EMAP_2012_Report_6_1.pdf (7.3 MB) - The Heritage Council

More documents

Recommendations

Info

needle (ibid. 144-49). However, McErlean (2007a, 376) cautioned that this building might be much later than the adjacent round houses in the middle enclosure and that many of these artefacts may relate to an occupation layer below this building. Other finds from within and around these buildings included lumps of iron slag, a copper-alloy ingot, clay moulds, stone crucible stands and crucibles with nodules of bronze droppings (Bourke 2007, 407, 419) suggesting ferrous and non-ferrous metal-working in the area (McErlean 2007a, 378). 3.5: Levels of metal-working There is no apparent difference between the wealth and range of metal items being manufactured on high status secular and ecclesiastical sites and finds and mould evidence indicates that pins and brooches were the most common type of metal artefact produced on both sites (Doyle infra, Section 3). Although religious items such as metal chalices and crosiers were also undoubtedly manufactured on ecclesiastical sites, these were mostly composite in nature and were formed largely of sheet metal, ornamented with separate panels (Comber 2008, 147). Comber (2008, 148-9) has divided the metal-working evidence from early medieval settlements into three general levels of activity. A number of high status secular and ecclesiastical settlements such as Carraig Aille, Garranes, Lagore, Moynagh Lough, Clogher, Clonmacnoise, Armagh, Dunmisk and Dooey have revealed large quantities of metal-working waste and finished items which may indicate the activities of a resident highly-trained cerd working in a permanent workshop. This term could denote a silversmith or a goldsmith (Kelly 1988, 63). In contrast, other sites such as Lissue, Seacash, Rathmullan, Raheennamdra and Tullylish have produced levels of minimal or low-levels of metal-working evidence. It is likely that many of these smaller sites such as Reask had to rely on the talents of their own communities or perhaps the seasonal work of an itinerant metalworker. Like with the evidence for ferrous metal-working there are an even larger range of sites with no evidence for non-ferrous metal working. While this is clearly sometimes the result of the scale of investigation extensive excavations such as Raystown (Seaver 2009), Baronstown (Linnane 2009) and Dowdstown (Cagney et al. 2009) had no evidence for non-ferrous metal working. These communities must have engaged with other local centres to provide the copper alloy objects found on these sites. Excavations and research in recent years has added to the evidence summarised by Comber (2008) and others. The greatest level of additional evidence pertains to sites at the lowest levels of non-ferrous metallurgy. Evidence for the minimal level of non-ferrous metal working can be seen in the numbers of crucibles present. Twenty four of the settlements with crucibles had two or less of them with many of them only having a single example or fragment. Sites such as Roestown (O’ Hara 2009a) and Deer Park farms (Bayley 2011) hint that there may have been an intermediate level of non-ferrous metallurgy with a small workshop occasionally used for this practice. Both sites have fragments of a small range of crucibles of different types (three and four respectively), trial pieces and ingots but no moulds (Fig. 3.3). Other specialist uses of bronze in the ironworking process are also coming to light. The possibility of the use for crucibles in brazing iron objects as may have been the case with bell production at Clonfad (Young 2009a) and Gortnahown 2 (Young 2009b) suggests that this practice may have been more widespread. Both of these sites incorporate ceramic brazing shrouds with fabric impressions also indicates that closer attention needs to be paid to fired clay fragments on early medieval sites. Interestingly enigmatic clay fragments with fabric impressions were also found at Cathedral Hill, Armagh and were termed crucibles at the time (Gaskell-Brown & Harper 1984, 147-148) A fragment of a clay wrap probably used in the brazing of iron objects was recently recognised at Deer Park farms (Bayley 2011, 348). To this range of more recent sites we can add the coastal and estuarine sites which may have had specialised purposes in assaying silver and other metals such as Dunnyneil (McCormick & Macdonald 2004, 8, Young 2006a) along with the Viking trading/settlement site at Woodstown 6 (Young 2006b). 52
Rathgureen Garryduff Clogher Dunnyneil Moylarg Dunsilly Roestown Clay Moulds Crucibles/heating trays Crucible frags Stone Ingot Mould Bronze Ingot Corraneary Deer Park farms 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Fig. 3.3: Settlement sites (Non-ecclesiastical) with moderate levels of clay moulds, crucibles or ingots and stone moulds. Dalkey Island Deer Park Farms Armagh Woodstown Faughart Lower Moylarg Roestown Castlefarm Knowth Ballinderry Lagore Moynagh Garranes Bronze/copper-alloy ingot Stone ingot moulds Silver Ingots 0 2 4 6 8 10 Figure 3.4: Stone Ingot moulds, Bronze Ingots and Silver Ingots from a range of settlement sites with Armagh included for contrast At the upper end of the scale are sites which clearly have evidence for many different stages of non-ferrous metal-working including moulds, crucible and raw materials. In this regard new sites have, to date, added little to Comber’s list of extensive evidence. Excavations at Kilgobbin (Bolger 2008, 85-112) have indicated another prominent ecclesiastical site with extensive manufacturing evidence and three further older sites at Kilpatrick (Swan 1994-5, 5), Kiltiernan (Waddell & Clyne 1995, 195-196) and Iniscealtra (Ryan 1988, 44). Crannog sites like Moylarg (Buick 1894, 315-331), Corranneary (Davies 1942, 27-28) and Lough Faughan (Collins 1955, 58-74) where both moulds and significant numbers of crucibles were found all were likely to have had higher levels of non-ferrous metal-working. Some of these sites clearly had relatively small excavated areas and their true position in a scale of non- 53
Page 2 and 3:
The Early Medieval Archaeology Proj
Page 4 and 5:
Table of Contents Section 1: An Ove
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
Page 58 and 59: 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 110 and 111:
The only ornaments which appear 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
Page 160 and 161:
Delaney, S. 2003:1272. Carn More, F
Page 162 and 163:
Doyle, T. 2008. Hair of the dog. Se
Page 164 and 165:
- 2006b. Archaeological discoveries
Page 166 and 167:
social transformation c. A.D. 500-1
Page 168 and 169:
Papers from the Proceedings of the
Page 170 and 171:
- 2010. Viking elements in Irish to
Page 172 and 173:
- 1999. The Vikings in the Kingdom
Page 174 and 175:
Lennon, A. M. & Henry, M. 2000. Pre
Page 176 and 177:
McCarthy, A. 1986:29. Ballybunion,
Page 178 and 179:
Since the Roman Period. London & Sy
Page 180 and 181:
- 1988. Excavations at Lisleagh Rin
Page 182 and 183:
NAC leaflet. 2011. Steeple Road, An
Page 184 and 185:
Meath. Unpublished report prepared
Page 186 and 187:
- 1951-2a. St. Gobnet’s House, Ba
Page 188 and 189:
- 2005b. Medieval fish traps on the
Page 190 and 191:
- 1953. Preliminary report on Excav
Page 192 and 193:
- 1958. Two souterrains at Bawntaaf
Page 194 and 195:
- 2007. Clonfad 3: A unique glimpse
Page 196 and 197:
Historical Journal, 3, 165-86. Wadd
Page 198 and 199:
- 1971. A Marshland Habitation Site
Page 200 and 201:
Zajac, S. 2002:1382. Carrowkeel, Co
show all

EMAP_2012_Report_6_1.pdf (7.3 MB) - The Heritage Council

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?