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AR01055_EMAP_Gazetteer_of_Sites_4-2_10.pdf - The Heritage ...

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Introduction<br />

1. Introduction<br />

<strong>EMAP</strong> initially worked on the first draft <strong>of</strong> the Settlement <strong>Gazetteer</strong> (Vol. II) between July and<br />

December 2009. Between July and November in 2010, <strong>EMAP</strong> has written its preceding report<br />

(Vol. I), which is a thematic appraisal <strong>of</strong> the rural, ecclesiastical and urban settlement<br />

evidence from early medieval Ireland and explores the types <strong>of</strong> dwellings, enclosures,<br />

unenclosed settlements and related agricultural, industrial and craft activities. <strong>EMAP</strong> has also<br />

added additional site summaries to Vol. II although the time constraints <strong>of</strong> our research<br />

meant it was again impossible to include all significant settlement excavations. We have also<br />

updated or re-written certain site summaries based on newly published information or on<br />

feedback and comments from site directors.<br />

<strong>The</strong> updated draft <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Gazetteer</strong> consists <strong>of</strong> 241 site summaries, although excavations on<br />

urban sites, and large scale multi-season excavations (e.g. Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly), have<br />

been included as one summary. <strong>The</strong>se represent a select number <strong>of</strong> key or significant<br />

excavations undertaken on early medieval settlement sites in Ireland between 1930 and<br />

2008. <strong>The</strong>se summaries were short-listed for inclusion in the gazetteer based on the quality<br />

<strong>of</strong> archaeological material recovered. Although they represent roughly 10% <strong>of</strong> the total early<br />

medieval excavations undertaken during this period (O’Sullivan et al forthcoming), because<br />

many <strong>of</strong> those excavations were <strong>of</strong> ‘no archaeological significance’ this present report<br />

accounts for a high proportion <strong>of</strong> archaeological sites <strong>of</strong> significance. For those excavated<br />

post-1970, this was done with reference to the Excavations Bulletin<br />

(http://www.excavations.ie), which allowed a complete list <strong>of</strong> excavations for this period to<br />

be drawn up and assessed. Those sites which uncovered structural remains, which had good<br />

stratigraphy and dating, and which produced quantities <strong>of</strong> artefacts and ec<strong>of</strong>acts were then<br />

further examined and a short produced. <strong>The</strong> short-listing <strong>of</strong> sites excavated pre-1970 was a<br />

rather simpler process and consisted largely <strong>of</strong> reading published excavation reports.<br />

Although summaries <strong>of</strong> certain ecclesiastical and cemetery sites are also included in the<br />

gazetteer, these focus on the settlement evidence from these sites, rather than church<br />

architecture or skeletal populations.<br />

In this report, each site summary provides key information in concise form, including the Site<br />

name and County; the Type <strong>of</strong> site (e.g. ‘Early Medieval Settlement Enclosure’) the<br />

National Grid Reference, the SMR No., the Excavation Licence No., the Excavation<br />

Duration/Year (months and years when the excavation was carried out) and finally the<br />

Site Director, which information is usually but not always linked to the Licence itself. <strong>The</strong><br />

site summary then provides a concise, focused site description providing information on<br />

location, site dimensions, phasing and general chronology and any site activities implied by<br />

various features and finds. All available radiocarbon dates are then provided, both in<br />

uncalibrated and calibrated form, in a table towards the end <strong>of</strong> each site summary (we<br />

suspect that this will be a key resource for all researchers. Finally, an individual site’s<br />

bibliography <strong>of</strong> previous publications or unpublished reports is listed.<br />

<strong>The</strong> summaries are based on a variety <strong>of</strong> original sources. In many cases they represent a<br />

précis <strong>of</strong> published work (updated with more recent discoveries where necessary). Published<br />

excavation reports were found in a large number <strong>of</strong> different works and journals, and<br />

incorporating differing levels <strong>of</strong> detail. <strong>The</strong> major regional and county archaeological journals<br />

were a rich resource (e.g. the Ulster Journal <strong>of</strong> Archaeology has large numbers <strong>of</strong> Northern<br />

Irish excavations, and the Journal <strong>of</strong> the Cork Archaeological and Historical Society<br />

incorporates many <strong>of</strong> the excavations undertaken in south Munster); as were the Proceedings<br />

<strong>of</strong> the Royal Irish Academy and the Journal <strong>of</strong> the Royal Society <strong>of</strong> Antiquaries <strong>of</strong> Ireland.<br />

Smaller local journals such as Ríocht na Mídhe and the Clogher Journal were also consulted.<br />

Excavation reports were also found in festschriften (e.g. M.J. O’Kelly’s excavations at<br />

Knockea, Co. Limerick were included in North Munster Studies: Essays in Commemoration <strong>of</strong><br />

Monsignor Michael Moloney (Rynne 1967)), as well as in company-produced monographs<br />

xvi

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