EMAP_2012_Report_6_1.pdf (7.3 MB) - The Heritage Council

It is difficult to identify stone-working areas at settlements as evidence for this craft is rarely
found. At Inishkea North, there was evidence for the working of lumps of chlorite inside a
timber structure (also used for dye-production) to the northwest of an early monastery, not
far from an area of metalworking (Henry 1952, 172; Comber 2008, 62, 64). Comber (2008,
64) has noted that stone-working was a noisy activity and may have been undertaken away
from the domestic area for this reason. Approximately 30 stone motif-pieces were recovered
from a rectangular building termed the ‘school’ on the southwest side of the middle enclosure
at Nendrum (Lawlor 1925, 143-4; Bourke 2007, 409, 420). At Cahercommaun, 50 of the 53
fragments of lignite rings and lignite discs were identified in the northwest quadrant; the
same area which contained the largest quantity of domestic objects, tools and weapons while
the primary ironworking evidence was found in the southeast area and the highest
concentration of querns in the southwest of the site (Hencken 1938, 67-9).
Very few sites have produced evidence for actual stone-working and therefore it is difficult to
identify different levels of craft activity (Comber 2008, 65-7). The occupants of all settlements
probably had the technical ability to produce a range of simple domestic stone tools and
implements such as whetstones. Evidence for the production of semi-luxury lignite or jet
bracelets have been found at fewer sites and it appears that many sites such as
Cahercommaun may have been exporting these objects and may represent internal trading
centres (Comber 2008, 159). The sheer number of quernstones from Moynagh Lough (e.g.
Bradley 1982/83, 28), Lagore (43 quern fragments) (Hencken 1950, 173-5), Cahercommaun
(37 fragments) (Hencken 1938, 59-60) and the nearby cashels at Carraig Aille I (12
fragments) and II (41 fragments) (Ó Ríordáin 1949a, 83-6, 94, 100) may indicate that these
items were exported from these sites. Lawlor (1925, 18) also reported ‘a great many
fragments of querns’ at Nendrum but only one of these is now identifiable (Bourke 1997, 416,
421). Evidence for ‘specialist’ stone-working is primarily found on higher status sites,
particularly monasteries, where groups of highly skilled master masons and apprentices were
undoubtedly responsible for the manufacture and construction of highly sophisticated and
elaborate stone crosses, grave-slabs and buildings.
71