EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Kerry
Many of the latest burials from within the cave were from areas immediately inside the
entrance with the latest from Area T producing a date of 1020±40 BP (see below). It appears
that the burials near the mouth of the cave entrance may have been associated with the
ritual sealing of the entrance shaft. Artefacts from the fill of the entrance shaft included two
bone pins, a whetstone, a copper-alloy fragment and decorated bone comb fragments.
The later-ninth/tenth-century cave burials were associated with a complex series of funerary
activities outside the cave opening involving the cremation of animal bone in a funerary pyre
and the construction and closure of the dry-stone-walled entrance shaft. The remains of a
substantial walled structure defined by a slot-trench were uncovered on the south-eastern
side of the entrance shaft. It appears to have been deliberately dismantled - it was cut by the
fire pyre flue and its material re-used in the construction of a pyre situated inside a subcircular
depression.
A second shorter slot-trench together with a number of post and stakeholes were possibly
contemporary with the pyre and may have supported a platform over the fire or formed the
corners of a wooden pyre structure. The side-plate of a decorated bone comb was uncovered
from inside the fill of the shorter slot-trench. Fragments of cremated bone, burnt iron
fragments and part of a bone spindle whorl were recovered from the pyre remains. Excavated
finds to the east of the entrance shaft also included an iron anvil and a quern stone. Charcoal
from the pyre remains (1160±60 BP) indicate it is broadly contemporary with the latest cave
burials (see below).
A circular depression appears to have then been excavated at roughly the same time around
the opening of the cave to facilitate the construction of a dry-stone walled entrance shaft
(1.77m in maximum height, 1.3m wide at the top and 0.6m wide at the base). The
depression was then backfilled with the black deposit from the pyre containing charcoal and
cremated animal bone. The dry-stone walled entrance shaft was finally sealed by three
capstones and was overlaid by the black deposit from the pyre containing two perforated
bone needles and a struck flint pebble.
The construction of the D-shaped enclosure also appears to have been roughly contemporary
with the funerary activity outside the entrance shaft and the latest burials inside the cave.
The enclosure consisted of two banks of earth and stone divided by a rock-cut ditch; and a
shallow drain-like feature was uncovered outside the bank which may have been used to
divert water downs-lope away from the enclosure. Three shallow postholes were uncovered
between the outer bank and the external drain, charcoal from which produced a ninth/tenth
century date (see below). The central location of the entrance shaft in the enclosure, and the
recovery of a whetstone from the make-up of the inner bank, support this c. tenth century
date for the enclosure. Similarly, the recovery of fragments of cremated bone in the fills of
the postholes as well as in the ditch between the two banks suggests that this evidence was
roughly contemporary with the funerary activity outside the entrance shaft.
The cremated and un-cremated animal bone from Cloghermore is distinct from other animal
bone assemblages of the period as it showed sheep as the most common animal. It also
showed that that the slaughter of young animals- mainly lambs and piglets- were common
practice and is perhaps indicative of ritual activity and feasting. The considerable quantity and
diversity of the grave-goods indicate the richly furnished burials of possibly Scandinavian
craft-workers, warriors, females and children.
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