environmental sciences research institute - University of Ulster

4. Research Projects in Environmental Science
4.1 CENTRE FOR MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY (CMA)
RESEARCH FOCUS
CMA research is focused on maritime cultural landscapes, directed under three themes – coastal and freshwater
landscapes, historical archaeology and marine geoarchaeology. Over the past 12 months, we have continued to
develop landscape models concentrating on aspects of settlement, exploitation, defence and communication within
coastal environments of Ireland, Britain and East Africa. Historical archaeology research has primarily focused on
the Later-Medieval and Post-Medieval periods of Ireland and Scotland, examining issues relating to Gaelic Lordship
and coastal economies. Research in marine geoarchaeology has focused on physical processes of shipwreck site
formation, geophysical signatures of submerged and buried archaeological materials and past human responses to
significant sea-level change.
RESEARCH OUTPUT
Research Monographs
Harnessing the Tides: The Early Medieval Tide Mills at Nendrum
Monastery, Strangford Lough (The Stationery Office, 2007) authored by
Thomas McErlean and Norman Crothers. This monograph details the excavation of
two Early Medieval monastic tide mills, one of which is the earliest recorded in the
world. The publication contextualises the history and archaeology of the important
Early Medieval monastery of Nendrum, located on an island in Strangford Lough,
Co. Down.
An Archaeology of Southwest Ireland, 1570–1670 (Four Courts Press,
2007) authored by Colin Breen. The 17th century was a period of significant political
and religious upheavals and was also a formative period in terms of landscape and
settlement development throughout Ireland. This book examines Munster from an
historical archaeology perspective. In particular the study sets the archaeological
context of these developments against the historical background of plantation,
Cromwellian intervention and economic expansion.
Maritime Ireland: An Archaeology of Coastal Communities (Tempus,
2007) authored by Colin Breen and Aidan O’ Sullivan from University College
Dublin. Ireland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean yet, while archaeologists, historians
and historical geographers have commonly accepted this island status, they have
rarely explored the role of the sea in the development of the cultures and societies
of this land. The authors explore the material evidence for maritime life and
traditions of Ireland from 7000 BC to the present day.