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The only ornaments which appear in images are brooches. In the Book of Kells, the Virgin wears a lozenge-shaped brooch on her right shoulder (although this may be a symbol of the Word of God rather than an actual brooch (Richardson 1984, 32, 45)). Brooches are depicted on a number of high crosses, including a penannular brooch in the panel of the Arrest (or Mocking) of Christ on Muireadach’s Cross, Monasterboice (Harbison 1999, 136), and two penannular brooches on the Baptism scene on the Broken Cross at Kells (Allen 1904, 225). Two figures on the Cross of the Scriptures at Clonmacnoise each have a circular brooch on one shoulder (Crawford 1980, 76). An interesting representation of a brooch occurs on a caryatid at White Island, Co. Fermanagh (Harbison 1999, 136); this brooch appears to be worn as an ornament rather than a fastener, and its pin points downwards, contrary to the legal text noted above. Some brooches also appear on metalwork figures, including possible cross-in-circle disc brooches on the shoulders of an ecclesiastic on the Corp Naomh bell shrine (Johnson 2005, 306) and similarly on a twelfth-century figure of an ecclesiastic (Wallace & Ó Floinn 2002, 224). Material evidence of dress and ornament Garments The very limited amount of textile remains makes it difficult to verify the assertions of the texts regarding garments. Of 317 sites in the gazetteer, only six produced actual textiles. This scarcity must be contrary to the original distribution, and is primarily a result of limited preservation. For the most part, preservation due to water-logging means that textiles come either from the urban sites of Dublin (Heckett 2003), Waterford (Heckett 1997, 743-9) and Cork (Heckett 2010), or from crannógs such as Lagore (Start 1950), Ballinderry II (Hencken 1942, 57-8) and Island MacHugh (Davies 1950). Another small assemblage came from water-logged layers of a raised rath at Deer Park Farms (Wincott Heckett 2011, 354-61). Two tiny fragments, probably of wool cloth, were found at Knowth (FitzGerald 2012, 552, 557), and some fragments of charred linen were found in a kiln at Ballyvass (Clark & Doyle 2011). In addition, a single fragment of woollen cloth survived in a burial at Church Island, Co. Kerry (O'Kelly 1958, 92, 112). By far the largest single non-urban assemblage, consisting of 77 fragments, was found at Lagore, dating mainly to the initial occupation period (Start 1950, 204-5). Most of the textiles from rural sites are of plain tabby weave, but occasional twillwoven textiles occur, including one finely-woven piece from Lagore, possibly dyed with madder, which was interpreted as of Viking manufacture (Edwards 1990, 82). There is also one twill fragment from Island MacHugh (Davies 1950), and the fragment from Church Island is also of twill (O’Kelly 1958, 135). For the most part, however, twill weaves occur in Dublin and Waterford. Decorative textiles include a fringed tablet-woven piece from Lagore (Start 1950) which echoes some of the borders on garments which are implied in the iconographic sources. Most of the textiles mentioned above were made of wool, or occasionally hair; only a few small fragments of cloth made of vegetable fibres (probably linen) have been found, at Deer Park Farms (Wincott Heckett 2011) and Ballyvass (Clark & Doyle 2011). Urban contexts have provided a wider range of textiles; over 200 fragments of textiles, cordage, basketry and raw fibres were found in the excavation of houses, ditches and cess/rubbish pits in Hiberno- Scandinavian Waterford (Heckett 1997, 743). These included fragments of woven cloth of silk, wool and linen in a wide range of qualities and weaves; a variety of cordage materials; knotted silk mesh filets; tablet-woven hair fibres and felted wads (ibid.). The excavations in Hiberno-Scandinavian Dublin likewise produced a variety of textiles, comprising over 2,000 pieces. These included 41 woollen and 27 silk textiles (of tabby weave fabric) from Fishamble Street and John’s Lane, many of which were identified as fragments of head-coverings, caps, scarves and bands dating from the early tenth to late twelfth century (Heckett 2003, 1). Silk weaving on looms was not established in northwest Europe till the end of the medieval period (Heckett 1997, 753), so the evidence from the Irish towns might indicate links with trading networks which stretched as far as the Silk Road to China. The distribution and nature of the 106
emains are insufficient to offer a broad view of dress across society, but confirm the use of both wool and linen; silk, however, has not been found outside of Dublin and Waterford. Some of the textiles from Dublin have been identified as head-coverings in the form of caps or scarves (Wincott Heckett 2003), but there is little evidence from rural sites of such items. The small size of most of the rural fragments limits the possibility of reconstructing garments, although occasional details of hems and other stitching are found, including a finely-worked hem and decorative stitching on one fragment from Lagore, and a skilful darn on another (Edwards 1990, 83). A small number of textiles offer evidence for the colours used in dress. As noted above, one pink textile from Lagore may have been dyed with madder, and analysis of a red textile from Deer Park Farms indicated the probable use of wild madder or bedstraw (Wincott Heckett 2011, 356). Analysis of textiles from Dublin showed the use in a few cases of imported madder R. Tinctorum, probable woad, and lichen purple (Wincott Heckett 2003, 128); madder and lichen purple were also found in textiles from Waterford, along with yellow weld and the use of tannins and barks to enhance natural brown colours (Wincott Heckett 1997, 747-750, 761). Apart from the textiles, occasional remains of animal or plant sources used for dyestuffs occur; these will be discussed later in the context of textile working. One site, Deer Park Farms, produced both dyed cloth and raw dyestuffs; however, the dyes involved were different (red from madder and blue from woad respectively). Accessories Leather shoes are preserved mainly in waterlogged conditions, and while complete examples occasionally occur, much of the artefactual evidence consists of fragments which may represent shoes, belts, garments or other items such as bags and satchels. A range of types of shoes was identified by Lucas (1956), who catalogued five types, of which the first four may date to the early medieval period. Both one-piece and composite shoes are known, the former at times elaborately decorated. Only fourteen of the sites in the gazetteer produced leather remains which may reflect shoes; sites with definite shoes (uppers, soles, heels, etc.) include Ballinderry II (two Lucas Type 1), Craigywarren (two Type 1 also), Deer Park Farms, Moynagh Lough, Lissue and Rathtinaun (three Type 1). Large quantities of leather (268 fragments) including shoes were also found at Lagore. As with textiles, the preservation conditions required for leather, and the fragmentary nature of most of the surviving remains, limit the potential for discussion of the original distribution of these artefacts. Six of the fourteen sites with leather remains are crannogs, but more localised waterlogging can occur in other site types, for example in ditches; the small sample size makes it futile to generalise about the extent of shoe-wearing, either in terms of geographical distribution or site types. Fragments of leather might also represent the remains of belts, although the possibility of woven textile belts having been used must also be considered. The more usual evidence for belts occurs in the form of buckles. These are a relatively rare find on excavated sites, although some have been found in burials (e.g. Raheennamadra (Stenberger 1966, 44) and Cherrywood (Ó Néill 2006, 69)), where they have sometimes been interpreted as indicating intrusive, possibly Anglo-Saxon, elements (Ó Floinn 2002, 176; O’Brien 1999, 179-84). Twenty-seven sites in the gazetteer produced one or more buckles; most sites had just one or two examples, although some are recorded simply as ‘plural’; Ballinderry I and Lagore each have three buckles, Cahercommaun possibly four (one bronze fragment, three possible iron), and Knowth nine (six iron and three bronze). Both copper alloy and iron are used in making buckles; most are quite plain (and often incomplete), but Lagore produced a highlydecorated bronze example from an unstratified context (Hencken 1950, 66 & fig 11, 323) while Ballywee has a silvered bronze example (Lynn 1988). It is interesting to note that the larger quantities of these finds come from the traditional ‘high-status’ (even royal sites) such as Lagore, Knowth, and Cahercommaun, although the general scarcity might suggest this was not a widespread ornament. This may confirm the sense that this is an unusual item, 107
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The Early Medieval Archaeology Proj
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Table of Contents Section 1: An Ove
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value to excavation reports far bey
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Fig. 1.2: Percentages of site types
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Map 1.1: Map of site that produced
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Map 1.3a: Map of site that produced
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Page 16 and 17:
Page 18 and 19:
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Map 1.11: Geological evidence for s
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data from over 300 sites, and has p
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2.2: Iron artefacts on Irish early
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2012 gazetteer as well as at Randal
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also been found within or close to
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superstructure (ibid. 117). A few a
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2.4.1: Smithing Secondary smithing
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working furnace at Rathgurreen and
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smithing and bloom smithing (827 kg
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number of hearths as indicative of
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univallate enclosures at Lisleagh 1
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Chapter 3: Early Medieval Non-Ferro
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Map 3.1: Map showing distribution o
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little Irish work has been undertak
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3.2.4: Motif-pieces Stone, antler,
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supported by the evidence on most l
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needle (ibid. 144-49). However, McE
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ferrous metal-working relative to s
Page 60 and 61: glass-working which might suggest t
Page 62 and 63: 93). One decorated millefiori rod a
Page 64 and 65: Map 5.1: Map of Ireland showing evi
Page 66 and 67: handles, some smoothed and undecora
Page 68 and 69: comb of Scottish origin at Castlefa
Page 70 and 71: Chapter 6: Early medieval stone-wor
Page 72 and 73: Grindstones are circular stones wit
Page 74 and 75: North and appear to have been disca
Page 76 and 77: APPENDIX 1 Site Site type Metalwork
Page 78 and 79: Site Site type Metalworking Residue
Page 84 and 85: Site Site type Metal-working Artefa
Page 86 and 87: Site Site type Metal-working featur
Page 88 and 89: Site Site type Evidence Reference A
Page 90 and 91: Site name Evidence Reference Athlum
Page 92 and 93: Armagh: Cathedral Hill, Co. Armagh
Page 94 and 95: Site name Evidence Reference Ballin
Page 96 and 97: Site name Evidence Reference Aghade
Page 98 and 99: Site name Evidence Reference Legget
Page 100 and 101: Co. Antrim Ballyhenry II, Co. Antri
Page 102 and 103: Co. Louth Donegore, Co. Antrim Doon
Page 104 and 105: Co. Monaghan Lisleitrim, Co. Armagh
Page 106 and 107: Townland/Site Name Site Type Commen
Page 108 and 109: young lords of territories; six in
Page 112 and 113: perhaps adopted only by a minority
Page 114 and 115: Clogher, Co. Tyrone Multivallate pl
Page 116 and 117: Fig 3.2: brooches by site types (40
Page 118 and 119: Cloghermore, Dalkey Island, Dooey,
Page 120 and 121: Of the 216 sites with personal orna
Page 122 and 123: Glass is the most common material f
Page 124 and 125: Chapter 8: Manufacturing on Rural S
Page 126 and 127: weft-beaters or other weaving-relat
Page 128 and 129: the preparatory stage occurred in t
Page 130 and 131: Carraig Aille II 33 18 stone, 15 bo
Page 132 and 133: possible Roestown, Co Meath Non-cir
Page 134 and 135: Fig. 8.3: Location of sites with ev
Page 136 and 137: matting. Rush seeds were found in t
Page 138 and 139: (Lennon 1994, 59), Rathgurreen (Com
Page 140 and 141: Cherrywood Other Pin slag Collierst
Page 142 and 143: Significant evidence for metal-work
Page 144 and 145: Kilkenny 1 1 Longford 1 1 Ulster 13
Page 146 and 147: Dooey Other Pins bone working evide
Page 148 and 149: APPENDIX 2 Site Site type Preparati
Page 150 and 151: Marshes Upper Non-circular Y Y Y Mi
Page 152 and 153: Bayley, D. 2003:1286. Newtownbalreg
Page 154 and 155: Brady, N. & Gibson, P. 2005. The Ea
Page 156 and 157: Chart, D.A. 1940. A Preliminary Sur
Page 158 and 159: - 1994. Atlantic fortifications: Th
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Delaney, S. 2003:1272. Carn More, F
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Doyle, T. 2008. Hair of the dog. Se
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- 2006b. Archaeological discoveries
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social transformation c. A.D. 500-1
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Papers from the Proceedings of the
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- 2010. Viking elements in Irish to
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- 1999. The Vikings in the Kingdom
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Lennon, A. M. & Henry, M. 2000. Pre
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McCarthy, A. 1986:29. Ballybunion,
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Since the Roman Period. London & Sy
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- 1988. Excavations at Lisleagh Rin
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NAC leaflet. 2011. Steeple Road, An
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Meath. Unpublished report prepared
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- 1951-2a. St. Gobnet’s House, Ba
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- 2005b. Medieval fish traps on the
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- 1953. Preliminary report on Excav
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- 1958. Two souterrains at Bawntaaf
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- 2007. Clonfad 3: A unique glimpse
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Historical Journal, 3, 165-86. Wadd
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- 1971. A Marshland Habitation Site
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Zajac, S. 2002:1382. Carrowkeel, Co
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