10.01.2014 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Kerry<br />

Caherlehillan, Co. Kerry<br />

Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Enclosure<br />

Grid Ref: V571834<br />

SMR No: 70:43<br />

Excavation Licence: 93E0073<br />

Excavation Duration/Year: 1992-2004<br />

Site Director: J. Sheehan (UCC)<br />

Caherlehillan is a small enclosed ecclesiastical site located 10 km from Cahersiveen along the<br />

northern top <strong>of</strong> the Iveragh peninsula. <strong>The</strong> site is situated on a small level terrace at the<br />

north side <strong>of</strong> a valley formed by the Mullaghnarakill and Teeromoyle mountains and<br />

commands extensive views to the west along the course <strong>of</strong> the Fertha River and towards<br />

Valentia Harbour. <strong>The</strong> founder <strong>of</strong> the early ecclesiastical site is unknown. <strong>The</strong> Fertha valley<br />

contains a large number <strong>of</strong> archaeological sites including the remains <strong>of</strong> a substantial cathair<br />

or stone fort and ancient field systems and isolated huts, some <strong>of</strong> which appear to be early<br />

medieval in date (O’Sullivan and Sheehan 1996, 173; Harte 2002). Research excavations<br />

were undertaken at the site by John Sheehan from 1992-2004 as part <strong>of</strong> an undergraduate<br />

training programme <strong>of</strong> UCC’s Department <strong>of</strong> Archaeology. Various trenches were excavated in<br />

the interior and across the enclosing elements revealing evidence for a short-lived late fifthseventh<br />

century enclosed site comprising a church, cemetery and domestic sector. This was<br />

abandoned sometime in the eighth century, before being finally re-used as a ceallunach in<br />

the early modern period.<br />

Only a portion <strong>of</strong> the original ecclesiastical enclosure survived along its southern and southeastern<br />

sides with modern field walls overlying its western side and a roadway bisecting the<br />

site across its northern portion. It appears to have originally enclosed a space approximately<br />

30m in diameter with an infilled entrance along the eastern side. <strong>The</strong> surviving enclosing<br />

element at the southern end <strong>of</strong> the site consisted <strong>of</strong> a rubble built wall with an outer facing <strong>of</strong><br />

large horizontally laid slabs and measured about 1m in height, 1.05m wide with a 0.2m thick<br />

layer <strong>of</strong> internal stone collapse. <strong>The</strong> entrance and a portion <strong>of</strong> the enclosing wall at the<br />

southern end <strong>of</strong> the site were excavated. Two test trenches were also excavated across a low<br />

tree-lined bank in the field to the north <strong>of</strong> the bisecting roadway and revealed evidence for a<br />

stone wall with similar morphology and dimensions to the original ecclesiastical enclosure<br />

(Sheehan 2003).<br />

<strong>The</strong> north-eastern portion <strong>of</strong> the interior is locally known as the ceallunach or children’s burial<br />

ground and it was here where all the early medieval ecclesiastical structures and features<br />

were revealed. <strong>The</strong> ceallunach was defined as a slightly raised area marked by a large<br />

number <strong>of</strong> uninscribed grave-markers. <strong>The</strong> remains <strong>of</strong> a corner-post shrine and two upright<br />

early medieval cross-slabs – one with the overall design <strong>of</strong> a flabellum surmounted by the<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>ile <strong>of</strong> a bird – were situated in its south-eastern quadrant. Both <strong>of</strong> these slabs were<br />

excavated and appear to have been in secondary contexts. Prior to excavation, the shrine<br />

consisted <strong>of</strong> a rectangular mound 2.9m north-south by 1.9m east-west largely composed <strong>of</strong><br />

stone, including quartz, and retained by substantial upright slabs set on edge.<br />

<strong>The</strong> site was conceived, at its planning stages, as an enclosed church, cemetery and domestic<br />

sector with radiocarbon dates for this primary phase centring on the late fifth and sixth<br />

century. <strong>The</strong> earliest primary features on the site consisted <strong>of</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> substantial<br />

drainage trenches, the longest <strong>of</strong> which was at least 7.5m in length, 2m in width and up to<br />

0.8m deep below contemporary ground level. <strong>The</strong>y were virtually devoid <strong>of</strong> finds and appear<br />

to have only been left open for a short period <strong>of</strong> time before they were backfilled with a loose<br />

mixture <strong>of</strong> upcast spoil, stones and boulders. One <strong>of</strong> these drainage trenches produced a 2-<br />

sigma radiocarbon date range from the early fifth to early seventh century. <strong>The</strong> site’s<br />

enclosing element was roughly contemporary with these drainage trenches. <strong>The</strong> enclosing<br />

wall produced a 2-sigma radiocarbon date range from the early fifth to later seventh century<br />

and was found to directly overly the drainage trenches in two places across the site.<br />

338

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!