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Pictland's District of
Dun Kaimes
Ceann mor:
 Information on and map of the
Kaimes Hill
site, in the West Lothian area of present day
Scotland.
 Kaimes Hill Approximately twenty miles inland from Dun Eidyn is located the ancient hillfort of Kaimes Hill. One of many Pictish strongholds, this tiered fort and settlement was one of many such locales along the border of the Pictish nation and held the defensive position of West Lothian. Standing on the Northwestern section of ramparts one can see to the area where Linlithgow castle now stands, and may have been able to see the highpoint of Cairnpappel. Standing on the Northern rampart facing northeasterly one could see Dun Eidyn itself on a clear day. Historians believe these forts were built on high volcanic intrusions not only to make defense easier, but also so that the Picts could light signal fires and warn other forts of pending invasion.  Like so many other key sites in Alba’s history, Kaimes Hill had been settled and changed frequently. There were two major excavations, one of which was in 1893 by Fred R. Coles and J.H. Cunningham. This expedition determined that the site basically covered the entirety of Kaimes Hill, the enclosed site covering 1132 x 400 feet of the hilltop at it’s extremities with the main entrance facing Dalmahoy Hill. The second set of excavations took place in the 1960s, after a period of destruction by industrialists. This archeological survey determined that the hillfort was developed in three main phases. The first phase was a timber structure with vitrified rock foundations, indicating it was burned to the ground either through ceremony or invasion. The second phase, carbon dated between 400-300 B.C. also has vitrified foundations but includes a larger area. Unfortunately, modern man destroyed much of these first two phases of this site through mining, excavating and rubbish dumping. The third phase, which is the only phase still existing today, consists of a cairn at the summit, complex internal walls of stone and earth and circular stone-rimmed huts within a larger stone rampart. There is also evidence of a spring or well on the Southern side of the hill which explains why Kaimes Hill was used as a domestic location as well as strategic one for such an extended period of time.  Northern rampart looking East to Edinburgh Since the rampant destruction occurred in the 1970s before a major excavation could take place, there is little archeological evidence remaining other than the foundations. There have been discoveries of Iron Age and 3rd century Roman pottery as well as a Roman coin from the era of Emperor Severus, suggesting either trading with or raiding of Roman settlements in Britania. An arrowhead of undertermined age has been discovered, as well as the charred remains of animal bones. Most discouraging is a notation from the 1893 survey noting the presence of sixteen cup and ring marked stones. Some of the stones were removed to Linlithgow Palace for safekeeping, and it is believed that some casts were made of other stones but these are currently missing. Unfortunately, most stones were lost in destructive quarrying. Credits
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