EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Kerry
A number of finds possibly associated with the second phase of activity of the cave were
recovered from the minimal clay deposit inside the ‘Two-Star Temple’ and the passage linking
it to the ‘Graveyard’. Finds from the passage linking the two chambers included bone comb
fragments, iron fragments and a perforated bone plaque, probably a strap-end; and finds
from the ‘Two-Star Temple’ included a stone spindle-whorl, iron arrowhead and iron
fragments. Artefacts from a narrow curving offshoot passage at the north end of the
graveyard included fragments of a bone comb, a disc bead or spacer, two small spherical
glass beads and a well-preserved copper-alloyed ringed-pin.
The richest deposits and features were uncovered inside the ‘Graveyard’ chamber nearest to
the enclosure entrance. Artefacts from the ‘Graveyard’ included bone beads, broken
decorated bone comb, bone gaming-piece, a decorated and perforated ivory bead, numerous
iron/copper-alloy fragments, iron axe-head, iron spearhead ferrule, iron barrel padlock
mechanism and copper-alloy pin fragment. A Viking silver hoard (c. A.D. 910-940), consisting
of two ingots and four pieces of hack silver, was discovered in a small cleft in the rock floor
covered by 0.65m of soil and stones.
A sub-circular setting of stones covered by a number of larger slabs and containing a black
deposit of cremated animal bone, charcoal and ash was excavated inside the ‘Graveyard’. The
black deposit appears to have derived from a funerary pyre outside the entrance shaft.
Although no human bone was recovered, it was suggested that the feature could have
possibly been the site of a human cremation burial. And amber beads were recovered from
the deposit. Un-burnt horse bone and a horse tooth were also found around and within the
stone setting.
The entrance gallery and its related alcoves were also used for burial during the second
phase, producing large amounts of animal and human bone. Artefacts from the entrance
gallery included an amber bead, pendant whetstone, stone bead, stone spindle-whorl, stone
disc bead, rotary quern fragment, bone bead, decorated bone handle, decorated bone
gaming-piece, bone comb fragments, antler pin-beater, iron rings, iron knives, iron shears,
iron bucket-handle, shaft of a bronze pin, metal stud with textile attached and a blue glass
bead with yellow paste decoration. The two principle features comprised a sub-rectangular pit
and a fully articulated skeleton.
A sub-rectangular pit was uncovered inside the cave entrance. It contained a quantity of
animal bone as well as the remains of one adult- bones from the foot- and three sub-adultstorso
of a young child and the metatarsals of two children. The pit also produced a large
number of finds including an antler spindle-whorl, fragments of double-sided comb teethplates,
a bone-point, bone-pin, bone gaming-piece, decorated double-sided antler comb, part
of iron shears, iron knives and a red jasper fragment. Charcoal from the base of the pit
produced a radiocarbon date of 1140±60 BP (see below). The deposits in the pit were sealed
and appear to have had a ritualistic function.
A fully articulated skeleton was uncovered inside and to the east of the cave entrance. Two
stones were uncovered on the north-eastern side of the torso and either formed part of a
setting or were used to prevent the body from rolling down-slope. Charcoal from the
fragmentary remains of a second adult from soil over the articulated burial produced a
radiocarbon date of 1180±40 BP (see below). Charcoal from the base of the shallow gravecut
of the articulated skeleton produced a radiocarbon date of 1150±60 BP (see below) which
could indicate that bone from an earlier burial was either disturbed or mixed in with the soil
covering the burial during the internment or was deliberately included as part of the burial
ritual.
Artefacts associated with the articulated skeleton included a small carved stone vessel or
crucible, a boat-shaped whetstone, two copper-alloy pins, a copper-alloyed ringed-pin, a
small copper-alloy button, an iron knife and a fragment of an iron shield boss. Fragments of a
copper-alloy buckle tang were found in the soil immediately above the articulated skeleton.
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