Stone Pages - Archaeo News (Ireland)

Plan to protect Hill of Tara

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:10:12 +0100

A conservation plan has been commissioned for the State-owned lands on the Hill of Tara by the Irish Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan. The minister, in collaboration with the Office of Public Works (OPW) and the Heritage Council, has commissioned the Discovery Programme to undertake the plan.
Brian Lacey of the Discovery Programme said the structure of a conservation plan is quite specific. It is recognised internationally as an ideal formula for protecting heritage and managing change in important historic places.
In the summer of 2010, the Discovery Programme and its partners at NUI Galway doubled the amount of geophysical surveys on the hilltop, revealing in the process what is almost certainly the previously unknown whereabouts of the medieval manor of Tara.
Archaeological works to investigate the significant degradation of the covering of the Mound of the Hostages have been completed. The Mound of the Hostages, Duma na nGiall, is one of the most prominent monuments among the concentration of prehistoric sites on the Hill of Tara.
The Tara-Skryne Preservation Group (TSPG) has welcomed Minister Deenihan's announcement of a conservation plan. Carmel Diviney of the group, which was formed during the M3 motorway controversy, said it is a most welcome announcement to all concerned about the long-ranging state of disrepair on the Hill.
"A much sought-after comprehensive plan of management will be put in place on these State-owned lands which will ensure the preservation of one of Ireland's most important sacred, historical, mythological and cultural sites," she said.

Edited from The Meath Chronicle (1 February 2012)

Achill-Henge may be built over prehistoric site

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:40:47 +0100

Theresa McDonald, Managing Director of the Achill Archaeological Field School, voiced her objections over the Achill-Henge structure which was built at Pollagh (Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland) in November by Joe McNamara. The archaeologist believes that a prehistoric site could be less than half a kilometer from where Achill-Henge is now standing.
McDonald said, "We're worried that there is an archaeological site, mostly prehistoric, less than half a kilometre from the site. It is mostly covered by bog, as are a lot of sites in Ireland. The [archaeological] site is on the Sites and Monuments Record for Co. Mayo. There is evidence of there possibly being a bronze age monument and we don't know how extensive the site is, in theory it could stretch to the site of the Henge."
Achill-Henge is a Stonehenge replica, and according to a spokesperson for Mayo County Council, it was built without planning permission. Towering nearly 15 feet from its base, the modern structure is 30 metres in diameter and has a circumference of close to 100 metres. To build it, over 30 articulated trucks arrived in Pollagh from Galway carrying pre-cast concrete.
McDonald explained how McNamara supposedly did not adhere to proper procedure when planning and constructing the Achill-Henge. Had he done so, he would have been required to partake in an archaeological survey of the area and the results of the survey would have influenced the permissions for building.
The builder of Achill Henge and the Mayo County Council are set to head to court on January 31. However, the Council indicated it will seek an order forcing McNamara to take the structure down.

Edited from Irish Central (13 January 2012)

Stargazing at Irish stone circles

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:30:02 +0100

Astronomers from Armagh Observatory and archaeologists from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) will be hosting the Stargazing Live Universe Awareness (UNAWE) activities at the fascinating Beaghmore stone circles near Cookstown (County Tyrone, Northern Ireland) regarded as the best Dark-Sky site in the region.
The event - an international astronomy outreach programme funded by the European Community - is to be held on Wednesday 18th January 2012. Mark Bailey, Director of the Observatory, said: "Astronomy captures the imagination of children, young and old, as well as others young at heart. A view of the stars and of our Milky Way on a clear night from a Dark-Sky site such as Beaghmore can be an awe-inspiring, sometimes life-changing experience."
Schoolchildren will undertake a series of astronomy and science-based activities, including those that illustrate the lives of the people that built the stone circles at Beaghmore, in those early times. There will also a fascinating shadow theatre provided by EU-UNAWE presenters from the Arcetri Observatory in Florence, Italy. Later, children, their parents and everyone else are invited to a free Stargazing live event at Beaghmore. This will take place from approximately 3.30pm to 5.00pm - weather permitting.
Living History enactors will greet them and demonstrate Bronze Age weapons and artefacts technology, including food and agriculture, highlighting possible reasons for the need to use astronomy and the science behind the circles' original purpose. There will also be opportunities to view the stones at sunset and observe the bright planets Venus and Jupiter, both visible after sunset. If the weather's bad, as there will be an alternative Living History programme, a slide show illustrating the night sky from this special Dark-Sky site, and a EU-UNAWE presentation.
The last part of the event, from 8.00pm to 9.30pm, comprises two public lectures, the first by Claire Foley (NIEA) entitled "Stone Circles and the Bronze Age Perception of the Skies", and the second by Mark Bailey (Armagh Observatory) entitled "Comets and Cometary Concepts in History: Identifying the Celestial Connection".
Those wishing to attend these events should obtain free tickets by contacting Mrs Aileen McKee at the Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh; Tel: 028-3752-2928; e-mail: ambn@arm.ac.uk.

Edited from Mid-Ulster Mail (10 January 2012)

Mystery of the fulacht fiadh

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:59:03 +0100

Pronounced FULL-ahk FEE-add (plural 'fulachtai fia'), versions of this Bronze Age structure exist all around Ireland and throughout the United Kingdom, however archaeologists are not agreed on their purpose.
There are nearly 6,000 recorded fulacht fiadh sites dotted around Ireland alone. Today they appear as a horseshoe-shaped mound of soil and rocks surrounding a depression in the ground. Although commonplace and easy to identify, the fulacht fiadh remains enigmatic. Various theories have been put forward, but a lack of consistent artefacts associated with any of the proposed activities at excavated sites continues to obscure their purpose.
Fulacht fiadh sites typically date to the Middle Bronze Age (1800 BCE). The structures are usually found alone, but also appear in groups of two to six, as close as 5 metres or so from one another. "Most fulacht fiadh sites are somewhat isolated, with only a few having been found as part of a permanent settlement," says Emer Dennehy, an Irish archaeologist with the Railway Procurement Agency in Dublin who studies the fulachtai fia. "It was convenient to locate these sites close to wet and damp areas, which would not have been suitable for habitation."
Wetland locations allowed the troughs to be self-filling, either because they were situated below the water table or because they were built directly above a spring. Most are roughly rectangular and average 1.5 metres in length, 1.2 in width, and 0.6 in depth. Most that have been excavated are unlined, but roughly 30 percent are lined with clay, wood, or stone slabs. Surrounding the troughs are U-shaped mounds of stones which average roughly 1 metre high but can reach more than 2 metres, composed of sandstone or limestone. Neither rock type is typically found close to fulacht fiadh sites, indicating that the people chose the stones deliberately.
"You can be absolutely sure it was used for boiling water," says John Waddell, an emeritus professor of archaeology at the National University of Ireland, Galway. "It's the one certain thing about the fulacht fiadh." Dennehy explains, "The stones that were heated and shattered during this process were discarded nearby, gradually accumulating to form the mound surrounding the trough."
In Gaelic, 'fulacht' means 'cavity,' though as interpreted through Irish literature it can mean cooking site. 'Fiadh' means 'wild deer', and until recently the conventional wisdom has been that the fulacht fiadh was used for cooking. In the UK, they are known simply as 'burnt mounds'.
Declan Moore and fellow archaeologist Billy Quinn were the latest to practice experimental archaeology with the fulacht fiadh. Quinn's insight: Perhaps the mysterious Irish archaeological structure was used as an ancient brewing site.
Moore and Quinn decided to make their own fulacht fiadh brew, producing around 100 litres of copper-coloured ale with a smoky flavour. To support their theory, Moore and Quinn point to the discovery of grinding stones at fulacht fiadh sites in both Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as confirmed findings of traces of cereal grain and wheat near a Bronze Age wooden trough at a site in Wales in 2009. Quinn says, "Overall the fulacht fiadh may have indeed been multifunctional, something like our modern kitchen sink - used for many different purposes."

Edited from Archaeology (January 2012)

Don't move megaliths, or Irish fairies may wreak revenge!

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:03:15 +0100

The Aughrim Wedge Tomb, a 4,000 year old megalithic burial tomb which once stood on the slopes of Slieve Rushden, in the township of Aughrim (Co Cavan, Ireland), now sits incongruously in the grounds of Slieve Russell Hotel, in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan. But why, was it in danger and needed saving from destruction, like so many other ancient monuments? Well, not really. It just happened to be inconveniently located in the path of the expansion of a massive quarry! The quarry owner, Sean Quinn, who was once purported to have had a personal wealth of € 4.7 billion, moved the monument, stone by stone, to the other side of the village, to allow the expansion of his quarry.
Some believe that this interference with such an ancient site was bound to cause the wrath of the fairies, so the downfall of Mr Quinn, his bankruptcy and collapse of his empire would have come as no surprise to them. Others have put his demise down to him gambling with Anglo Irish Bank shares. But which is true? According to an Irish Folklore expert, Seamus MacFlionn "Cavan is full of ancient sites like these and therefore many people there would be more superstitious about moving any ancient rath, tomb or fairy tree". Others claim that such belief is "... A load of auld rubbish..." My money is on the fairies!

Edited from The Independent, Irish Central (22 November 2011)

Man faces jail for demolishing ancient Irish ring fort

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:23:18 +0100

An Irishman is facing a possible five-year jail term after he was prosecuted for demolishing an ancient ring fort on land belonging to his family. In the first case of its kind to be heard in an Irish Court, John O'mahony appeared at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded guilty to carrying out unauthorised work near a monument on his family's farmland in Causeway in 2008.
The court heard that the family of Mr O'mahony, a 64-year-old farmer, owned lands which contained a ring fort and a series of underground tunnels, or souterrains, which dated back to between 500 BCE and 100 CE. The ring fort and souterrain system were deemed to be national monuments of historic importance and had been placed on a national register.
While Irish landowners are allowed carry out works on or near national monuments that are on the register, they must contact the Department Environment and receive express written permission from the minister before they proceed. Judge Carroll Moran was told that in February 2008, without seeking permission from the department, John O'mahony hired workers who demolished the majority of the ring fort and used the materials to fill in a nearby pond. In the course of the work, the majority of the fort was destroyed while two thirds of the souterrian was demolished.
When the Department of the Environment learned of the demolition they contacted Gardaí in Listowel who launched and investigation. During the garda investigation, John O'mahony admitted to ordering the demolition of the fort but said he didn't know he wasn't allowed touch the site without two months notice and permission from the minister.
Prosecution Barrister told the court that as a result of Mr O'mahony's actions "part of the history and culture of county Kerry has been irretrievably lost." Defence Barrister Mr John O'sullivan said his client simply didn't understand the implications of his actions. Judge Carroll said that due to the unusual nature of the case he would need time to reflect before passing sentence. He adjourned the case until January 16 2012.

Edited from Kerryman (30 November 2011)

Two large enclosures found near Knowth

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:39:26 +0100

The Brú na Bóinne passage grave sites continue to surprise archaeologists, with two large enclosures discovered near Knowth. The formation of one of them is unique in Ireland, leaving researchers mystified about how it might have been used.
The two buried features were found in a field adjacent to Knowth, no more than 40 or 50m from the famous passage tombs there, according to Joe Fenwick of NUI Galway. "The place where we were surveying is very near the core area where most of the tourists visit," he said. There were virtually no bumps or irregularities at the surface, yet his collaborator, Prof George Eogan of University College Dublin - who has conducted research at Knowth for 50 years - felt there was potential there because of earlier aerial surveys.
Mr Fenwick probed below the surface using a magnetometer, a device that detects changes in the natural magnetism of the soil caused by ground disturbance. He described his shock when not one but two large hidden features emerged. One is a large rectangular enclosure, in effect a soil platform 65m wide and of an as yet uncertain length. This is surrounded by a wide ditch of about 15 metres across. The second - an enclosure made of two concentric rings - was unknown in Ireland, he said. The outer is 70m across and has a surrounding 3-4m ditch. The inner ring has its own ditch around it and is 25-30m across.
"The ring enclosure was completely unexpected because there were no signs of it on the surface," he said. "It is fantastically exciting. It is difficult to come up with a parallel for it. There is a possibility it could be a ring fort but it doesn't match others." The features may date back to the 12th or 13th century. The survey also revealed what may be walls built on the platform. "It was a major piece of construction. It was not built for farming activity."
These discoveries convince Mr Fenwick that there are many discoveries yet to be made. "The scale of Knowth is much, much bigger than anyone realised. The potential for further discoveries around Knowth is enormous." Knowth, along with the nearby Newgrange and Dowth passage graves, are between 5,000 and 5,200 years old and are collectively a World Heritage Site.

Edited from The Irish Times (23 November 2011)

No sign of a second chamber at Newgrange

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:38:24 +0100

The technology used in an attempt to find out whether a second passage tomb, which may also be aligned with a solstice event, exists at Newgrange had proved its worth during experimentation by a Slovakian team of scientists who visited the Boyne Valley (Co. Meath, Ireland).
Dr Conor Brady, archaeologist and lecturer at Dundalk Institute of Technology, said that while there would be no 'dramatic announcements' about discovery of a second chamber at Newgrange at this stage, the microgravitational technology used in the experiments had proven valuable to archaeologists and scientists.
The possibility that Newgrange could have a second passage tomb, which may also be aligned with a solstice event, was being explored by a team of Irish and Slovakians archaeologists using microgravitational equipment. The purpose of the new study was to detect underground cavities and the microgravity meter used at Newgrange responds to variations in density in the ground beneath it.
Already part of the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site, Newgrange is synonymous with sunrise on the winter solstice but the possibility that it has another as yet unknown chamber is not being ruled out. Dr Brady said that while the weather conditions encountered by the team at Newgrange created difficulty in the use of the highly-sensitive equipment, it had nevertheless shown that 'it works'.

Edited from The Meath Chronicle (9 November 2011)

Prehistoric site found near Belfast

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 23:44:16 +0100

Archaeologists have discovered what is believed to be a prehistoric ceremonial site on Cave Hill in north Belfast (Northern Ireland).It follows a community excavation involving more than 400 people at the site of Ballyaghagan cashel.
Dr Harry Welsh, an archaeologist with Queen's University, which led the Big Dig project, said some of the earliest items on the site dated back to 3,500 BCE. He said:"Before we started the dig we thought there would be no big mystery. It was a cashel and we would just be in and out again. But after a few days we started to see that this site does not conform to all the features of a cashel."
Dr Welsh also drew attention to a piece of sandstone which was uncovered at the site and has been inscribed with a unique design. "We have a piece of sandstone and someone has gone to the trouble of inscribing an oval shape on it with segments, very like if you took a cross section of an orange," he added. "It is on both sides, so the jury is out on this one.

Edited from BBC News (27 October 2011)

In search of a second passage at Newgrange

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:31:20 +0100

Archaeologists are examining whether one of the most popular ancient sites of Ireland may have more to it than meets the eye. Using technology that has proven successful at the pyramids in Egypt, teams from Ireland and Slovakia are exploring the possibility that Newgrange in Co Meath may have a second passage, and it too could be aligned with a solstice event.
"The absolute best-case scenario would be to demonstrate there is an undiscovered passage and chamber within Newgrange because the mound has not been fully excavated," said Dr Conor Brady, archaeologist with Dundalk Institute of Technology. The northwest side of the mound has never been excavated, he said, so "it is technically possible there is something there".
Newgrange is synonymous with sunrise on the winter solstice and light entering the chamber. The neighbouring mounds at Knowth and Dowth both have two passages, so the presence of a second passage at Newgrange cannot be excluded yet.

Edited from Irish Independent (18 October 2011)

Rock art found in Ireland could date back to Bronze Age

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:22:46 +0100

A rock bearing what is believed to be a rare piece of art dating back to the Bronze Age has been discovered on an outcrop alongside a medieval pilgrim route in west Kerry (Ireland). The discovery two weeks ago of 'a perfect spiral' on a rock off the main Cosán na Naomh on the Dingle peninsula, is being assessed by county archaeologist Michael Connolly.
Measuring 19.5cm, it was found by local man Colm Bambury between Cill Mhicéadair and Baile an Lochaigh near the foot of Mount Brandon. The area is dotted with standing stones, Ogham and beehive huts and other monuments from early Christianity.
The drawing is believed to be thousands of years old and follow-up investigations by Mr Connolly found indications of Bronze Age enclosures in the immediate vicinity.

Edited from The Irish Times (27 September 2011)

Prehistoric body discovered in Irish bog

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:53:17 +0100

Iron Age human remains have been discovered in a County Laois (Ireland) bog. The remains, understood to be those of a young woman, were found by an employee of Bord Na Móna - the company is responsible for the mechanised harvesting of peat - who was operating a milling machine in the Cul na Móna bog between Abbeyleix and Portlaoise.
This particular bog has been become somewhat of a hotspot of rare discoveries in recent years. Bog butter, leather shoes and axe heads dating back thousands of years have been found deep down in the bog.
Initial examinations of the prehistoric remains suggest the victim may have been a human sacrifice between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago. Archaeologists reckon the body is a victim of a ritual sacrifice after the remains were found in a leather bag. The National Museum of Ireland said the victim's legs were well preserved but that the torso and head appeared to have been lost. The remains will be taken to the National Museum in Dublin for analysis and radio carbon dating.
There have been over 100 bog bodies found in Ireland, but many were not well preserved. According to Irish Peatland Conservation Council: "For thousands of years the bogs, through their extraordinary preservative qualities have kept ancient remains intact that would have otherwise perished on dry land; such as the bodies of unwary travellers trapped in the bog, or prehistoric track ways; and sometimes even whole villages and farms."
Bogs can be treacherous places and it is likely that some of the bodies found in the peat were those of travellers who slipped into bog pools and were trapped. Some ancient bodies found in the peat were supposedly found clutching heather or sticks as if attempting to haul themselves out. Other bodies found in bogs are deliberate burials.

Edited from RTE News, BBC News (12 August 2011), Irish Weather Online (14 August 2011)

Underground chamber unearthed in Irish garden

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:03:00 +0100

An ancient underground chamber which could date back 2,000 years has been unearthed near Clonmany in Inishowen (County Donegal, Ireland). Discovered by Sean Devlin, the previously unrecorded structure appears to be an underground tunnel or souterrain.
Mr Devlin revealed that he first discovered the underground chamber several years ago while landscaping his front garden, but didn't make much of a fuss about his amazing find at the time. The historic significance of the tunnel only became apparent recently after Mr Devlin showed it to amateur archaeologist friends. "I had been doing my lawn and dug it out accidentally with a digger. It was a big round circle with a tiny dark tunnel leading off it which seems to go quite far," he said.
Souterrains are underground man-made drystone built structures roofed with large lintels, comprising of one or more chambers linked by tunnels called creepways. Their entrance is concealed at ground level. They are usually found in locations near to ringforts, cashels and early ecclesiastical sites.
Amateur archaeologist Eddie Harkin, who visited and examined this fascinating structure with colleagues Tommy Gallagher and Brian MacNeachtain, confirmed that it has at least three chambers with a creepway linking each one. In one chamber Mr Harkin says there is a quantity of bones - which may or may not be human - deposited in niches along one side of the souterrain wall. He also found part of a quern stone as well as a quantity of shells.
Mr Devlin says he may try to improve the underground chamber: "The tunnel seems structurally safe and dry so eventually I might do it up and maybe try and put some kind of lights in there to make going in there a bit easier." A member of his local heritage group, Mr Devlin says he hopes to learn more about his discovery when an archaeologist from Dublin examines it some time soon.

Edited from Derry Journal (13 August 2011)

Ancient Irish stone tools go on display

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:52:10 +0100

Stone tools used by the first builders in Galway (Ireland) thousands of years ago will soon go on display. Rare polished axeheads used by prehistoric Galwegians more than 6,000 years ago will form the centre of the display, which is being loaned to the city's museum by the National Museum of Ireland. Most of the items were found over the past few decades when the city's streets were dug up for roadworks. A series of bronze and stone arrowheads dating from 1,300 BCE and used for fishing and hunting will also be put on display. One of the earliest objects on display will be a magnificent Mesolithic stone spearhead, which may have been used to catch fish, and dates back to approximately 6,000 BCE. Breandán Ó hEaghra, deputy director of Galway Museum, said: "Galway in prehistoric and medieval times will be on display in the museum in the coming weeks."

Edited from The Irish Times (20 June 2011)

'Bog butter' from 3,000 BCE found in Ireland

Thu, 05 May 2011 19:00:30 +0100

Over 100 pounds of 'bog butter' have been discovered in Tullamore, County Offaly (Ireland). This ancient food substance, thought to been buried as a form of refrigeration, is thought to be 5,000 years old.
Brian Clancy and his uncle Joe were cutting turf in Ballard Bog when they made the discovery. Joe explained "We were cutting turf and I found what looked like a huge piece of timber. We took it out with a spade and it turned out to be bog butter." When the men found the container Joe returned to his house and researched bog butter on the Internet. He then returned to the bog and "filled a wheelbarrow with the peat and put the keg into it and brought it home and contacted the National Museum of Ireland."
The container has carving marks around the edges with a removable lid with handles and holes, possibly for carrying. The wooden vessel measures a foot in diameter and is almost two feet tall. The 100 pound container was buried seven-feet down.
Some believe 'bog butter' was a special type of butter made at a certain time during the years and buried so that it might be preserved. Joe said the butter still has a dairy smell. In the past some 'bog butter' that has been tested has been meat based.

Edited from Irish Central (29 April 2011)