A long-forgotten stronghold unearched on a Scottish isle may have housed rulers who once governed large regions of the Highlands and islands.
Historians suggest the fortification, constructed on two small islands within a body of water at Finlaggan, was owned by nobility more than 700 years ago.
Their descendants included highland chieftains who earned the title of the Island Sovereigns.
The clan leaders turned the site into a strategic headquarters from which they oversaw the Western Isles, Argyll and parts of the Scottish northwest.
Archaeologists have spent nearly 30 years studying this location to acquire a deeper knowledge of its role in the kingdom of the Island rulers, as well as the location’s ancient past.
Remains of a stronghold were discovered and placed in the 1100s and 1200s, before the lords became dominant.
The castle featured a rectangular central building resembling those located at impressive castles in northern England, Bamburgh and other medieval locations.
The structure housed residential areas, open areas, kitchens, a main hall where events took place and a religious space with an nearby cemetery.
Experts stated that European monarchs in Britain and Ireland were known for building stone structures, and they proposed that this castle’s was constructed as a symbol of power and prosperity.
The structure could have been dismantled because it was unstable or compromised during raids.
A palace was subsequently built on the exact location for the clan chief.
The MacDonald chiefs acted as sovereigns and saw themselves as peers of other nobility.
They executed military campaigns in northern Britain and targeted sites such as Urquhart Castle on the banks of a famous lake.
In a recent publication, experts stated that Finlaggan was the lords' main base of operations.
The book has been released by a archaeological society.
An author headed a team of specialists and assistants in discovering new insights about the site.
"Review of all the data that was gathered has been a central aspect of my life since the 1990s, and I trust I have not only offered an narrative of value but also a starting point for others to carry out more study in the years to come."
A senior figure remarked that the organization's mission was to communicate understanding of the history as broadly as feasible.
