifications during this time. There are over 100 duns and forts in Mod Argyll alone, and many can still be seen in the landscape today.
So, this year’s lantern procession is a mixing together of all these influences and tantalising snippets gleaned from both archaeology and the dawn of Scottish history. Story teller Patsy Dyer has been commissioned to write a piece based on archaeological research conducted at Dunadd and has been advised by archaeologists from Kilmartin House Museum. The committee has not however, restricted the story tellers brief to this work. The result is a speculative fantasy – evil magical ‘baddies’ battling heroes for the secret of eternal youth – and it rolls together a thousand years of history in an extravagant and entertaining piece to thrill the crowds on the night. We hope you enjoy the tale and for those that it stimulates to find out more, visit Dunadd on a clear sunny day – survey the former kingdom of Dalriada, and imagine what life might have been like for the people who carved the boar, the footprint and the basin on top of the hill some thousand years ago.
