Book excerpt: The kingdom of Dal Riata flourished for a few brief centuries but the legacy of that period is profound. According to legend, the Irish king Fergus Mor arrived on the shore of Argyll around AD 500, and founded Dal Riata, the first kingdom of the Scots. New research now challenges this traditional account of Irish colonization of western Scotland. However it arose, this small kingdom held an important place in the artistic, intellectual and political life of north-western Scotland. Artistic achievements, such as the Book of Kells and the magnificent Iona stone crosses, are some of the world's great works of art. The reputation of the early Christian monks, such as Columba and Domnan, spread across Europe as the monastery at Iona became one of the major centers of learning.