For Y'all Data - Ancient Clan Seal Constitute Inwards Scottish Castle Ruins

Archaeologists stimulate got brought dorsum to life a fundamental minute inwards the turbulent history of Dunyvaig Castle on the Isle of Islay yesteryear finding a precious exceptional belonging to i of its quondam occupiers.

The seal is made from Pb too carries the inscription IOANNIS CAMPBELL DE CALDER
[Credit: University of Reading]

The seal of Sir John Campbell of Cawdor (c. 1576-1642), who had taken ownership of Islay inwards 1615, was discovered yesteryear an undergraduate working at the University of Reading’s ongoing annual summertime schoolhouse dig on the island.

The seal had lain on a clay flooring inside the castle for to a greater extent than than 400 years, buried below mounds of rubble from the collapsed defensive wall. Once used to sign too seal charters too legal documents, it is a circular disc of lead, carrying the inscription IOANNIS CAMPBELL DE CALDER [Calder was the master spelling of Cawdor]. The seal carries the Cawdor coat of arms amongst a galley-ship too a stag. On its reverse, is the appointment of 1593 too the initials DM.

The Campbells too MacDonalds fought over Dunyvaig inwards the early on 17th century, amongst a serial of sieges too bombardments of the castle until the Campbells lastly prevailed.

Zoë Wiacek discovered the seal, which was used to sign legal documents inwards the 1600s
[Credit: University of Reading]

Zoë Wiacek, the University of Reading educatee who found the seal, said: “I removed a slice of rubble too it was merely sitting at that topographic point on the ground. I straightaway knew it was an of import find, but had no persuasion what it was. I called over my trench supervisor, too when it was lifted, the soil cruel away to demonstrate the inscription. Then everyone became excited. I am hence proud to stimulate got found something hence of import for the projection too for Islay.”

Undertaken yesteryear Scottish charity Islay Heritage too the University of Reading, the 2018 Dunyvaig earthworks continues until Fri 31 August. It volition resume inwards 2019 to maintain unveiling the history of Dunyvaig.

Islay Heritage aims to assist the local community encompass the ownership of the heritage of the isle too ameliorate introduce it to a wider audience, including tourists too schools. The annual summertime schools also permit University of Reading students to larn start manus sense of an archeology investigation.

Archaeologists believe the remains of an ancient short town may live at the Dunyvaig Castle site
[Credit: University of Reading]

Dr Darko Maričević, Director of the Excavation, said: “This is a remarkable find. Not solely is it a beautiful too well-preserved object, but it comes from the flooring of a edifice that nosotros tin sack at nowadays confidently appointment to the Campbell occupation. So buried below this floor, nosotros volition stimulate got the story of the MacDonald’s – the Lords of the Isles – to reveal.”

Roddy Regan, of Kilmartin Museum, said: “Seals are extremely rare finds. This regain conjures upward an picture of a Campbell garrison fleeing from the castle when nether attack, dropping too losing i of their close precious items, or possibly the seal had i time been hidden inside a wall niche too long forgotten.

“Perhaps the raid was inwards 1646, when Alasdair MacColla, a descendent of the MacDonalds, retook the castle too installed his elderly father, Colla Ciotach to defend it. The castle was straightaway besieged again. We may stimulate got Colla Ciotach’s hasty defences inwards the shape of turf walls built inwards a higher house the already ruined rock walls of Dunyvaig, earlier he was forced to give upward inwards 1647 too and hence hanged from the castle walls.”

The earthworks is business office of an ongoing projection yesteryear the University of Reading too Islay Heritage
[Credit: University of Reading]

Professor Steven Mithen, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Reading, Chairperson of Islay Heritage too Director of the Dunyvaig Project, has been involved inwards query on Islay for to a greater extent than than thirty years too helped found the Islay Heritage charity inwards 2016.

He said: “Coming towards the halt of the dig, subsequently the squad had worked hence difficult to deed huge amounts of turf too rubble, this has been a thrilling discovery. We stimulate got found a slice of Islay’s yesteryear too Scottish history. We can’t facial expression to start digging i time again inwards 2019.”

Source: University of Reading [August 30, 2018]


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