Rare 13 c. Hair styling tools found by the iconic Scots

A rare grave is a medieval hairdo tool that was found in the Eilean Donan Castle in Dornie’s Western Highlands. This is one of only three examples in history in the UK and one of the first to be found in Scotland.

The tool dates back to the 13th century and is made of red deer antlers. This is a single piece: a carefully carved handle depicting a dangled robe holding a book and blunt taper.

Dr. Blackwell, Senior Curator of Medieval Archaeology and History [National Museums Scotland]said the grave is probably part of a set that also includes mirrors and combs.

“Graves could have been used to split into hair neatly and help make beautiful hairstyles – they are very rare objects.

“They originated in France, and around the 13th century, fashion for making beautiful hairstyles seemed to have spread throughout Nordic.”

French tombs are usually made of ivory. This makes this example even more unusual because it is a French object made locally by local materials.

The original castle was built in the 13th century on the island of Eilean Donan, on the meeting point of three ocean lakes. This was the important defense of the local Gaelic Lords against the Vikings who controlled most of the areas at that time. It reached its maximum level in the 14th century.

It became the stronghold of the Mackenzie clan and perhaps became an environment for many clan disputes as early as the mid-14th century. Mackenzies stood with the Jacobites during the uprising in 1715, but by then the castle was in a remote state. In 1719, pro-Jacobbutese Spanish soldiers and 343 barrels of gunpowder were stationed in the castle. The British were intercepted because they were about to provide weapons from Spain and sent warships to intercept them. They bombed the castle for three days, but even for the castle without roofs and fading, the castle still attacked the attack, thanks to its excellent walls 14 feet thick in some areas. Eventually, the British army disembarked, defeated 46 Spanish defenders with their hands, and eventually shot down the castle by igniting all 343 barrels of gun power.

For 200 years, this castle has been just a ruin. The current castle was built in the 1920s and its nostalgic fantasy castle beauties and picturesque location makes it an iconic image of Scotland, visible in many commercials, TV shows and movies.

There are few traces of the original castle, and little is known about Eilean Donan’s life in the heyday of the 13th and 14th centuries. The castle owner, Conchra Charitable Trust, commissioned a series of excavations to discover more information.

In addition to the graves, brooches, game pieces, animal bones, iron jaw harp and ceramic crucibles were unearthed for melting copper, silver and gold. The crucible is evidence that metal objects are made on castles. The National Museum of Scotland says it is one of the most important collections of medieval metalworking tools in the UK.