Excavations atCarrig,Co. a Bronze Age family Dr Eoin Grogan : cemetery School ofCeltic Studies Irish Heritage Cultural

men of cnogba, christine bowen North

Blessington CARRIG Lugnagun 448m Sorrel Hill 599m

Lackan Baltyboys

Black Hill 599m Ballyknockan Valleymount 849m 703m Silsean 698m

10km

A

D C

B Site plan WI005-084---- N

CIST B Pit F7 CIST D

CIST A CIST C

10m Capstone Grave pit Cist A: Ned Kelly, NMI

Grave pit Cist Fill

1. Cremation (E305:85, 1189.9g): adult female (c. 25–30), very well incinerated Bone remains largely intact Cremation Usually washed after extraction from pyre Bone frequently partly crushed Complete retrieval from pyre rare Immediate and hygienic treatment of the dead Mature adult male: c. 2.5kg Facilitates planning and preparation of burial Mature adult female: 1.5–2kg More ‘costly’ than inhumation Some selection common: Requires about one ton of hardwood e.g. skull, torso, or limbs over-represented Oak most common fuel Sweet smelling wood (apple, hawthorn, rowan)

Mound of the Hostages, Burial 41 (XXII) Modern Hindu cremation pyre, India Cist B

2. Cremation (E305:2, 1127.1g): single adult male aged 30–50 Vase food vessel: E305:13

160mm Cist C CIST A Cist B capstone CIST C CIST B Cist C

1m E305:87 Cist C: burial sequence 1m Cremation (E305:8, 422.4g): young adult, possibly female, disturbed sherds (E305:3–5, 7, 12), two faience beads derived from the urn Cremation (E305:86, 266g) in cordoned urn E305:87: the well-burnt remains of at least 3 individuals, a juvenile (5) and two adults, one young the other possibly female Cremation (E305:100, 272.1g): two adults and third faience bead (E305:99) Cist C, unaccompanied cremation GrN-15375 2735±45 BP 1010–800 cal. BC Primary cremation (E305:9, 198.3g of bone Pit F15 outline representing a middle aged or older adult (30+ years), possibly male Cordoned urn (including broken sherds) Three faience beads Cist C gravegoods Small, shapeless fragment of bronze Cremation (997.5g): two young adults (possibly one female and one male) and a child aged c. 5

Vessel E305:87 containing cremation E305:86 E305:18 E305:17 20mm Cist D

CIST D

1m Cist D: burial sequence 12. E305:74: N/I 1200 + domestic sherds 11. E305:74: young adult + domestic cordoned urn 1500 Capstone (conjectural) 10. E305:91: neonate, young adult + 2 adults 1750 + cordoned urn E305:64 9. E305:90: adult male (50+) + cordoned urn E305:63 1800 8. E305:89: sub-adult (c. 14–20) + vase food vessel E305:69 2000 7. E305:88): neonate, child (c. 3) 2 young adults 2000 + vase food vessel E305:65 6. E305:74: primary cremation sherds of possibly plain vase?2100 Cist D gravegoods

E305:63 E305:64 E305:65

10. Cremation deposit (E305:91, 2833.1g): four individuals, a neonate nearing full term, a young adult and two other adults of indeterminate age. Amongst this E305:63 material was a bronze razor-knife, E305:66 and at least 8 200mm fragments of animal bone (N/I) E305:66 79.. CremationCremation (E305:88,(E305:90, 3810.1g):1301.5g) ofat well-burntleast four individuals,bone: adult male,a neonate 50+. near Also full 66 term,of pig a bone child aged about 3 and two young adults 30mm WI005-111---- Socket for standing stone The late Bronze Age (1200–800 BC)

XX Deposit (dump?) 15. Cremation (E305:98, 185.6g): of late Bronze young adult Age pottery 14. Cremation (E305:95, 792.1g): young adult male 1120–911 cal. BC 15m Pit F7:1160–936 cal. BC N Cist D: cremation 983–806–cal. BC

Cist C: cremation 1010–800 cal. BC

 Chalcolithic (‘Copper Age’) 2450–2200 BC  Early Bronze Age: 2200–1600 BC  Middle Bronze Age 1600–1100 BC  Late Bronze Age 1100–800 BC 10m F8 Burial: 1120–911 cal. BC 14. Cremation burial E305:95 within vessel E305:94

E W

E W

792.1g: young adult male 1m Overall Period of use: c. 2100–900 BC

Sub- AM AF YAM YAF YA A Child Neonate NI Adult 312251 1 2 22 Ballon Hill, Co. Carlow

Mound of the Hostages, Tara, Co. Meath Carrig Barrow WI005-083 Standing stone WI005-110 complex Cist cairn WI005-081 Standing stone WI005-111 Cemetery cairn WI005-84 Wedge tomb WI005-079 Enclosure WI005-080

CARRIG SROUGHAN 120m

WI005-080---- Diameter: 78m

photo: ryaner Diameter: 21m WI005-081---- Wedge tomb

photo:photo: Chris Wicklow Corlett County Council

WI005-079----

 Mr. Thomas Clarke, the landowner for permission to excavate  Mr and Mrs. Clarke and particularly their son Theo for their considerable help, interest and hospitality  Mr. Clive Griffith, Mr. Paddy Healy and Mr. Fergus O'Farrell who initially identified and reported the discovery to the National MuseumMy of Irelandthanks (NMI), Gardaalso Sgt Balfeto whothe identifie Carlowd the prior location Historical of the standing stoneand  The National Museum of who commissioned the excavation—especially the (later) Keeper of Antiquities Ned Kelly (of invaluable assistance throughoutArchaeological the project), the then Director, Society Breandán Ó Ríordáin, for his constant advice and encouragement and Ragnall O'Floinn (subsequently Director) and Mary Cahill (subsequently Keeper) for their help.  The Excavation Team: Brendan Comyn, Caroline Donaghy, Dan MacCarthy, Karena Morton, Barry O'Reilly, Patricia Ryan and especiallyfor Martin the Reid and invitation Betty O'Brien for their to invaluable speak contribution this evening  Trim Clerk of Works (Officeand of Public for Works) your P. J. Dolan gracious hospitality  Bob Corrig, surveying equipment; monument complex survey: Kieran O’Connor, Edward Bourke, Una Lee  The Balfe family of Carrig, our 'neighbours' during the excavation, for their numerous kindnesses and hospitality.  Specialist contributions:  Barra ÓAnd Donnabháin to, osteologyall of you for your kind attention this  Mick Monk, palaeobotany evening  Ralph Magee, faience studies  Vincent Butler, zooarchaeology  Jan Lanting, Groningen, for radiocarbon dating (gratis)  Ann Kennedy, pottery illustrations

Site plan Deposit (dump?) of late Bronze N Age pottery

Pit F7 CIST B CIST D

CIST A CIST C

10m