EMAP_2012_Report_6_1.pdf (7.3 MB) - The Heritage Council

supported by the evidence on most large settlement sites where there is clear evidence for a
physical separation between both activities (Comber 2008, 146-8). For instance, the bronzeworking
area at Knowth was found in the southern half of the site but the iron-working
evidence was found in the northern portion (Eogan 1977, 73-4), while the northeast quadrant
at Dunmisk was used for non-ferrous and glass-working with iron-working undertaken in the
southwest area (Ivens 1989, 57-8).
Bronze-working appears to have been undertaken in the open-air mostly in sheltered
locations in enclosure ditches or near enclosing banks as evidenced at Woodstown and
Cathedral Hill, Armagh. Sometimes the metal-working may have been partially enclosed by
wooden shelters as indicated at Kilpatrick (Swan 1994/95, 8-9) and Moynagh Lough (Bradley
1993, 79). However, it was also practised indoors at Reask (Fanning 1981, 89) and appears
to have been associated with wooden or stone structures at Cathedral Hill, Armagh (Gaskell-
Brown & Harper 1984), Illaunloughan (Marshall and Walsh 2005), Tullylish (Ivens 1987),
Iniscealtra (De Paor 1974), Nendrum (McErlean 2007a) Letterkeen (Ó Ríordáin & McDermott
1952, 114) and Roestown (O’Hara 2007, 149). In contrast to iron-working non-ferrous
metallurgy was clearly undertaken within Scandinavian Dublin (Wallace 1987).
Specialist craftspeople of different kinds were involved in non-ferrous metal-working. The
word umaige is used to distinguish the coppersmith in the law tracts while cerd could refer to
a silversmith (Kelly 1988, 63). Archaeological evidence of their place of work is found on
numerous sites. On early medieval settlements, locations of metalwork workshop usually
consist of structural remains in association with finds of slag, crucibles and moulds and other
metal-working material (Comber 2008, 138-9). Several secular and ecclesiastical sites have
produced evidence for the various processes involved in copper and copper-alloy working.
Ecclesiastical examples included Garranes, Garryduff I, Clogher, Roestown, Lagore, Moynagh
Lough, Armagh (Cathedral Hill), Clonmacnoise, Illaunloughan, Nendrum and Movilla Abbey.
An excavated portion of the ditch, which may have enclosed the summit of Cathedral Hill in
Armagh, revealed considerable metal- and glass-working debris. The remains of four large
post-holes were interpreted as forming part of a workshop structure immediately inside the
ditch. This area had been burnt twice: the lower clay floor produced evidence for glass- and
enamel-working and the upper layer contained various finds such as crucibles, and slate
motif-pieces. The waste clay moulds and crucibles from these activities had been dumped
into the adjacent ditch (Gaskell-Brown & Harper 1984, 157-9; Edwards 1990). The copperalloy
working area at Garranes was undertaken against the bank on the south side of the
interior of the rath (Ó Ríordáin 1942, 140-1). Small lumps of tin, crucibles, clay and stone
moulds, unfinished copper-alloy objects, waste from the casting process and glass-working
evidence was found in a black layer in this area. A stone foundation arc of a hut was also
found in this area and though it was in a fragmentary condition, it may have been associated
with the metal-working activity (ibid. 86).
The metal-working at Moynagh Lough took place in two separate areas either side of a
centrally located timber round house (Bradley 1993, 76). One area contained mould
fragments, crucibles, motif-pieces and an iron tool and the second comprised a bowl-shaped
furnace, two surfaced areas and metal-working debris. A random post-hole scatter perhaps
represented the remains of a screen which sheltered a spread of burnt clay close-by (ibid. 79)
and another pebbled area may have operated as a stacking area for the moulds as they
cooled. A circular structure at Roestown was interpreted as a possible metallurgy workshop
as it produced a crucible fragment while other metal-working artefacts such as an ingot
mould and bone motif-piece were found in the backfilled deposits of enclosure (1)
immediately to the west of this structure (O’Hara 2009b, 66). The structure was located
immediately outside the main enclosure (1) and was dated to the seventh century (ibid. 58-
61). Unlike iron-working evidence, there is considerable bronze-working in Scandinavian
Dublin. One site at High Street produced trial-pieces, baked-clay crucibles-fragments, slag
and vitreous material in association with a workshop-hearth (Ó Ríordáin 1971, 76). A number
of hearths and a deep deposit of vitrified burnt clay with slag dumped in a heap were
excavated at Upper Exchange Street/Copper Alley. Small paved areas were set beside a
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