AN archaeological dig for sites associated with the Merlin legend has been nominated for a national award.
The ‘Hidden History of Dark Age Tweeddale project’, has been nominated for the archaeological research project of the year at the Current Archaeology Awards.
Led by the Arthur Trail Association, the project has been working with volunteers and heritage groups including Peebles and Biggar archaeology societies and Moffat Museum to find Tinnis Castle, where according to lore Merlin was imprisoned by a dark age tyrant.
Fieldwork got underway in 2022 and was completed earlier this year, with the team discovering archaeological evidence that corroborates the legend, revealing the remains of a hill fort that was occupied around 600 AD, precisely when the story was set and which has the hallmarks of a lordly stronghold of the time.
The team also undertook a geophysics survey of ground where according to the legend, Merlin was buried on the banks of the Tweed and Powsail Burn. This survey revealed that there is an archaeological feature resembling a grave near to this spot at Drumelzier.
Reporting on the project’s findings, archaeologist Ronan Toolis stated: “Drumelzier has long been associated with the legendary Merlin, who was reputedly imprisoned there by a dark age king, killed and buried by the banks of the Tweed nearby too. The Drumelzier’s Hidden Heritage project set out to investigate the archaeological roots of this local legend.
“What the findings reveal is not that the local story was true, but that the legend, containing pre-Christian customs, ancient Cumbric names and located at local sites that could credibly have given rise to the story, was not brought here as a wandering medieval tale but more likely originated in Drumelzier itself. This is a startling survival of the
early medieval cultural heritage of the Britons of southern Scotland.”
The winners will be announced on March 1.
