Note

Date 20 October 2011

Event ID 638569

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Note

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/638569

The chronology and affinities of Rubers Law fort remain matters of considerable complexity and significance. Stevenson (1951, 194-5) considered it a ‘nuclear fort’ of putative early Historic date, comparable with others, notably Dunadd (NR89SW 1.00), of recognised historical significance. He noted that ‘For the post-Roman date of the walls of Ruberslaw we have the unmistakable evidence of Roman dressed stones built into them’ (as was earlier noted by Curle).

RCAHMS (1956, i, 102-5) considered this evidence in greater detail, noting the discovery of Roman coins and metalwork on the hill. They recognised Roman masonry ‘in abundance’ in the walls of the ‘citadel’ and ‘annexe’, but noted its absence from the outermost wall, which they saw as possibly representing a ‘fort or oppidum of early Iron Age date.’

Feachem (1963, 153 and 1965, 161) saw the fort as being (in the earlier work) ‘of at least two structural periods.’ In the later work, he suggested that ‘an earlier occupation of the larger defended area... was followed, probably after a gap, by a later occupation of the summit area, probably after the departure of the Romans from the vicinity.’

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 20 October 2011.

R B K Stevenson 1951; RCAHMS 1956; R W Feachem 1963; R W Feachem 1965.