Fig. 1: Map of Europe with the Western Isles highlighted
Fig. 2: Map of the Outer Hebrides, Skye and the west coast of mainland Scotland showing principal islands mentioned in the text
Fig. 3: An island-centred geography (Armit 1996, 7). Published with kind permission from Edinburgh University Press
Fig. 4: The smaller hills of Harris (aerial photograph taken by Alan Moar – published with kind permission) http://www.alanmoar.flyer.co.uk/Westernisles/Lewis/lewis.htm
Fig. 5: An aerial photograph of Southern Lewis (Taken by Alan Moar – published with kind permission) http://www.alanmoar.flyer.co.uk/Westernisles/Lewis/lewis.htm
Fig. 6: The earliest known photo of the village on Mingulay, taken in 1887 (Buxton 1995, plate 1). This cluster of buildings is more characteristic of Hebridean settlement prior to crofting. The village, and the island, were finally abandoned in 1912
Fig. 7: Derelict building at Sorisdale, Coll. Possibly the last thatched cottage on Coll and inhabited till the early 1990s. TThe roof structure is of irregular driftwood and reused timber pegged or nailed together, covered with turf and thatch and held by chicken wire. Photo by author
Fig. 8: Detail of roof structure at Sorisdale, Coll. Photo by author
Fig. 9: Salvaging timber after storms in Canna, 1947 (Campbell 1984, monochrome illus. 18). By permission of Oxford University Press
Fig. 10: Mol Mor, Scarpa, Harris. A traditionally plentiful source of timber (Duncan 1995, colour plate 8)
Fig. 11: Horsehair rope-making, Lochboisdale, South Uist, 1936 (Russell 2002, 84). Photograph by Werner Kissling. With kind permission from The Archives of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh
Fig. 12: Hay rope-making using a simple twister (corthsagan), South Boisdale, South Uist, 1936 (Russell 2002, 86). Photograph by Werner Kissling. With kind permission from The Archives of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh
Fig. 13. Rope-making with bent/marram grass, Peninerine, South Uist, 1953 (Russell 2002, 105). Photograph by Werner Kissling. With kind permission from The Archives of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh
Fig. 14: Heather rope-making, South Lochboisdale, South Uist, 1947 (Russsell 2002, 92). Photograph by Werner Kissling. With kind permission from The Archives of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh.
Fig. 15: Roping patterns from the roof at 42 Arnol, Lewis (Walker, McGregor and Stark 1996, 45). By permission of Bruce Walker
Fig. 16: This illustration shows two different methods of supporting turf and thatch. Left – Parallel heather ropes bound to base purlins (Sidinish, North Uist). Right – parallel ropes passed over purlin and round the back of short lengths of timber between wall-head and the base purlin (Berneray, Harris) (Walker et al. 1996, 22). By permission of Bruce Walker
Fig. 17: Houses in the northern half of the village on the now deserted island of Mingulay, 1905 (Buxton 1995, pl.12). The crow sticks and end roping are clearly visible. With permission: University of St Andrews
Fig. 18: Blackhouses at Ardvachair, South Uist, 1951 (Russell 2002, 99). Photograph by Werner Kissling. With kind permission from The Archives of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh
Fig. 19: The turf-built longhouse at Loch Eynort, South Uist, 1936 (Russell 2002, 77). Photograph by Werner Kissling. Note the parallelogram blocks set in a herring-bone pattern. With kind permission from The Archives of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh
Fig. 20: The turf house at Loch Eynort, South Uist, 1936 (Russell 2002, 77). Photograph by Werner Kissling. With kind permission from The Archives of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh
Fig. 21: Kelp workers bothies at Ardvule, South Uist (Symonds 1997, 280). Published with permission: James Symonds/University of Sheffield
Fig. 22. The priest's house at Mingulay, from the east, in 1996 (after Branigan and Foster 2002, 17). Published with permission
Fig. 23: The priest's house Mingulay, from the south, in 1997 (after Branigan and Foster 2002, 18). Published with permission
Fig. 24: Duncan Matheson laying cereal over turf at Luib, Skye (Holden 1998, 25). By permission of Bruce Walker
Fig.25: Number 39 Arnol, Lewis in phase 1 (1850) and phase 4 (1880) showing the initial bi-partite construction followed by the tripartite (Holden et al. 2002, 29). By permission of Bruce Walker
Fig. 26: An excavated blackhouse at Airigh Mhuillin, South Uist. The byre area with drain is in the foreground while the domestic area separated by a partition would have been in the far end (Symonds 1997). Published with permission: James Symonds/University of Sheffield
Fig. 27: Interior of a blackhouse in South Uist, 1934 (Russell 2002, 63). Photograph by Werner Kissling. With kind permission from The Archives of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh
Fig. 28: Sketch showing access analysis applied to phase 1 and 4, 39 Arnol, Lewis. Drawn by the author from plans after Holden et al. (2002).
Fig. 29. Medieval shielings at Ben Gunnary, Barra (after Branigan and Foster 2002, 113). Published with permission
Fig. 30: Distribution of Norse sites in the Western Isles mentioned in text
Fig. 31: Pre-Norse rectilinear structures (a) an Iron Age building and souterrain at Tungadale, Skye; (b) the final phase structure at Cnip, Lewis (Armit 1996, 132). Published with kind permission from Edinburgh University Press
Fig. 32: Location of main cellular or Late Iron Age sites mentioned in text
Fig. 33: The cellular phases at Loch na Beirgh. All of these phases are contained within the walls of the earlier broch. The reconstructions in figure 72 and 74 are based on phase 1 (Harding and Gilmour 2000, ). Published with kind permission from D. Harding.
Fig. 34: Alan Braby's reconstruction of the final Pictish phase at Beirgh, Lewis. This has been set aside in favour of a model where the main part of the building is partially corbelled (Armit 1996, 169). Published with kind permission from Edinburgh University Press
Fig. 35: Illustration of possible reconstruction of final Pictish phase at Beirgh. This building was constructed within the existing double wall of a broch or complex Atlantic roundhouse. The archaeological evidence suggested cell A may have been partially corbelled whilst cell B was probable fully corbelled. This reconstruction suggests a traditional Hebridean roof of thatch over turf. The walls of the building are filled with a mixture of stone, soil, and burnt material and are faced with drystone masonry. Drawing by the author
Fig. 36: Plan of excavated Pictish phase at Bostadh with three 'jelly-baby' or 'figure-of-eight' houses, each with a central cell and at least one other (Neighbour and Crawford 2001, 297). With kind permission: CFA Archaeology Ltd/Historic Scotland
Fig. 37: Illustration of the wall construction at Bostadh where the wall core material was left in situ (Neighbour and Crawford 2001, 297). With kind permission: CFA Archaeology Ltd
Fig. 38. The reconstruction of a Pictish 'jelly-baby' house at Bostadh. The drystone wall is to keep animals from the thatch; no evidence for it was found in excavation (Neighbour and Crawford 1996, 300). With kind permission: CFA Archaeology Ltd/Paula Lind
Fig. 39: A Pictish shieling overlooking Loch Obe, Barra (Branigan and Foster 2001, 100). Published with permission
Fig. 40: Plans of wheelhouses in the Western isles: (a) Sollas, North Uist; (b) Clettraval, North Uist; (c) Baleshare, North Uist; (d) Tigh Talamhanta, Allasdale, Barra; (e) Cnip, Lewis; (f),(g) the Udal, North Uist (Parker Pearson and Sharples 1999, 6). Published with permission
Fig.41: Plans of wheelhouses on South Uist: (a) Kilpheder; (b) A'Cheardach Bheag; (c) A'Cheardach Mhor; (d) Hornish Point; (e) Cill Donnain; (f) Glen Usinish (Parker Pearson and Sharples 1999, 5). Published with permission
Fig. 42: Distribution of wheelhouses in Western Isles. Key sites are labelled
Fig. 43: Author's reconstruction drawing of a free standing wheelhouse. Based on Allasdale. Scale in metres
Fig. 44: Author's reconstruction drawing of Cnip wheelhouse. Scale in metres
Fig. 45: Radial cells at Cnip during excavation (Harding 1996, 111). These are seen to exemplify a typical wheelhouse. Published with kind permission from D. Harding
Fig. 46: Distribution of Atlantic roundhouses in the Western Isles that are mentioned in the text or used in the analysis
Fig. 47: Plans of brochs in the Western Isles region: (a) Dun Vulan; (b) Dun Mor, South Uist; (c) Dun Mor Vaul, Tiree; (d) Dun Cuier, Barra; (f) Loch na Berie, Lewis; (g) Dun Bharabhat, Lewis (Parker Pearson and Sharples 1999, 4). Published with permission.
Fig. 48: Dun Carloway, Lewis. Looking south, down the west coast of Lewis. Photo by the author
Fig. 49: Dun Carloway, Lewis. Note the characteristic double skin tied by lintels, and the 'wall void' in the rear accessed by the staircase and perhaps providing access to a first floor. The building is solid based and includes corbelled cells in the lowest level. Notice also the pronounced batter of the external wall. Photo by author
Fig. 50. Dun an Ruigh Ruaidh, Loch Broom, Ross and Cromarty. Photo by the author
Fig. 51: Reconstruction drawing of Dun Vulan, South Uist (Parker Pearson and Sharples 1999, v). The building is apparently on fire. Published with permission
Fig. 52: Tanya Romankiewicz's reconstruction drawing of Mousa, Shetland (2004, 13). With kind permission T. Romankiewicz/Scottish Archaeological News
Fig.53: Author's reconstruction drawing of Dun Chàrlabhaigh. Illustration shows a section from west to east through the entrance, looking north. Scale in metres
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