Excavations on the Scottish island of Lismore have revealed the remains of a large Christian monastery from the early Middle Ages, including a workshop where gold and silver were melted. The island, home to around 190 people, has no shops or pubs. The local historical society began excavations in 2016, uncovering a cemetery, carved crosses, and a metallurgy workshop. The findings were published in the journal Antiquity by researchers including archaeologist Clare Ellis from Argyll Archaeology, along with colleagues from the University of Aberdeen and the National Museums of Scotland. The remains, dating from the 7th to the 10th century, support the idea that the monastery of Lios Mór, founded in the 6th century by Saint Mo Luóc, was located on the island. Previously known only through texts and tradition, the site is considered a major religious center, similar in importance to the famous island of Iona. Gordon Noble from the University of Aberdeen described it as "clearly a very important Christian establishment," though the original church has not yet been found. One of the most remarkable discoveries is a smelting area near an oval building about 8 meters in diameter. Over 1,000 fragments related to metalwork, including crucibles, covers, and molds, were collected. These were used to cast at least two types of annular brooches. X-ray fluorescence analysis shows that the materials are mainly copper alloys, but some crucibles contain significant amounts of gold and silver, indicating the smelting of precious metals. This workshop operated between the 7th and 9th centuries. In Scotland, only the site of Dunadd has provided more molds and crucibles. This clue might explain a touchstone used to test gold, found on the island in the 19th century. Waterlogged soil has also preserved bones, wood, and deer antlers. Two long bones bear intricate patterns of a fineness unmatched in Scotland. These "patterned pieces" were likely used to test jewelry decorations. Yew wood from containers suggests craftsmanship linked to medieval Ireland. To locate the monastery, the team used geophysical surveys and trenches around the parish church. Radiocarbon dating places the oldest tombs between 650 and 780, with the most recent dating between 900 and 1040. A limestone wall surrounds this cemetery, where infants, adolescents, and adults are buried. In a trench, all the adults examined are men with signs of joint wear. A femur has a notch, possibly from a sword or axe. Three fragments of carved crosses display motifs previously unknown in Scotland at this time. These findings suggest a rethinking of the religious map of the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata. Lismore was located on the lands of the Cenél Loairn lineage, near the fortress of Dunollie. Iona, another famous religious site, was associated with a rival lineage. According to the authors, other monasteries may have competed with Iona, but they have been overshadowed by sources centered on Iona. This interpretation is still tentative: the sacred enclosure and the upper cemetery remain to be excavated. This project also highlights an archaeology driven by the local community. The islanders gathered funding through subsidies, donations, bequests, and crowdfunding, then worked alongside professionals on the excavations. Coordinator and co-author Robert Hay hopes to rehabilitate the image of Saint Moluag. The saint was mentioned in 11th-century martyrologies from Metz and Ratisbonne, but "unfortunately, he did not take care of his communication," Hay remarked, reflecting on the saint's lack of self-promotion.