EMAP_2012_Report_6_1.pdf (7.3 MB) - The Heritage Council

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Table of Contents Section 1: An Overview of the 2012 Report 1 Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Section 2: Early Medieval Craft-Working 23 Chapter 2: Early Medieval Iron-Working 23 Chapter 3: Early Medieval Non-Ferrous Metal-Working 42 Chapter 4: Early Medieval Glass-, Enamel- and Milliefiori-Working 55 Chapter 5: Early Medieval Bone- and Antler-Working 59 Chapter 6: Early Medieval Stone-Working 66 Appendix 1: Tables 72 Section 3: Early Medieval Crafts and the Manufacture and 103 Use of Dress and Ornament Chapter 7: Early Medieval Dress and Ornament 103 Chapter 7: Textile Manufacture on Rural Settlement Sites 120 Appendix 2: Summary of Textile-working 144 Bibliography 147 Section 4: Gazetteer of industrial activity on early medieval secular sites (separate volume) iv
Section 1: An Overview of the 2012 Report Chapter 1: Introduction Interpretations of the landscape of early medieval Ireland have changed over the decades, driven partly by the changing zeitgeist of historical theory, and partly by the archaeological record. While the predominantly rural focus of life in Ireland during the latter part of the first millennium has been well-discussed, the impact of industry on the every-day life of the inhabitants has had less coverage. It is clear that Viking towns were centres of industry (e.g. Wallace 1987), but the locations of native centres of activity are less studied. ‘Monastic towns’ (sensu Doherty 1985; Valente 1998; Swift 1998) fulfil many of these roles, and recent excavations on the ecclesiastical site of Clonfad, Co. Westmeath (Stevens & Channing 2012) and Armoy, Co. Antrim (Nellis et al. 2007), for example, revealed large-scale production of specialised metal-work (e.g. bells), and 1,300 pieces of shale-working debitage respectively. The importance of typical secular sites, however, has often been overshadowed by a small number of urban and ‘proto-urban’ sites which have produced large amounts of evidence for industrial activity. This report, therefore, will examine the role of industry and craft on secular occupation sites. The ability to distinguish between early medieval ‘secular’ and ‘ecclesiastical’ sites has, however, become increasingly blurred as a result of the excavation boom of the early 2000s. The discovery of numerous ‘cemetery-settlements’/‘settlement-cemeteries’/ ‘secularcemeteries’ (e.g. Johnstown, Co. Meath (Clarke & Carlin 2008) or Raystown, Co. Meath (Seaver 2010)) during roadworks in the first decade of the twenty-first century make it very difficult to distinguish between a site which is solely ‘secular’ and one which is solely ‘religious’ in nature. While Conleth Manning’s excavations at Moyne, Co. Mayo (1987) and Killederdadrum, Co. Tipperary (1984) argued that certain ecclesiastical sites may have originated as secular enclosures, this was partially based on the development of graveyards at these sites. It is now increasingly clear that a formal burial ground at an early medieval site does not necessarily constitute a change in function to a church site, nor can it be taken to imply the presence of a church on site. Rather, it seems that burial beside and alongside the living was a regular practice through much of Ireland until at least the eighth or ninth century. The industrial activity and associated finds from obviously ecclesiastical sites such as Armagh, Clonmacnoise or Reask have not been discussed here, however, similar activity from the pre-ecclesiastical phases on possible church sites, such as Dunmisk, Co. Tyrone (Ivens 1989) or Kilgobbin, Co Dublin (Bolger 2008) have been included. Similarly the findings from ‘settlement-cemetery’ sites have been included, but, where possible, these have been restricted to occupation evidence and have not included grave-goods associated with burials. After eight or nine decades of systematic archaeology in Ireland, there are noticeable changes in the way in which craft-working and small finds have been recorded. Early excavation reports, such as those by S. P. Ó Ríordáin of University College Cork, or H. O’N. Hencken of the Harvard Archaeological Mission, tended to focus heavily on the finds recovered from site. This artefact-heavy approach was a product of the contemporary archaeological tradition, which was dominated by typologies. By identifying specific artefacts to a sub-type level, it was possible to work out relative, or even absolute, chronologies for these various sites. The development of radiocarbon dating, however, shifted the focus away from artefacts to ecofacts and other material which could be sampled for the dating process. Archaeology in Ireland had also shifted away from the multi-season excavation on a headline site, towards an attempt to understand the wider archaeological landscape. This led to attempts to create settlement models, by examining the locations of sites in relation to the local typography and to each other, and also was associated with palaeoecological studies which tried to understand the ancient environment and climate. A mixture of preservation issues and the generally aceramic nature of the larger part of the island meant that such studies could add 1
Page 2 and 3: The Early Medieval Archaeology Proj
Page 6 and 7: value to excavation reports far bey
Page 8 and 9: Fig. 1.2: Percentages of site types
Page 10 and 11: Map 1.1: Map of site that produced
Page 12 and 13: Map 1.3a: Map of site that produced
Page 24 and 25: Map 1.11: Geological evidence for s
Page 26 and 27: data from over 300 sites, and has p
Page 28 and 29: 2.2: Iron artefacts on Irish early
Page 30 and 31: 2012 gazetteer as well as at Randal
Page 32 and 33: also been found within or close to
Page 34 and 35: superstructure (ibid. 117). A few a
Page 36 and 37: 2.4.1: Smithing Secondary smithing
Page 38 and 39: working furnace at Rathgurreen and
Page 40 and 41: smithing and bloom smithing (827 kg
Page 42 and 43: number of hearths as indicative of
Page 44 and 45: univallate enclosures at Lisleagh 1
Page 46 and 47: Chapter 3: Early Medieval Non-Ferro
Page 48 and 49: Map 3.1: Map showing distribution o
Page 50 and 51: little Irish work has been undertak
Page 52 and 53: 3.2.4: Motif-pieces Stone, antler,
Page 54 and 55:
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
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glass-working which might suggest t
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93). One decorated millefiori rod a
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Map 5.1: Map of Ireland showing evi
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handles, some smoothed and undecora
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comb of Scottish origin at Castlefa
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Chapter 6: Early medieval stone-wor
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Grindstones are circular stones wit
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North and appear to have been disca
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APPENDIX 1 Site Site type Metalwork
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Site Site type Metalworking Residue
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Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Site Site type Metal-working Artefa
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Site Site type Metal-working featur
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Site Site type Evidence Reference A
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Site name Evidence Reference Athlum
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Armagh: Cathedral Hill, Co. Armagh
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Site name Evidence Reference Ballin
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Site name Evidence Reference Aghade
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Site name Evidence Reference Legget
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Co. Antrim Ballyhenry II, Co. Antri
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Co. Louth Donegore, Co. Antrim Doon
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Co. Monaghan Lisleitrim, Co. Armagh
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Townland/Site Name Site Type Commen
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young lords of territories; six in
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The only ornaments which appear in
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perhaps adopted only by a minority
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Clogher, Co. Tyrone Multivallate pl
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Fig 3.2: brooches by site types (40
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Cloghermore, Dalkey Island, Dooey,
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Of the 216 sites with personal orna
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Glass is the most common material f
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Chapter 8: Manufacturing on Rural S
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weft-beaters or other weaving-relat
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the preparatory stage occurred in t
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Carraig Aille II 33 18 stone, 15 bo
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possible Roestown, Co Meath Non-cir
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Fig. 8.3: Location of sites with ev
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matting. Rush seeds were found in t
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(Lennon 1994, 59), Rathgurreen (Com
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Cherrywood Other Pin slag Collierst
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Significant evidence for metal-work
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Kilkenny 1 1 Longford 1 1 Ulster 13
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Dooey Other Pins bone working evide
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APPENDIX 2 Site Site type Preparati
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Marshes Upper Non-circular Y Y Y Mi
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Bayley, D. 2003:1286. Newtownbalreg
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Brady, N. & Gibson, P. 2005. The Ea
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Chart, D.A. 1940. A Preliminary Sur
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- 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
Page 172 and 173:
- 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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