Somerled’s descendants, with their headquarters on Finlaggan Isle of Islay, and known as the Lords of the Isles, controlled large parts of Western Scotland and later became the famous Clan Donald. This situation lasted until Somerled ended Norse power in the Hebrides. Lords of the Isles: Although there is no evidence found of viking raids and viking settlements on Jura the island, same as the other Inner Hebridean islands, were under Norse control and ruled from the Isle of Man. Picture, view from Scarba to Jura, courtesy of Tony Page Was it the coffin of some prince drowned in the Corryvreckan Whirlpool? No one knows. When the cave was excavated some years ago, a stone coffin was found. Amidst myth and legend there is usually a fragment of truth.

The boat was sucked under by the currents and Breackan’s body was dragged ashore by his faithful dog and carried to a cave – Breackan’s Cave – where he was buried. On the first day the rope of hemp broke on the second day the woollen rope parted on the third day all went well until the evening when the rope of hair finally gave way because one of the maidens who had given her hair had been unfaithful. Breackan returned to the Isle of Jura and anchored in the Corryvreckan whirlpool. It was believed that their purity and innocence would give the rope strength to stand the strain. The maidens of Norway willingly cut off their long hair to make the rope for their prince. Breackan accepted the challenge and returned to Norway where he had three cables made: one of hemp, one of wool and of of maidens hair. Her father consented to the marriage on the condition that Breackan showed his courage by anchoring his boat in the whirlpool for three days and three nights. The story of Corryvreckan: The story of Corryvreckan is that of a Scandinavian Prince, named Breackan, who fell in love with a princess of the isles. It is from this time that the following story took place: Another type of settlement was a Crannog, an artificial island in a loch. Remains of these periods are the defended settlements on hilltops called forts (Gaelic Duns). The early historic period begins with the kingdom of Dal Riata and ends with Godred Crovan in 1079. The iron age and early historic period stretches roughly from 750BC to 1000AD and the latter period was also called the dark ages, because of a lack of information. Around 2000BC much of the original forest was cleared because of agriculture and pastures and later during a colder period peat was expanding considerably and around 750BC many parts of Jura were covered with bogs. Some even think these groups co-existed for quite some time.

Their way of life changed from hunters and gatherers to farmers, although it’s not clear if farming techniques were invented by the original inhabitants or were imported by immigrants from other parts of Europe. This was also the period that people started using more advanced stone and bronze tools and created pottery. These people lived in small groups and moved around Jura, Islay and Colonsay depending on the availability of food resources.ĭuring the Neolithic period (new stone age) around 4000BC Jura was covered by a forest consisting mainly of Birch Trees. This period is known as the Mesolothic (middle stone age) Period and the people inhabiting Jura are known as hunters and gatherers. This is also the period that climate changed to the climate we know today. Early History: Although it it safe to assume that people inhabited Britain long before the ice-age, maybe as early as 500,000 years ago, the first real signs of modern men on Jura were around 11000-8000BC, just after the last ice-age.

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