Archaeology in Barra
Two standing stones are just off the main road on the machair side near Borve junction. One has fallen into a hollow and the other appears to have shrunk - a combination of a pile-up of sand and the stone sinking into the soft ground.
Dłn Chuidhir is a well preserved double-walled broch sitting on a steep rocky hill with clear views into the distance. The internal ridge about 1.5 metres off the ground could have held beams to support an upper floor. In the early 1970s dice made out of bone were excavated from the centre hearth. Some were numbered and others displayed dots. 1600 year-old pottery, bone tools and querns have been discovered on site. It has been occupied and adapted at different eras into the 7th or 8th century AD.
A significant ancient Celtic settlement and burial site has been uncovered on sand dunes close to the main road between Allasdale and Craigston. For decades it was suspected that a Bronze Age stone wheel house, so called because its living areas are separated by stone walls spokes, was hidden under the machair. In 2007 the 10 metre wide building thought to be around 4000 years old was dug out. Whales ribs were also discovered and, given the scarcity of wood, may have been substitute roof rafters.
Nearby are sites of two Iron Age round houses, roughly from 500BC. Stone artefacts such as burial kists or chests as well as skeletons have preserved despite the passage of time providing valuable evidence of a historical race of Celts which were often called Picts during this time frame.