Archaeology
Archaeology Content
Humans have occupied Ireland for the past 10,000 years, leaving us with a rich legacy of archaeological monuments and landscapes. We work to conserve this unique archaeological heritage.
June 2008 Seminar
Click on the links below to view abstracts and presentations delivered at the seminar
Brú na Bóinne in Earlier Prehistory
Dr. Conor Brady, Dundalk Institute of Technology,Chair of Earlier Prehistory working group
The Earlier Prehistoric period is taken to be the time between the first settlement of this island (c. 8000 BC) to the end of the Bronze Age (c. 600 BC). Brú na Bóinne has been the focus of research for over three centuries which has given us our present understanding of this internationally important monument complex. A number of key investigations have been conducted in the Brú na Bóinne area, most notably those at Newgrange, Knowth and Monknewtown, which are very important and have provided very detailed data on the monuments concerned. However, in spite of this work, there are still key questions about the area during the Earlier Prehistoric period. Who were the first people to settle in this area and when did they come? When was agriculture introduced to the area and where did these farmers live? When were the first monuments built and what was the sequence of their construction? Where did these people live in the landscape? Connections exist between Brú na Bóinne and the wider north Leinster landscape, regions further distances away and overseas. What was the nature of these contacts and how did they change over time? Why was there a change from building megalithic tombs to building large open-air enclosures and timber circles at the end of the Neolithic? What was the nature of activity in the area during the Bronze Age, apparently a quiet time in comparison to the achievements of earlier centuries. How quickly was the landscape cleared of its forest cover and what crops were grown over the course of the period? A constant feature throughout this period is the River Boyne. What roles did it play for each generation? We need to try to understand the surviving monuments in the area better, classify them properly and search for new sites in a systematic way. A comprehensive database of archaeological information should be established for the area to facilitate research. Material from completed excavations in the area should be re-examined to identify opportunities where new scientific techniques may be used to add to our store of knowledge and help improve our understanding of past activity in all its complexity.
Download Full Presentation: Brú na Bóinne in Earlier Prehistory [PDF 9.1MB]
Brú na Bóinne in Later Prehistory/The Early Historic Period
Dr. Geraldine Stout, DoEHLG, Chair of Later Prehistory/Early Historic Period working group
Brú na Bóinne, in addition to possessing the most imposing megalithic monuments in Ireland, has an equally imposing, if less obvious, concentration of place names associating some of the chief figures in early Irish mythology with a variety of natural and artificial features. Medieval scholars tell us that the kings of the Tara were buried at Brú na Bóinne from the time of Conchubar Mac Nessa onwards and the Boyne Valley is also where St. Patrick began his Christian mission in Ireland. However, finding traces of these late prehistoric/early historic communities on the ground is a more difficult task – we know very little about the homes and settlements of Iron Age communities and currently have no accurate picture of the landscape these people and later generations inhabited. What was the nature of the Roman and later Viking presence in Brú na Bóinne? What is the evidence for early ecclesiastical sites? Today’s presentation will discuss these and other questions.
Download Full Presentation: Brú na Bóinne in Later Prehistory/The Early Historic Period [PDF 4MB]
Brú na Bóinne in the Medieval and Post-medieval Periods (to c.1700)
Dr. Michael Potterton, The Discovery Programme, Chair of Medieval/Post-Medieval working group
Understandably, research on Brú na Bóinne has focused mainly on the famous megalithic passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. It is less well known that the area also has a rich medieval history, and while more attention has traditionally been paid to the Battle of the Boyne of 1690, it is often overlooked that this event was just one episode in the early modern history of the area. Contemporary documentary records provide insights into the nature of medieval settlement in the area and the types of agriculture and industry that were practiced. Archaeological excavations have shed light on economy and burial practices, while field-walking has identified medieval and early modern pottery, floor tiles and plough components. The 1654 Civil Survey of Co. Meath contains important information relating to land-ownership, agriculture, industry and settlement in the area. The strategic importance of Brú na Bóinne is epitomised by the fact that the Battle of the Boyne took place here in 1690. The relevant chapters in Geraldine Stout’s book Newgrange and the Bend of the Boyne give the most complete picture to date of Brú na Bóinne from the twelfth to the end of the seventeenth century. Despite the variety of research that has already been carried out, and the availability of a fair range of primary documentary records for the area, there remain many gaps in our understanding of Brú na Bóinne in the medieval and post-medieval periods. This presentation highlights a series of research questions and topics that need to be addressed in order to improve that understanding. Among the themes that will be discussed are: land ownership; settlement patterns; continuity and change; land use and environmental impact; trade and communication; and place-names and folklore.
Vernacular and Built Heritage
Ms. Jill Chadwick, Meath Conservation Officer, Chair of Vernacular and Built Heritage working group
According to the ICOMOS charter on Vernacular Heritage, “ the built vernacular heritage is an integral part of the cultural landscape and this relationship must be taken into consideration in the development of conservation approaches. “ Built heritage is not confined to post AD1700 buildings, but has a wider application to all upstanding structures regardless of the period of their construction, and to the landscape setting of the monuments and structures, which adds to the special sense of place.
Brú na Bóinne is a living landscape which has been home to a succession of peoples since Neolithic times. That landscape, although forged by geological, climatic and biological forces, has been altered and adapted by the people who made it their home. It is still home to a rural community. Research into its built heritage can provide insight into the continuity of the living patterns and changes to this community over time.
Although the more important structures of the area and the surviving thatched houses have been the subject of a number of surveys (e.g. Stout 2002), there is no complete picture of the built heritage of the area. This area of research is one which not only seeks knowledge from the past, but needs to look to the future, to find opportunities for the continuing development of the area by its inhabitants and how best that can happen while preserving the context of the monuments and the character of the cultural landscape.
Download Full Presentation: Vernacular and Built Heritage [PDF 9.1MB]
Natural Heritage
Dr. Loreto Guinan, Meath Heritage Officer, Chair of the Natural Heritage working group
The landscape at Brú na Bóinne has been shaped by human activity over many millennia and contains sites of cultural, geological and ecological importance. The Heritage Act, 1995, defines natural heritage as including the following elements flora, fauna, wildlife habitats, landscapes, seascapes, wrecks, geology, heritage parks and gardens, and inland waterways. This paper will give a brief overview of natural heritage research undertaken to date within the World Heritage Site, identify key gaps in our knowledge, discuss changing land use and threats to the biodiversity and geodiversity. In addition opportunities for natural heritage interpretation and education within the site will be highlighted.
Download Full Presentation: Natural Heritage [PDF 3.3MB]
Palaeoenvironment and Palaeogeography
Dr. Finbar McCormick, Queen’s University Belfast, Chair of Palaeoenvironment and Palaeogeography working group
To date, research in environmental archaeology at Brú na Bóinne has been relatively limited. The most extensive studies have been in the field of zooarchaeology especially in the case of the Beaker Period at Newgrange and the Early Medieval Period at Knowth. Skeletal material has also provided some useful material on early human populations in the area. The greatest gap in our knowledge is in the area of vegetational history. This can inform us about the changing natural and farming landscape since the earliest settlement in the area. A detailed programme of pollen analysis is needed in order to establish both the general vegetational history of Boyne Valley but also more localised studies in the immediate vicinities of the major archaeological sites. We know, for instance, that large areas of sod must have been removed for the construction of the main tombs. How did this effect agriculture in the immediate environs of the monuments? At the other end of the timescale there must have been dramatic changes in farming with the arrival of monastic grange farming after the coming of the Normans. The pollen evidence could inform us about this while further animal bone studies could inform us about the changing livestock farming and its consequent effect on meat diet. Pollen and faunal remains are not the only tools that could be used to inform us about environmental and agricultural change. Research on fossil soil profiles, and study of fossil molluscs and insect remains could contribute greatly contribute to our understanding of the evolution of the landscape of Brú na Bóinne.
Download Full Presentation: Palaeoenvironment and Palaeogeography [PDF 3.1MB]
Geophysical and Aerial Survey (Spatial Data)
Mr. Tom Condit, National Monuments, DoEHLG, Chair of Spatial Data working group
Most investigations to date at Brú na Bóinne have relied on excavations. A lesser number have involved the application of various remote sensing techniques at different locations and scales. Remote sensing can be defined as the acquisition of information about an object without direct physical contact with it. The methods discussed include aerial photography, geophysical survey and underwater techniques. These methods can be used on their own to achieve particular results, but when they are used to complement other techniques to address specific questions they can become a powerful research aid. One of their principal characteristics is that they are non-destructive.
Investigations using the methods discussed result in the accumulation of spatial data about Brú na Bóinne, which in turn need to be archived, processed, analysed, interpreted and made accessible for future research and management. The Geographic Information System is identified as the appropriate tool to accomplish such tasks and is highlighted as being central to future research strategies at Brú na Bóinne.
Geophysical and Aerial Survey (Spatial Data) [PDF 11MB]
Management and Interpretation
Ms. Clare Tuffy, Manager Brú na Bóinne Centre, OPW,Chair of Management and Interpretation working group
One of the requirements of a World Heritage Site designation is the need to put in place a comprehensive management plan. The Management Plan should be the practical tool for managing the Brú na Bóinne WHS. This plan should provide a clear strategy so that priorities may be set that are achievable within given resources.
In 2002, a five-year management plan was published for Brú Na Bóinne. The key objectives of the 2002 Management Plan were:
- To ensure protection of the cultural and natural heritage by implementing legislation, co-operating with landowners and liaising effectively with planning /development authorities and other interested bodies.
- To undertake a monitoring programme of the impact of the conservation works at the megalithic tombs of Newgrange and Knowth and to prepare conservation strategies for all the archaeological sites, the Special Areas of Conservation and the Natural Heritage Areas in Brú na Bóinne.
- To provide a high level of public access and interpretation of the site.
- To establish key priorities for research which will provide a greater understanding of the site’s broad range of archaeological monuments.
- To maintain close co-operation with the local community, government departments and agencies to ensure the effective implementation of the management plan.
The next Management Plan will be drafted soon. Before we embark on that process, we need to know if the objectives of the last management plan were achieved. We also need to know if these objectives were sufficient.
It is hoped that the research questions presented today will help inform the management process. It is also hoped that the consultation process for the research agenda will pose other questions.
Download Full Presentation: Management and Interpretation [PDF 11MB]
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