Stone Pages - Archaeo News (Ireland)

Sligo Neolithic site sold to private buyer

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 09:21:36 +0100

A bid by the Irish government to purchase the site of a Neolithic passage grave on Cairns Hill, on the southern outskirts of Sligo, has been rejected by the seller. It is understood that a private individual has purchased the 9.5 hectare parcel. The bid was based on a valuation by the Office of Public Works, and on an assessment that the monument would be an excellent addition to the many monuments in state care in County Sligo. The county is home to the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, and the immense stone cairn called Queen Maeve's Grave on Knocknarae.
The area adjacent to the cairn provides a panoramic view of the Sligo urban area and its environs. The monument is protected under the National Monuments Acts, but there is no public right of way. Councillors hope the individual who purchased the land may consider a request to permit the construction of a walkway to allow access.

Edited from Independent.ie (6 December 2021)

Prehistoric discoveries in County Sligo

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 20:03:28 +0100

A stone pendant found by 15-year-old Darragh McDaniel while helping his father dig a drain on their property in Drumcliffe, County Sligo (Ireland), may be a small stone tool made of jasper that would have been worn around the neck and used to polish stone axes, or a Bronze Age archer's stone wrist-guard repurposed as a pendant. Darragh had previously identified a Bronze Age fulacht fiadh or 'burnt mound' on his father's land.
Two previously unrecorded shell middens have been reported to the Archaeological Survey of Ireland. Numerous querns - including one brought ashore from Oyster Island by members of the North West Sea Kayaking Association - are now part of the collections of the National Museum of Ireland.
Community Archaeologist Tamlyn McHugh spotted some previously unidentified rock art on one of the large boulders used to support the capstone of the Neolithic Cloghcor portal tomb while doing a video interview for the Sligo Community Archaeology Project. Returning after dark accompanied by a photographer, torchlight revealed a series of cupmarks, along with a possible rosette design, adding to only a few known examples rock art on portal tombs in Ireland.

Edited from Daily Sabah (24 November 2020)

Cork standing stone reinstated by farmer and druids

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 20:02:19 +0100

The Irish National Monuments Service confirmed it had begun an investigation of a west Cork farmer who reinstated a fallen Bronze Age standing stone with the help of two druids. The majority of archaeological monuments in Ireland - including standing stones - are protected under the National Monuments Acts, and anyone wishing to carry out work on one must give two months' written notice to the Minister for Heritage.
The stone had been pushed over by a bull in 2009 and had lain on the ground since then. The farmer wondered if a spate of bad fortune on his farm was related to it being knocked over, and decided to see if he could re-instate it: "When you look back to 2009, things seemed to be very good but we have had every sort of problem, particularly over the last few years when animals got sick. In August, we had this really bad flooding and we lost 18 acres of maize when the field was flooded to a depth of nearly five feet. At times you would laugh it off but I decided to make inquiries so I contacted some folklore experts and they told me it would be okay to re-stand the stone. One of them put me in contact with these druids in Kerry so they came down and performed a ceremony when we re-stood the stone."
Two members of a local branch of the worldwide Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids performed a ceremony as the stone was re-instated with the help of a bulldozer. The farmer said he was surprised nobody from the National Monuments Service had contacted him previously, as the stone had been lying on its side in the field less than 50 metres from the roadway ever since his bull had knocked it over: "All we did was put it back up and cleaned around it. It looked nothing at all lying on the ground but it's impressive enough now it's standing up again."

Edited from The Irish Times (12 November 2020)

Large scale feasts drew crowds from across Iron Age Ireland

Mon, 30 Dec 2019 20:31:39 +0100

According ot a recent research, people transported animals over huge distances for mass gatherings at one of Ireland's most iconic archaeological sites.
Dr. Richard Madgwick of Cardiff University led a study that analysed the bones of 35 animals excavated from Navan Fort, the legendary capital of Ulster (Northern Ireland). Researchers from Queen's University Belfast, Memorial University Newfoundland and the British Geological Survey were also involved in the research.
The site had long been considered a centre for ritual gatherings, as excavations found a huge 40m diameter building and a barbary ape cranium, likely from at least as far as Iberia. Results suggest the pigs, cattle and sheep were brought from across Ireland, perhaps being reared as far afield as Galway, Donegal, Down, Tyrone and Antrim. Evidence suggests some were brought over more than 100 miles.
Dr. Madgwick said: "Our results provide clear evidence that communities in Iron Age Ireland were very mobile and that livestock were also moved over greater distances than was previously thought. The high proportion of pig remains found there is very rare for this period. This suggests that Navan Fort was a feasting centre, as pigs are well-suited as feasting animals and in early Irish literature pork is the preferred food of the feast."
Researchers used multi-isotope analysis on samples of tooth enamel to unlock the origins of each animal. Food and water have chemical compositions linked to the geographical areas where they are sourced. When animals eat and drink, these chemical signals are archived in their teeth, allowing scientists to investigate the location where they were raised.
Co-author of the research, Dr. Finbar McCormick, of Queen's University, Belfast, said: "In the absence of human remains, multi-isotope analysis of animals found at Navan Fort provides us with the best indication of human movement at that time. Feasting, almost invariably associated with sacrifice, was a social necessity of early societies where the slaughter of a large domesticate necessitated the consumption of a large amount of meat in a short period of time."
Earlier this year, Dr. Madgwick's research of 131 pigs found at sites near Stonehenge revealed animals came from as far away as Scotland and numerous other locations across the British Isles. Before this, the origins of people who visited this area and the extent of the population's movements at the time had been long-standing enigmas in British prehistory.
Dr. Madgwick added: "Transporting animals across the country would have involved a great deal of time and effort so our findings demonstrate the important role they played in society. Food was clearly a central part of people's exchanges and traditions."

Edited from EurekAlert!, PhysORG (24 December 2019)

Were Neolithic log boats used in the construction of Newgrange?

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 12:30:17 +0100

A team of researchers from University College Dublin and the University of Ulster's School of Geography have discovered possible clues relating to the construction of Newgrange, the prehistoric monument located in County Meath (Ireland), which is part of the World Heritage Site known as Bru na Boinne.
They carried out a survey of the bed of the River Boyne, which runs through the site, with some interesting findings. So far the survey has identified over 100 areas/items which merit further investigation, the most exciting of which appears to be the remains of Neolithic log boats and their possible cargo of boulders, which would have been used in the construction of the monument.
Dr Stephen Davis, of the University College Dublin School of Archaeology, is quoted as saying "These items may or may not be archaeological but we can say for certainty that they don't belong there, they are things that are out of the ordinary and would benefit from further analysis". As well as ground surveys aerial scanning surveys of the river have also been carried out, leading Dr Davis to state that "These analyses highlight the importance of visibility from the river for site placement, especially in regard to the Neolithic passage tombs and timber monuments".

Edited from The Irish Times and Thejournal.ie (4 Nov 2019)

Conservation plan needed for Queen Maeve cairn

Sat, 30 Nov 2019 09:38:13 +0100

A meeting of Sligo County Council has heard there is an incredible amount of damage being done to one of the most significant Irish monuments, the stone cairn over Queen Maeve's grave on the summit of Knocknarea.
Sinn Fein Councillor Chris MacManus says a small number of people climb on top of the cairn while Fine Gael Councillor Sinead Maguire says people can be seen coming down the mountain carrying rocks from the cairn. A local resident in the area also repoprted recently that some people have been digging up quartz stones from around the base of the cairn.
Sligo County Council Senior Planner Frank Moylan told councillors the Office of Public Works is to advertise for consultants to prepare a conservation plan for the cairn. Councillor MacManus insists he does not want to see all access to the site blocked but he says the cairn must be protected.
Queen Maeve is Ireland's most imposing Neolithic monument built in a stunning and highly visible location, the focus of the other monuments scattered across the Sligo neolithic landscape. The great cairn of Knocknarea has been probably built some time before 3,200 BCE. It is situated close to the highest part of the flat top of Knocknarea, 327 meters above the surrounding sea. The enormous mound is about 60 meters in diameter and is estimated to contain some 27,000 tons of stone.

Edited from Ocean.fm (12 November 2019)

Unknown monuments identified close to Newgrange

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 23:03:28 +0100

Around 40 previously unknown monuments have been identified in a survey of the Bru na Boinne area close to Newgrange, about 40 kilometres north-northwest of Dublin (Ireland). Researchers want to find out if the southern side of the river is as interesting as the northern side.
Dr Steve Davis of the University College Dublin School of Archaeology, who has worked for over a decade on the Bru na Boinne landscape, said the newly discovered monuments appear to range from early Neolithic houses and timber enclosures, to Bronze Age burial monuments, and some early medieval farmsteads.
The area includes locations on both sides of the Boyne - within the bend of the river, and across from the megalithic tombs at Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth. The research is part of the "Boyne to Brodgar" project examining connections between Neolithic sites in the Boyne Valley and the Orkney Islands of northern Scotland. When completed the project will have surveyed more than five square kilometres.
Dr Davis confirms that a 2017 survey revealed a spectacular monument aligned with the Winter Solstice sunrise, in a field just metres from the Newgrange passage tomb. He believes it probably developed over several phases, and comprised a timber or stone passage surrounded by a large rectangular arrangement of wooden posts, the whole enclosed with several rings of smaller timber posts. Despite significant tomb-like features Dr Davis believes it is unlikely to be a tomb, and is 200-300 years younger than Newgrange.

Edited from Irish Examiner (6 August 2019)

Irish Neolithic cairn at high risk of irreparable damage

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 21:01:54 +0100

There is a mountain in County Sligo, Ireland, called Knocknarea. Near the summit there is a Neolithic passage tomb, dating back 5,000 years, which is an Irish National Monument. It is, allegedly, the grave of Queen Maeve (or Modb in the Gaelic language). She was the famous warrior queen of Connacht and featured in the mythological epic tale of The Cattle Raid of Cooley (Tain Bo Cuailnge).
Unfortunately the cairn (which sits right at the summit of Knocknarea) is suffering increasing damage and erosion from visitors who can walk all over it, without any form of protection. This is not surprising as even the tourist website YourIrish.com encourages people to climb to the summit to enjoy the views.
The Irish Office of Public Works has become increasingly concerned over the damage being caused and has urged Sligo County Council to take serious steps to prevent any further damage. There has been some confusion over signs erected alerting walkers of the danger of walking on the cairn, with people interpreting that as a danger to the walker rather than the cairn.
Dr Marion Dowd, a Sligo archaeologist, believes the problem is getting worse. She is quoted as saying "It is getting smaller. People have been removing stones. And then people climb to the top of the cairn to get a better view". It is hoped that the local authorities can put permanent protection measures in place without further delay.

Edited from The Irish Times (13 January 2019)

Megalithic passage tomb discovered in Co Meath

Sun, 23 Sep 2018 17:04:49 +0100

A Megalithic passage tomb dating back some 5,500 years has been discovered at the 18th century Dowth Hall in Co Meath (Ireland). The discovery is within the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site. It was made during an excavation carried out by the agri-technology company Devenish in partnership with University College Dublin School of Archaeology.
To date, two burial chambers have been discovered within the western part of the main passage tomb, over which a large stone cairn (c.40m diameter) was raised. The six kerbstones that have been identified so far would have formed part of a ring of stones that followed the cairn perimeter. One kerbstone is heavily decorated with Neolithic carvings and represents one of the most impressive discoveries of megalithic art in Ireland for decades. During the course of this project, a further two possible satellite tombs were also found.
Dr Clíodhna Ní Lionáin, Devenish's lead archaeologist for the project said: "For the archaeologists involved in this discovery, it is truly the find of a lifetime." Dr Stephen Davis of the UCD School of Archaeology said today: "This is the most significant megalithic find in Ireland in the last 50 years, since the excavation of Knowth. The spate of archaeological discoveries in Brú na Bóinne in recent weeks highlights what a globally significant place this is."

Edited from RTE, Devenish (16 July 2018)

Neolithic ritual cave site discovered in Mayo

Sun, 21 Jan 2018 11:06:03 +0100

A cave-like chamber discovered by a hill walker in north west Mayo (Ireland) has been confirmed as a Neolithic site used in highly complex burial practices over 5,000 years ago.
Scientific analysis for the Department of Heritage indicates that at least 10 people, both adults and children, were placed in the chamber over a period of up to 1,200 years. One of the adult bones in the natural boulder chamber dated to 3,600 BCE while a bone from a child's skeleton dated to 2,400 BCE.
Minister for Heritage Josepha Madigan praised local hillwalkers for reporting the find and described it as a "fascinating archaeological discovery". Ms Madigan said "such vigilance is extremely important to us in helping to protect and understand our archaeological heritage".
Local hillwalker Michael Chambers came across the rock-cut chamber among massive boulders in August 2016 while walking on Bengorm Mountain in the Nephin Beg range of west Mayo. Human bones were scattered over the rock floor.
Chief archaeologist of the National Monuments Service Michael McDonagh said the area was a "very remote location and the site would have been deliberately chosen for this remoteness".
"Large pieces of quartz had been placed in and around the bones," said Dr Marion Dowd of IT Sligo who led the excavation. "When the radiocarbon dates came through it was very exciting. Not only were the bones Neolithic, but the dates showed the site had been used for over 1,000 years."
It was not a burial site as such, but a ritual place where bodies were placed to decompose, according to the osteoarchaeologist who examined the human bones Dr Linda Lynch. "Only a very small proportion of each skeleton was found, with the majority of bones apparently deliberately removed. The discovery indicates highly complex processing of the dead."
The chief archaeologist said the bones would be deposited with the National Museum after all scientific analysis was completed but were unlikely to go on display.

Edited from The Irish Times (19 January 2018)

Unique winter solstice experience in Ireland

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 14:51:29 +0100

There is a World Heritage Site, at Newgrange, in the Boyne Valley in the East of the Republic of Ireland which is the location of a world famous Stone Age passage tomb. It is over 5,000 years old a comprises a mound which is 83 metres in diameter and 13.5 metres high, enclosing three internal compartments.
The uniqueness of this site is embodied in the fact that it is aligned with the sun for the Winter Solstice. This phenomenon was first realised by Professor Michael O'Kelly during the excavation and restoration of the tomb in the period between 1962 and 1975.
Many countries have developed Lotteries to raise money for various projects and good causes but in Ireland, the Office for Public Works, in an effort to boost local tourism, has devised a unique Winter Solstice Lottery for this site, with the winners being able to witness the rising of the Winter Solstice sun first hand. The Lottery had proved to be extremely popular, with over 33,000 applicants worldwide. Unfortunately on the day of the Solstice the sky was overcast and the sun not visible, otherwise they would have witnessed the sun penetrating a special roof aperture and illuminating the interior.
The Irish Minister of State for the Office of Public Works is quoted as saying " I am delighted to be here alongside Minister Madigan [Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht] to celebrate the 50th Anniversary since Professor M.J. O'Kelly rediscovered the sunrise illumination on the chamber at Newgrange o n the Winter Solstice, and to witness the live streaming of this phenomenon in association with Failte Ireland [TV]". He went on to add "That some of the winners have come this week from as far afield as Switzerland and the USA shows the continuing fascination the Solstice has the world over".

Edited from Meath Chronicle (22 December 2017)

Ancient Kerry fort closed after storm damage

Sat, 06 Jan 2018 19:16:20 +0100

Dunbeg fort dates back around 2,500 years, and houses a circular beehive hut with a square interior. Located on the Dingle Peninsula in Kerry (Ireland), this site is now closed until further notice due to damage sustained in the recent stormy weather.
The fort is a popular tourist attraction, offering dramatic views of the surrounding areas. A large portion of the fort has fallen into the sea due to the Storm Eleanor. The site was also closed in December due to the storm damage and people are still being urged to stay away.
The Office for Public Works said in a statement: "The OPW cannot emphasise enough the absolute dangerous nature of Dunbeg Fort at this time and asks that all visitors, for their own safety, refrain from visiting the site until further notice."
The OPW said that, alongside the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, it would meet at the site early next week to assess the damage and decide on what remedial works should be undertaken.
It is understood that significant damage has been done at the cliff edge, which has been subject to extensive erosion in recent decades. The fort is seen to be particularly vulnerable due to how it is perched on the sheer cliff edge. Part of the site previously fell into the sea in 2014.

Edited from The Journal.ie (2 January 2018)

New app to help preserve British and Irish rock art

Wed, 20 Dec 2017 14:44:27 +0100

Citizen scientists can help protect some of the world's most ancient rock art using a new mobile app designed by researchers at Newcastle University.
Using the smartphone's GPS, the app locates the site of the rock art in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and allows users to report on its condition and any potential threats, such as damage from vehicles or livestock, encroaching development, climate change and pollution.
Scientists and heritage practitioners at Newcastle University and Queen's University Belfast developed the data fields with input from members of the public and people who have responsibility for the caring for rock art.
Doctor Aron Mazel, Reader in Heritage Studies at Newcastle University says: "Previously, any reporting was done on paper and that's not always practical when you're in the middle of the countryside and there's a heavy wind. Almost everyone has a smartphone with them at all times, so creating an app was the obvious way to solve the problem."
Once uploaded, the reports are distributed to the University's project team, via the dedicated "Heritage and Science: Working Together in the CARE of Rock Art" project portal, and directly to heritage officials in the areas where the art is located. If there is no mobile phone signal, reports can be saved and uploaded when a connection is again established.
Doctor Myra Giesen, a Visiting Fellow at Newcastle University, says: "What's nice about the app is that as well as flagging up any immediate concerns, it also gives us a baseline. This means we'll be able to monitor how the rock art is doing over a period of years."
Mark Turner, Senior Research Software Engineer at Newcastle University, adds: "It's very satisfying to see our skills being used to enhance the safeguarding of ancient heritage resources."
The app is free to download and use. Search for "Rock Art CARE" on the Apple AppStore and Google Play, and visit the CARE project website to learn more about the project.

Edited from Newcastle University Press Office (23 November 2017)

First evidence of dismemberment in prehistoric Ireland

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 22:49:32 +0100

A new analysis of bones taken from an old excavation at 5300 years-old passage tomb complex at Carrowkeel, in County Sligo has revealed evidence of the burial practices and death rites of the ancient people of Ireland.
The team of researchers includes Sam Moore, lecturer in Prehistoric Archaeology at IT Sligo. "The bones were analysed from an original excavation of Carrowkeel in 1911, led by Prof R.A.S. McAlister," explains Sam. "They were subsequently presumed missing or lost until a group of boxes with the name 'Carrowkeel' on them was discovered in the archive in the University of Cambridge in 2001. The bones date from between 3500 and 2900 BCE"
The project was led by Dr Thomas Kador (University College London), with osteological research undertaken by Dr Jonny Geber from the Department of Anatomy at New Zealand's University of Otago. The group also included Sligo based archaeologist Dr Robert Hensey and independent researcher Pádraig Meehan.
The team analysed bones from seven passage tombs that included both unburnt and cremated human remains from around 40 individuals. Dr Geber says he and his colleagues determined that the unburnt bone displayed evidence of dismemberment. "We found indications of cut marks caused by stone tools at the site of tendon and ligament attachments around the major joints, such as the shoulder, elbow, hip and ankle", he says.
Dr Geber says the new evidence suggests that a complex burial rite was undertaken at Carrowkeel, which involved a funerary rite and placed a particular focus on the 'deconstruction' of the body. "Attempting to understand the reasons these ancient communities dismembered the bodies is one of the real fascinations with this research," says Sam Moore. "In the societies of the past, ancestry had more to do with group identity. This appears to have held real importance in Neolithic Ireland."
This is the first definitive discovery of similar practices during the same period on the island of Ireland. The new study has been able to show that the Carrowkeel complex was a highly significant place in Neolithic society in Ireland, which had an important role in facilitating interaction with the dead and a spiritual connection with the ancestors.

Edited from Leitrim Observer (17 October 2017)

Illuminating discovery at megalithic tomb in Kerry

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 22:48:52 +0100

A hillwalker in west Kerry (Ireland) has made a stunning discovery which connects a 4,000-year-old tomb with the equinox. The megalithic tomb, known as the Giant's Grave, is situated in the valley of Loch an Dúin on the eastern side of the Conor Pass. The tomb has been carved with ancient rock art, including a cup and circle at the head of the monument.
For the past 14 years Daithí Ó Conaill, a retired school principal, has visited the site during the winter and summer solstice hoping to make a connection between the tomb and the sun. He has now discovered that the wedge tomb is actually aligned to the setting sun of the equinox, which last occurred on Friday 22 September.
As the sun sets directly into a 'V' shaped valley in the distant Brandon mountain range, a shaft of light enters the wedge tomb, illuminating the chamber and the rock art at the head of the tomb. The event can be witnessed at sunset for a number of days either side of the equinox.
Archaeologist Míchéal Ó Coiléain who has carried out extensive surveys in Loch an Dúin said it was a stunning discovery, providing a fine example of the engineering brilliance demonstrated by the people who constructed it.

Edited from RTE News (26 September 2017)