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

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Westmeath<br />

Ballinderry I, Co. Westmeath<br />

Early Medieval Crannog<br />

Grid reference: N19884262 (219884/242620)<br />

SMR No: WM030-118<br />

Excavation Licence No: N/A<br />

Excavation duration/year: 1932.<br />

Site directors: H. O’N. Hencken (Harvard Archaeological Mission)<br />

<strong>The</strong> early medieval crannog <strong>of</strong> Ballinderry no. 1, Co. Westmeath produced occupation<br />

evidence for the tenth and eleventh centuries A.D., with intermittent activity on the site until<br />

the seventeenth century. <strong>The</strong> crannog survived as a large weed-covered hillock, measuring<br />

33m by 20m, at the north-west end <strong>of</strong> an original lake that formerly lay between glacial<br />

moraines (close to the Eiscir Ríada routeway across the midlands). At the time <strong>of</strong> its<br />

investigation this had been drained to marshy and boggy land. <strong>The</strong> discovery <strong>of</strong> a Viking<br />

sword in 1928 had brought it to the attention <strong>of</strong> Adolf Maher <strong>of</strong> the National Museum. <strong>The</strong><br />

site was excavated by the Harvard expedition in 1932. <strong>The</strong> site has since been the subject <strong>of</strong><br />

various important re-interpretations.<br />

Hencken’s interpretation <strong>of</strong> Ballinderry No. 1<br />

Hencken interpreted the site as a large circular crannog built on a large raft-like central<br />

foundation, with phases <strong>of</strong> an internal plank palisade and an outer pile palisade, with a large<br />

entrance, a wooden quay and a series <strong>of</strong> three houses, the earliest <strong>of</strong> which occupied most <strong>of</strong><br />

the island. He believed that the archaeological evidence represented two main phases <strong>of</strong><br />

occupation, in the latter part <strong>of</strong> the tenth century and through the eleventh century. <strong>The</strong><br />

rectangular raft-like structure <strong>of</strong> thick oak logs which lay in the centre <strong>of</strong> the site, he took to<br />

be the foundation layer. It measured 6m square and was constructed <strong>of</strong> heavy logs laid<br />

directly on the lake-bed, probably during a dry period. <strong>The</strong> platform had raised sides and<br />

pegs driven deeply into the clays. <strong>The</strong> raft was enclosed by small posts describing a circular<br />

structure and timbers were laid radiating out from the centre. Many <strong>of</strong> these timbers had<br />

complex joints and peg-holes, suggesting they derived from a re-used wooden structure.<br />

Most <strong>of</strong> the artefacts associated with the raft-structure can be dated to the tenth or early<br />

eleventh century A.D. <strong>The</strong> finds from the lowest layers, associated with the raft structure,<br />

included two iron socketed and riveted Viking spearheads, an iron bill-hook with a decorated<br />

socket, some nails, hones, a decorated bone comb plate, some wooden implements, a paddle<br />

and a large wooden tub. <strong>The</strong>re was also a small carved and dowelled wooden ‘knee’, possibly<br />

from a plank-built boat. Finds from the next layers, also apparently below House 1, included a<br />

tenth-century bronze ring-headed pin, iron knives, some decorated wooden vessels, a<br />

possible wooden motif-piece and a possible pack-saddle. <strong>The</strong> most spectacular find was an<br />

ornately carved, yew-wood gaming board, decorated in a style now thought to reflect both<br />

Hiberno-Scandinavian and Anglo-Scandinavian styles (although it was probably made in<br />

Dublin). This gaming board probably dates to the tenth-century. A Viking battle axe was<br />

found outside the crannog and may have dated from these earliest layers. Human remains<br />

are also known from the site.<br />

Hencken interpreted this raft-like platform (and the associated layer <strong>of</strong> peat, brushwood,<br />

animal bone and ash spreads which covered it) as the foundation for a subsequent large<br />

horseshoe shaped structure and, indeed, the entire crannog. This horseshoe-shaped structure<br />

was interpreted as the earliest house (House 1) for which the crannog was built. A large<br />

hearth was in use at its centre. <strong>The</strong> finds from the layers apparently comprising the floor <strong>of</strong><br />

House 1 included a fine iron Viking sword, its handle decorated with silver and its blade<br />

inscribed with the letters VLFBEHRT. This sword is <strong>of</strong> a type produced in the ninth century in<br />

the Rhineland and exported throughout Europe; a yew bow, a type <strong>of</strong> weapon more typical <strong>of</strong><br />

Viking warfare tactics than Irish, was also found on site. <strong>The</strong>re were some objects found at<br />

this level, but outside the house, which included an iron plough coulter, iron rings, objects <strong>of</strong><br />

704

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

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!