Disir
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- Sep 30, 2011
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Archaeologists say they have identified the remains of the cell of St Columba on the Scottish island of Iona.
They have used radiocarbon dating to place samples of burned wood in the middle of Columba's time there almost 1,500 years ago.
The charred remains of a hut were excavated in 1957, but it has taken until now for science to accurately date them.
The cell, or scriptorium, is where he worked, prayed and spent his last day.
The samples had been carefully stored at several universities - and latterly in a garage in Truro.
Centre of worship
St Columba arrived on Iona from Ireland in the year 563. His Gaelic name is Colum Cille - "the dove of the Church".
He is widely credited as one of the key figures who brought Christianity to Scotland.
From his vision sprang Iona Abbey, which became a centre of literacy, learning and worship.
....The result? The remains of the hazel stakes date the hut between the years 540 and 650. Columba died in 597.
Adrián Maldonado says it is "within a standard deviation of the lifetime of St Columba", which he says is "about the closest you can get to being certain that it is something that was standing when Columba was on Iona".
Scientists uncover St Columba's cell on Iona - BBC News
That's interesting.
They have used radiocarbon dating to place samples of burned wood in the middle of Columba's time there almost 1,500 years ago.
The charred remains of a hut were excavated in 1957, but it has taken until now for science to accurately date them.
The cell, or scriptorium, is where he worked, prayed and spent his last day.
The samples had been carefully stored at several universities - and latterly in a garage in Truro.
Centre of worship
St Columba arrived on Iona from Ireland in the year 563. His Gaelic name is Colum Cille - "the dove of the Church".
He is widely credited as one of the key figures who brought Christianity to Scotland.
From his vision sprang Iona Abbey, which became a centre of literacy, learning and worship.
....The result? The remains of the hazel stakes date the hut between the years 540 and 650. Columba died in 597.
Adrián Maldonado says it is "within a standard deviation of the lifetime of St Columba", which he says is "about the closest you can get to being certain that it is something that was standing when Columba was on Iona".
Scientists uncover St Columba's cell on Iona - BBC News
That's interesting.
