An island, partly or wholly artificial, often formed by dumping timber, earth and stones and revetted with timber piles or a palisade. Built in a loch, wetland or estuary and dating from prehistory to medieval.
Related Terms
| Term |
Note |
| ARTIFICIAL ISLAND |
An artificial island with no visible traces of occupation. |
| BROCH |
An Iron Age round defended house, found mainly in the north and west of Scotland. Brochs have a tapering profile and thick, usually hollow dry stone walls which contain galleries, cells and a stairway, with guard cells at the entrance. |
| DUN |
A building or settlement enclosure with a thick drystone wall, generally circular or oval in plan, usually sited in an elevated position. |
| FORTIFIED ISLAND |
An island, natural or partly artificial, with evidence for a defensive perimeter wall. Use more specific terms where possible. |
| GALLERIED DUN |
A building or settlement enclosure, generally circular or oval in plan, with a double-skinned dry stone wall which often contains galleries and a stairway. Usually sited in an elevated position. |
| HOUSE |
A building designed for human habitation, usually as a permanent dwelling. Use specific term where known. |
| ISLAND DWELLING |
A small, sometimes partly artificial, island with evidence of buildings and other structures related to domestic occupation, generally of medieval date. |
