Dunan Aula

Dunan Aula, also known in Scottish Gaelic as Dùnan Amhlaidh, is the site of an exposed cist, located in the parish of Craignish, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, at grid reference NM83420697. The place-name means "Olaf's mound"; it is said to commemorate a Viking prince so-named, who fell in battle against the native Scots.

Dunan Aula is situated 650 metres (2,130 ft) north-northeast of Barbreck House in Craignish parish. The cist is located on the top of a large mound, north of an 18th-century burial ground and mausoleum.

The cist is said to have been found sometime before the late 18th century. The 1791–99 Statistical Account of Scotland records that when it was discovered it had been covered in loose stones.

The cist consists of large slabs of stone and a gabled capstone. It is aligned northeast and southwest. The cist measures 4 feet (1.2 m) by 2.7 feet (0.82 m) by 2.9 feet (0.88 m); the gabled capstone measures 5.4 feet (1.6 m) by 4.8 feet (1.5 m). Other stones which project from the mound may suggest that there are other graves in the area. There is no trace of any cairn material.

There is also an upright slab located roughly 9.5 metres (31 ft) to the north-northwest, on the side of the knoll. It is aligned northwest and southeast. It measures 0.6 metres (2 ft 0 in) by 0.4 metres (1 ft 4 in) at the base; and is 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) high. The slab has straight slides and a flat top. It is not considered to be part of the cist.

A history of the parish of Craignish appears in the 1791–99 Statistical Account of Scotland, written by Rev. Lachlan M'Lachlan, parish minister. Within his account, M'Lachlan noted that "not many years before" some workmen uncovered the cist after removing some loose stones on the mound. Within the cist an urn was found; which was then broken and destroyed in an attempt to get at its supposed "treasure". M'Lachlan noted to the great disappointment to those who destroyed it, all the urn contained was ash.

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