EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Cork
barrel-padlock and an anvil; a bone spindle-whorl; a glass stud and bracelet; a shale bracelet;
two stone lamps, and one pair of quernstones. Finds from both the primary and secondary
phases included bronze pins; iron knives; iron spear-heads; iron shears; awls; pins; ladles;
hooks; rings; nails; eight barrel-padlock keys; iron vessel ‘escutcheons’; bone pins; glass
beads; glass vessel fragments; stone pendants; stone plaques; stone discs and a large
quantity of stone spindle-whorls; whet and hone-stones, and flint artefacts.
Evidence for ironworking was well attested in both the primary and secondary occupation
phases and finds recovered included crucible fragments, furnace bottoms, tuyère fragments,
ore and a considerable quantity of slag. A bowl-shaped furnace was excavated beyond the
north-west corner of House I from Period I while six pit-furnaces belonged to the Period II
occupation. A small blob of glass was recovered beside the bowl-shaped furnace from Period
I and could ‘represent a drop of molten glass from the artificer’s tool’ suggesting that this
structure was also possibly used for glass-working. Another blob of glass was recovered from
a secondary occupation context in the centre of the interior and may suggest further
evidence for this activity.
Nine stone trial pieces were recovered from the site, all except one, from the secondary
occupation phase, and contained a variety of designs including a spiral pattern, geometrical
interlacements, animal or bird ornament and an interlaced anthropomorph.
The pottery assemblage recovered in both occupation phases consisted entirely of imported E
ware, as well as one sherd of Red Slip Ware (A ware). The recovery of pottery sherd
fragments belonging to the same vessel in both Period I and II contexts indicates that there
was no significant time differences in both occupation phases.
The finds from Garryduff I, particularly the decorated bird ornament from the primary phase
and the E ware assemblage indicate that the enclosure was occupied in two roughly
contemporary occupation phases around the late-sixth/seventh century. The site appears to
be possibly slightly later than Garranes where E ware was absent, though perhaps
contemporary with Ballycatteen fort where Red Slip Ware and Late Roman Amphora were
absent, though E ware was also recovered.
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