Prehistory

  Humankind first appears in Scotland during the Quaternary Period (c. 2,000,000 years ago approximately) and at present it has not been demonstrated what the extent of man's presence was along the area of Western Scotland.

The Mesolithic Period (c. 8,000 BC to 4,000 BC)

John Mercer, whom lived at Lealt for nearly a decade and who was an author as well as a qualified archaeologist, quite literally put the island on the map and on the timeline of history with his archaeological investigations.  Ranging from An Carn to Lussa Wood and from Lussa Bay to the middle of Loch Tarbert at Glenbatrick, Mercer catapaulted Jura to archaeological scientific fame with his insightful papers and analysis.  Lussa Wood is still considered today to be one of, if not the most important Scottish archaeological find to date.  Mercer's find essentially proved that Mesolthic culture on Jura had similar features to sites in France as well as Ireland, thus indicating a capability for wide-ranging travel and trade by both boat and foot.  Mercer's untimely death unfortunately precluded further excavations and he is buried near one of his own survey sites in the lee of an Iron Age position at Lealt.  More on the Mesolithic?

An enormous number of flint microliths, or early hand tools created by man, were discovered by Mercer and continue to be found today by other archaeologists.  Generall speaking, microliths are likely to be found at the mouths of any burns, or streams, north of Small Isles Bay, as this is and has been in the pat, the best land on Jura for human occupation. 

Neolithic Period ( 4,000 BC to 2,500 BC)

Cul a Bhaile - how the round house, or 'hut circle' may have looked.

Evidence of Neolithic agriculture has been found at Cul a Bhaile, with considerable evidence of plants such as wheat and barley being used.  While there has been some speculation that Neolithic peoples may have cleared trees on Jura to carry out agriculture, its has not been proven and seems unlikely in the light of what is currently known about the climate during that period on Jura, i.e. warmer and drier. Artefacts found at Cul a Bhaile and Ardfernal are resident in the National Museums of Scotland.

The most well-known evidence of Neolithic man on Jura is the burial chamber near a burn, or stream, at  Poll a' Cheo in the southwest region of Jura.   More on the Neolithic?

Bronze Age  (2,500 BC to 700 BC)

The Bronze Age in Scotland, like that of Ancient Greece, was a heroic age and it is probable that some of the legendary figures and myths now associated with figures such as Fingal and the Fingalian warriors or the Danaans, may be based on actual peoples and events from this period.  The physical evidence on the Isle of Jura occurs in the form of features such as cairns and standing stones or the occasional hut circle. Cup marked stones may also be found as far north as An Carn and as close as Craighouse.

In the Mesolithic period the dead were buried in communal sites, known as barrows , yet during the Bronze Age the custom began to change.  The normal procedure became the creation of cists, a form of stone vault in the ground, and often topped by cairns, though not always. These have been discovered at odd-times throughout Jura's history, ranging from the Sannaig forest to Ardfin, and north at Lagg, as examples.  

Standing stones are quite numerous on Jura, based on the current estimates of the population of the island during this period. There has been much speculation over the use of these free-standing monuments, ranging from the idea that they are religious in nature to their possible use as markers for the stars ascension during the times of the year when agricultural planting should occur.  Camus an Staca is the most well-known of the standing stones on Jura, but they are also present at Loch a Mile, Ardfarnal and Tarbert Bay.  More on the Bronze Age?

Iron Age  (700 BC to 500 AD)

The Iron Age on Jura is remarkable for the number of forts and duns that are present and which were presumably built to defend communities or large families.  While the neighbouring Isle of Islay has several well-known duns, such as Dun Nosebridge (or more correctly, Dun Guadhire, just outside Ballygrant), the Isle of Jura has quite a few as well.

An Dunan, near Ardmenish and Lighthouses

While it is commonly thought that duns on Jura are only along its southeast coast, in actuality duns occur along the entire eastern coastline with the northernmost confirmed one being at Lealt, with others, in descending order, near Gatehouse, Ardfarnal, Crackaig, Cabrach and Ardfin. The most well known dun is aptly named An Dunan, which is located only a few hundred metres from Lighthouses above Lowland's Bay..  More on the Iron Age?