Sites & cities that bear the name of Dún Aonghasa

Dún Aonghasa

Today in : Ireland
First trace of activity : ca. 11th century B.C.E
Last trace of activity : ca. 5th century B.C.E
Recorded names : Dun Aengus, Dun Aonghus

Description : Dún Aonghasa (Unofficial anglicised version Dun Aengus) is the best-known of several prehistoric hill forts on the Aran Islands of County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It lies on Inis Mór, at the edge of a 100-metre-high (330 ft) cliff. It is not known exactly when Dún Aonghasa was built, though it is now thought that most of the structures date from the Bronze Age and Iron Age. T. F. O'Rahilly surmised in what is known as O'Rahilly's historical model that it was built in the 2nd century BC by the Builg following the Laginian conquest of Connacht. Excavations at the site indicate that the first construction goes back to 1100 BC, when the first enclosure was erected by piling rubble against large upright stones. Around 500 BC, the triple wall defences were probably built along the western side of the fort.

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