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EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

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Cork<br />

Fig. 65: Plan of Scandinavian and medieval Cork (after Bradley & Halpin 1993, 18).<br />

<strong>The</strong>re have been a significant number of excavations in the area of Scandinavian Cork (Fig.<br />

66) since the 1970’s described particularly within a number of edited publications (e.g. Cleary<br />

& Hurley 2003; Cleary, Hurley & Shee Twohig 1997) and in the annual excavation bulletin<br />

reports.<br />

DEFENCES AND LAND RECLAMATION REVETMENTS<br />

Historical Evidence<br />

<strong>The</strong>re is no historical or archaeological evidence for the exact location of the original ninth<br />

century Scandinavian Dún or caisteol mentioned in the annals though the probable location is<br />

on the South Island. Hurley (2003b, 171-72) have suggested that parallels for the low-lying<br />

marshy island siting of the Cork settlement should be sought with a number of possible<br />

longphort sites at Athlunkard, Co. Clare, Dunrally, Co. Laois and Anagassan, Co. Louth. <strong>The</strong>re<br />

are scant other descriptions of a Scandinavian settlement at Cork between the later ninth and<br />

early twelfth century when (Jefferies 1985, 15-17).<br />

<strong>The</strong> late twelfth century charters linguistically distinguish between the South Island (civitas)<br />

and the settlement on the South Bank (Vill) which could imply that these two areas were<br />

visibly distinct from each other at the cusp of the Anglo-Norman invasion, perhaps by the<br />

existence of enclosing defences around the former (Bradley & Halpin 1993, 20). <strong>The</strong><br />

properties at the South Bank are described as being bounded by the ‘curtilage of the<br />

burgesses’ which would indicate an unenclosed settlement (Jefferies 1985).<br />

119

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