Craggaunowen

Crannog
Co. Clare
Nearest town: Ennis
Nearest village: Kilmurry

Craggaunowen Image A crannog, reconstructed in its typical lake-setting with round-houses and a gate-tower

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Crannogs are lake or lakeside settlements which were inhabited from the Mesolithic to the Early Medieval period. The name is derived from the Irish word crann, meaning a tree. Originally the term may have been applied to the timber palisades which surrounded such sites, the timber buildings within them, or the timber foundations on which they were erected. The same name is used in Scotland, where similar sites occur.
    In prehistoric times, platforms were erected at lake edges, or in shallow water or marshy ground. These appear to have been associated with hunting and fishing or with industrial pursuits, rather than with long-term habitation. True crannogs, that is, artificial islands containing a dwelling and surrounded by one or more palisades, were being constructed in the Early Medieval period and these may be regarded as the wetlands' equivalent of the contemporary ring forts. Crannogs may have developed partly from a habit of living on small natural islands, either as a means of exploiting the fish and wild fowl of lakes or for providing security in times of danger. Many hundreds are known in Ireland, mainly W and NW of the central plain.
    Near Kilmurry, about 16km (10 mi) from Ennis, lies Craggaunowen, a full-scale reconstruction of a crannog in its typical lake-setting. Inside the crannog are several round-houses, while a gate-tower stands over the entrance.
     Practical problem-solving connected with reconstruction projects can produce valuable insights into everyday life in prehistoric environments.

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