North Mayo Outline

Neolithic and Bronze AgeLandscapes of North Mayo

2009 Summary Report

Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North MayoNovember 2009

Seamas Caulfield, Gretta Byrne,

Martin Downes, Noel Dunne,

Graeme Warren, David McIlreavy,

Stuart Rathbone and Patrick Walsh

UCD School of Archaeology

Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research Fund 2009INSTAR: GRANT No. 16710

Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North Mayo 2009: Summary of Project

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1. Background............................................................................................................................ 2

2. Outline of 2009 Methodology and Results.............................................................................. 4

4. Outcomes .............................................................................................................................. 6

5. Outline of Proposed Book for Non-specialists ........................................................................ 8


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1. BackgroundThe Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North Mayo (NBNM) project’s overarching aimsare to bring to full publication critically important aspects of the Neolithic and Bronze Agearchaeology of North Mayo. The project address four areas: Noel Dunne’s survey work on thePollatomish peninsula; Seamas Caulfield’s survey/excavation in Belderrig; survey andexcavation by varied parties at ‘Céide Fields’; and Gretta Byrne’s survey/excavation fromBallinglen to Rathlackan. Individually these are important sites and/or landscapes, taken as awhole they are of international significance in terms of understanding early agriculturalcommunities in north-west Europe. Furthermore, the buried landscapes of the Céide Fields areiconic for Irish archaeology and a state candidate for World Heritage Site status.

The project builds on the success of the Céide Fields work in outreach, and remedies the lack offull academic publication. Our model is for a three year project resulting in:

- an academic monograph detailing results of survey, excavation and further specialistwork

- full excavation reports and archives deposited with the relevant authorities- a book targeted at the general public outlining the nature, significance and future of

these archaeological landscapes

At present, funding has been obtained for the first year of this project which focuses onpreparing stratigraphic accounts of all of the excavations, archiving materials, generating basiccatalogues and processing relevant samples. The enclosed reports outline the results of thisproject.

The specific excavations included in this proposal are:

- Belderg Beg (Caulfield)

- Behy (Ó Nualláin)

- Glenulra Enclosure (Caulfield)

- Céide Visitor Centre (Byrne and Dunne)

- Glenulra ‘Scatter’ (Byrne)

- Rathlackan Court Tomb (Byrne)

Project Partners:

Seamas Caulfield, Retired Associate Professor of Archaeology (UCD)


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Gretta Byrne Manager of Céide Fields Visitor Centre and Archaeological Site

Martin Downes, Emeritus Professor of Biology, NUIM

Noel Dunne Project Archaeologist, NRA

Graeme Warren Lecturer, UCD School of Archaeology (Project Coordinator)

ITAS Bealdeirg (the Belderrig Research and Study Centre, which is the physical base for theproject)


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2. Outline of 2009 Methodology and ResultsGrant support from the Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research Fund (INSTAR, Grant16710) for 2009 enabled us to hire three staff for a four month period. These staff comprisedtwo research assistants, Mr Stuart Rathbone and Mr David McIlreavy, and a research fellow, MrPatrick Walsh. These three researchers have been based in Belderrig from August-Dec,working on the archives.

The Modified Proposal (27th May 2009) outlined the following aims for this phase.

- generation of stratigraphical reports for all sites in the project proposal- selection of site drawings/key surveys for final publication- generation of registers- archiving of all materials (finds, samples, drawing)- processing of extant samples with contextual information- preparation of schematic outline of book for general public.

We also indicated that we would try to confirm spatial references and grid systems in so far aswas possible in the time available.

The original proposal outlined GIS work which could not be carried out by the modified projectapproved by INSTAR. GW will seek a volunteer MA Research Placement student to develop thebasic GIS in Spring 2010.

The nature of the archives encountered by this current phase of analysis varied. The earlierexcavations took place in a different archaeological framework: single context recording was notcarried out, and expectations of the scale and character of recording were very different totoday. In general for the earlier excavations, the written archive is poor, but the recollections ofthe excavator, alongside a good photographic and drawn record, has enabled a good level ofreconstruction of stratigraphy. The more recent excavations have a more complete archive, andhere we have focused on synthesising the annual reports previously presented. It is important tonote that both the older and more recent excavations often focused on uncovering archaeologybeneath the bog rather than excavating sections through that archaeology.

For the earlier excavations the first phase of analysis has been to create a synthetic workingplan of the site and assign context numbers as appropriate. These were then used to create astratigraphic narrative. Within the constraints of the budget for this phase we have not been ableto fully reconstruct the coordinate systems used in the excavations which means that manyfinds are still not directly associated with a context. When the spatial information is availablethese designations will be made; again GW will seek a volunteer to undertake this work as anMA research placement.

The standard of the archives has enabled very detailed interpretation of the excavations,including significant advances on our previous understandings. For example, the Belderg Begroundhouse can now be seen to have developed through three phases of building which havespecific stratigraphic relationships to the cultivation evidence in the area. Interestingly, these


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relationships do not sit comfortably with some of the palaeoenvironmental research recentlyundertaken in the area (see report for discussion). Internal structural evidence at the Glenulraenclosure suggests a number of different buildings that were not originally identified by theexcavator, whilst models of major modification to the Rathlackan Court Tomb can be proposed.Even allowing for the assessment of the archives made in 2008 the complexity and quality ofthe evidence surpassed our expectations, and more time than anticipated has been allocated toresolving these key stratigraphic questions. This in turn has meant that we have not been ableto fully process samples although full catalogues and registers for all of these are complete withassessments of their status and potential.

The reports that accompany this summary demonstrate the success of this phase of the NBNMproject.

Illustrations: This phase of the project did not attempt to create any final illustrations forpublication, consequently, the images reproduced in the stratigraphic reports are not those thatwould accompany a final report. They include plates and a range of line drawings, some fullyinked up, some still in pencil. In as far as is possible these images have been presented to ahigh standard, but many require formal digitising and standardisation which it has not beenpossible to undertake at this stage. Likewise, for some sites, an overall spatial plan has notbeen produced, and we rely on the original location maps produced by the excavators.

Artefacts/Samples: as part of the analysis all artefacts and samples were catalogued by DavidMcIlreavy. In all instances the material requires specialist analysis, but the wealth of the materialis clearly apparent. For lithics a broad classification was utilised by DMI comprising tools (formalretouched objects), blades/flakes/cores and finally small production waste (debitage, informallydefined): these terminologies are not those used in standard lithic analysis. Ceramics, inparticular, present some challenges, as many pieces are highly degraded. All artefacts areformally labelled and boxed according to NMI standard. Samples have been catalogued and apreliminary assessment of their quality made.

Radiocarbon dates: unless stated otherwise, all radiocarbon dates are quoted at 95%confidence intervals and have been calibrated with Oxcal 3.10.


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4. OutcomesBy Dec 4th 2009 we have produced

- stratigraphic reports for all excavations. These include full, illustrated stratigraphicaldiscussions, and with the exception of Behy, overviews of finds, samples and extantdating evidence and outlines of results of excavations and their potential andsignificance. The Behy report focuses solely on stratigraphy, given the developedcharacter of previous work on this tomb. These substantial reports are included in thissubmission and represent a transformation in the basis of knowledge for the sites inquestion, providing the ground work for the specialist analysis now required. These willbe sent to the DoEHLG in fulfilment of reporting requirements. These reports run to over400 pages and over 180,000 words. The six reports are:

o Warren, G. M., D. McIlreavy, S. Rathbone and P. Walsh (2009). ArchaeologicalExcavations at Behy (E747): Stratigraphic Report. UCD School of Archaeology/INSTAR:Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North Mayo 2009.

o Caulfield, S., G. Byrne, M. Downes, N. Dunne, G. M. Warren, S. Rathbone, D. McIlreavyand P. Walsh (2009). Archaeological Excavations at Belderg Beg (E109): StratigraphicReport. UCD School of Archaeology/INSTAR: Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes ofNorth Mayo 2009.

o Byrne, G., N. Dunne, S. Caulfield, G. M. Warren, P. Walsh, D. McIlreavy and S.Rathbone (2009). Archaeological Excavations in Association with the Construction of theCéide Visitor Centre (E494): Stratigraphic Report. UCD School of Archaeology/INSTAR:Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North Mayo 2009.

o Caulfield, S., G. M. Warren, S. Rathbone, D. McIlreavy and P. Walsh (2009).Archaeological Excavations at the Glenulra Enclosure (E24): Stratigraphic Report. UCDSchool of Archaeology/INSTAR: Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North Mayo2009.

o Byrne, G. J., G. M. Warren, P. Walsh, D. McIlreavy and S. Rathbone (2009).Archaeological Excavations at the "Glenulra Scatter" (92E140): Stratigraphic Report.UCD School of Archaeology/INSTAR: Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of NorthMayo 2009.

o Byrne, G. J., G. M. Warren, S. Rathbone, D. McIlreavy and P. Walsh (2009).Archaeological Excavations at Rathlackan (E580): Stratigraphic Report. UCD School ofArchaeology/INSTAR: Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North Mayo 2009.

- The appraisal of individual sites has led to significant results

o Belderg Beg: rather than one substantial Bronze Age round house, three phasesof construction are now identified and these are closely related to the remarkablecultivation evidence on site. Neolithic and Bronze Age field systems andassociated enclosures now understood much more clearly than was possiblefrom summary accounts. Points of disagreement between stratigraphic


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interpretations and recent palaeoenvironmental work highlighted as a key areafor future research. Extensive body of artefacts and samples.

o Behy: stratigraphic narrative produced for Ó Nualláin’s excavations, providing acoherent framework for integration of finds and other specialist analysis.

o Glenulra Enclosure: Caulfield’s excavations have been demonstrated to haveuncovered a complex range of structural remains, covering multiple phases, withparallels to middle/later Neolithic structures elsewhere in Ireland. Nature of findsassemblage, with apparent absence of concave scrapers, suggests significantspatial/functional/chronological variation.

o Glenulra Scatter: review of rescue excavations carried out by Byrne. Limitedstructural information, but a concave scraper dominated assemblage providesimportant comparative material for other assemblages in area

o Céide Visitor Centre: we have produced the first synthetic account of the variedphases of excavation associated with the construction of the visitor centre,including reviews of the walls, associated structures and settlement evidence,including dating evidence running into the first millennium AD.

o Rathlackan: the first overall narrative for Byrne’s excavations at this hugelysignificant court tomb and associated enclosure and small building has beengenerated. This includes evidence of substantial reworking of the tomb during thelater Neolithic and Bronze Age.

- Samples. An assessment of samples has been carried out but, as discussed above,samples have not been sieved and processed following the focus on resolution ofstratigraphic issues.

- An outline of the proposed book for the general public is included with thissubmission (see below)

- Outreach: the results of this project have been presented, with due acknowledgements,in conference papers in Belfast and will be presented in early December in Belfast andDurham. Stratigraphic reports, without the appendices, will be made available on theproject webpage (http://www.ucd.ie/archaeology/research/researcha-z/northmayoproject/).

- Overview. Although not strictly part of this phase of analysis, the production of thesereports has enabled Warren to synthesise extant dating evidence. The resulting timelines can be integrated with newly obtained palaeo-climate data from North Mayogenerated by Warren, Davis and Holmes Climate Change and the Adoption ofAgriculture in Ireland project (funded via the IRCHSS, RDI scheme) and associationsbetween phases of prehistoric agriculture and climate change in the region explored.This work is ongoing, but has very significant potential.


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5. Outline of Proposed Book for Non-specialists

“Belderrig and Céide Fields – A Landscape Fossilised”Seamas Caulfield and Martin Downes

The proposed book is aimed at the interested general public rather than the specialist, althoughit is assumed it will be of interest to a professional audience of archaeological andenvironmental as well. The target readers are for the non-specialists whom one could expect toattend extramural courses in archaeology, local or landscape studies, as well as those who visitthe Céide Visitors Centre. The book will assume no detailed knowledge of the subject, and willpresent a full and detailed presentation of the human/environment interaction as researchedover the last 100 years in Belderrig and Céide Fields. As such it will be useful for undergraduatestudents.

The book will run to 100,000-120,000 words and will be fully illustrated with maps, plans, anddiagrams as well as black and white colour photography. With illustrations the book will contain250-300 pages.

The subject matter will be divided into chapters as below (with authorship indicated). SC will bethe sole author in dealing with the human story, while MD will deal with the scientific aspects,especially those pertaining to environmental history. The main focus of the book is anticipatedto lie in Chapter Nine.

Chapter Structure

1. Introduction: Scope and purpose of the book

2. The Stage: Geology and Geomorphology of North Mayo (MD)

3. History of Archaeological Research in North Mayo (SC)

4. Excavations at Glenulra and Belderg Beg (SC)

5. Probing and Survey work at Céide Fields and Belderrig (SC)

6. Bogs and what they hold (MD)

7. The organic record: pollen, pine and midges (MD)

8. The inorganic record: sands and tephra (MD)

9. People and their Place in Prehistory: issues of origin, economy and landscape in an Irishand world context (SC)

10. Public Archaeology: The Céide Fields and Belderrig Development projects and theirsocio-economic and cultural impacts. (SC/MD)

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North Mayo Outline