EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Antrim
‘Larrybane’ (Knocksoghey td.), Co. Antrim
Early Medieval Promontory Fort.
Grid Ref: D04824512 (30482/44512)
SMR No. ANT 004:005
Excavation Licence: N/A
Excavation Duration/Year: 1935; April 1954
Site Director: V. G. Childe (Edinburgh University); V. B. Proudfoot & B. C. S. Wilson
(Historic Monuments Branch, Ministry of Finance).
The site is a promontory fort which was partially excavated by V.G. Childe in 1935. It was
later threatened by quarrying, and was further excavated in 1954 (Fig. 30).
The 1954 excavation was largely focused on the interior of the site. No structural remains of
house walls were discovered. However, some roughly cobbled floors were found which
suggest that the houses may have been rectangular.
An iron ring, nail and sickle were found on site, and the presence of slag suggests that
ironworking was undertaken on site. The exotic material found on site – a fragment of
bronze, a glass bangle, and an amber bead – are possible indicators of external trade. Around
1500 sherds of souterrain ware are recorded for the site.
Faunal remains from this excavation show a higher percentage of sheep bone than normally
found on other early medieval sites - (Cattle (44.7%); Sheep (43.3%); Pig (6.8%); Red Deer
(3.0%); Horse (1.5%). One bone was found of dog, cat and hare; and there were also a
number of bird bones (domesticates and sea birds), as well as some fish bones (mostly cod).
Fig. 31: Plan of Excavations at Larrybane, Knocksoghey, Co. Antrim (after Proudfoot & Wilson
1961-2, 92).
References:
Childe, V. G. 1936. A Promontory fort on the Antrim Coast. Antiquities Journal, 16, 179–98.
Proudfoot, V. B & Wilson, B. C. S. 1961-62. Further excavations at Larrybane promontory
fort, Co. Antrim, Ulster Journal of Archaeology (Third Series), 24–5, 91–115.
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