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

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Kerry<br />

almost completely surrounded the stone house at a distance <strong>of</strong> 0.5m and was probably built<br />

to retain insulating sod for the building. An internal spread <strong>of</strong> habitation refuse, e.g. shells,<br />

carbonized grain and animal and fish bone, as well as a hearth <strong>of</strong> burnt material just inside<br />

the door were revealed in the interior <strong>of</strong> the house. Nine postholes in the area directly<br />

opposite the door were interpreted as supports for some sort <strong>of</strong> wooden bed. An internal<br />

stone-flagged drain ran out under the entrance passage and contained habitation refuse in its<br />

upper fills, e.g. shells and fragments <strong>of</strong> bone.<br />

A partially stone-lined well was excavated just south <strong>of</strong> the stone house. This feature could<br />

be <strong>of</strong> relatively recent date and from its fill were recovered fragments <strong>of</strong> hide, probably cattle<br />

and several quartz pebbles. <strong>The</strong> inhabitants appear to have thrown their food waste- shells<br />

and animal bone- out the door <strong>of</strong> the circular stone house and in time this refuse developed<br />

as a large spread down the slope <strong>of</strong> the island towards the enclosing cashel and rectangular<br />

house.<br />

Finds from the circular stone house and its associated habitation refuse included a<br />

quernstone, shale axe, net-sinker, whet-stone, three pieces <strong>of</strong> flint, bronze strip, fourteen<br />

large brad-like iron nails, seven iron knives and two perforated bone points.<br />

Other excavated monastic structures comprised a cross-inscribed slab bearing ogham<br />

inscription and a significant terraced shrine mound on a rocky knoll forming the highest point<br />

<strong>of</strong> the island. <strong>The</strong> area <strong>of</strong> the shrine mound was partly investigated by O’Kelly who suggested<br />

that the terraced walls may have functioned as a garden terrace. O’Kelly also identified a<br />

stone cist with corner stones in a hollow to the southeast <strong>of</strong> the terraced area which has<br />

been identified as a possible corner post shrine. O’Kelly also observed that the area <strong>of</strong> the<br />

shrine and terraced walls produced a significant collection <strong>of</strong> quartz pebbles which he<br />

suggested was relatively recent in date.<br />

Excavations by Hayden in 2004/5 revealed that the area <strong>of</strong> the rocky knoll consisted <strong>of</strong> an<br />

elaborate terraced shrine mound, which measured in excess <strong>of</strong> 26m in length by more than<br />

20m in width. Over 9 terraces were excavated, the edges <strong>of</strong> which were defined by low stone<br />

walls and their surfaces partly paved with Valentia slate and covered with white quartz<br />

pebbles. <strong>The</strong> terraced shrine mound was found to extend beneath the circular stone house<br />

(1) to the north.<br />

<strong>The</strong> uppermost terrace had been removed though may have originally held a tent-shaped<br />

gable shrine composed <strong>of</strong> large slabs <strong>of</strong> Valentia slate. O'Kelly’s possible corner post shrine<br />

stood at the south-east corner <strong>of</strong> Terrace 5. Several burials and a stone-lined charnel pit were<br />

excavated across the various terraces. A path was also identified which ran upslope from the<br />

south-eastern entrance in the cashel wall up the eastern end <strong>of</strong> the terraced mound.<br />

<strong>The</strong> third phase <strong>of</strong> monastic activity consisted in the construction <strong>of</strong> a rectangular stone<br />

house (Fig. 169) and an enclosing cashel wall. Both this house and the enclosing cashel wall<br />

post-dated the circular stone house as they were built upon the deposit <strong>of</strong> refuse associated<br />

with this building, but the circular stone house was still in use after the cashel wall was built<br />

since the spread <strong>of</strong> refuse continued to build up for a height <strong>of</strong> 1m against the wall’s inner<br />

face.<br />

<strong>The</strong> rectangular house (5.15m by 3.8m internally) was situated on the north-eastern edge <strong>of</strong><br />

the island and also pre-dated the construction <strong>of</strong> the cashel wall. It contained an internal<br />

hearth, externally rounded corners and two doors in each <strong>of</strong> the building’s short sides. Its<br />

walls, which survived to a maximum <strong>of</strong> 1.5m wide and 1m high, consisted <strong>of</strong> an inner and<br />

outer built facing with a rubble and earth core. Along with the substantial walls, fifteen<br />

internal postholes, thirteen set close to the wall base, provided supports for a ro<strong>of</strong> structure.<br />

<strong>The</strong> floor was covered with a layer <strong>of</strong> habitation refuse consisting mainly <strong>of</strong> limpet and<br />

periwinkle shells with some animal and fish bone. Finds associated with the rectangular house<br />

345

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