Trowel Volume XIV 2013 Edited by Chris Coffey, Joseph Cully, Bernard Gilhooly & Rowan Lacey Cover Illustrations: Conor McHale For enquiries please contact: The Editors, Trowel c/o School of Archaeology Newman Building University College Dublin Belfield Dublin 4 Email: [email protected] Web: www.trowelucd.com www.trowelucd.weebly.com Published in 2013 by Chris Coffey, Joseph Cully, Bernard Gilhooly & Rowan Lacey © 2013 The Individual Contributors ISSN Number: 0791-1017. Editors Foreword Welcome to Trowel Volume XIV, student journal of UCD’s School of Archaeology. We are delighted to feature in this 25th anniversary edition twelve articles from undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as graduate scholars from a variety of interest areas. It was particularly nice to see such a positive response from undergraduates interested in making contributions to the journal this year. The decision to open up to this section of the student body was, in part, to celebrate the 25 years in which Trowel has enjoyed their support and readership, but it was also a recognition that undergraduates are key to the future of archaeological research and Trowel has long endeavoured to provide a platform to that end. We wish to take this opportunity to express our thanks to the many authors who have given their time and energy to make contributions to this journal. In addition to the authors of the twelve articles, this volume also contains a book review by Mick Corcoran on Áine Foley’s The Royal Manors of Medieval Co. Dublin: Crown and Community (Four Courts Press, 2013). It also features reflections by Cóilín Ó Drisceoil and Dr. Charles Mount, who have written special pieces on aspects of Irish archaeology over the last 25 years. Thanks are also due to Dr. Aidan O’Sullivan, whose long association with the journal is underscored in his formal introduction to this edition. The editors would also like to extend their gratitude to the staff of the UCD School of Archaeology and a special thank you goes to Conor McDermott for advice freely given to the authors of several incarnations of the journal, not least ourselves. We are also grateful to Prof. Tadhg O’Keeffe whose gracious acceptance to launch Trowel XIV was greatly appreciated. We are indebted to Eion Bairead, who selflessly gave his time to digitise every back issue of Trowel, facilitating an ease of accessibility to the journal on our website (a process which began during the tenure of Trowel XIII) and to Conor McHale, who has provided the artwork for many earlier editions and who has done a wonderful job with the cover of Trowel XIV. A special acknowledgement is due to the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland and The UCD Archaeology Society for their continued support over the years and further thanks are extended also to Valerie Norton of the HII. The editors are proud to announce that this year also marks the beginning of formal publishing for the journal as Trowel will now be hosted by EBSCO Publishing. This positive departure means that Trowel articles will be accessible to a much wider academic readership than was previously possible and it is hoped that this will impact significantly on the development of Trowel over the ensuing quarter century. To the many of you that have offered support and goodwill over the past few months, thank you. Chris, Joseph, Bernard & Rowan December 2013. 1 Introduction Trowel is unique, and has been for decades, both in Irish archaeology, and beyond. Since it was conceived of, and established (by yours truly as it happens), in the Spring of 1987, and first published in 1988, it has been one of the world's few entirely student-driven archaeology journals, edited by students and written - for the most part - by them. Back then it was churned out on coal- burning computers that had green text on a black screen, and was stored on floppy disks that were actually floppy - and you really had to know where to get published copies. Now it is expertly produced using publishing software and ultimately distributed online to an audience all over the world. Throughout its history though, it has always been about young (for the most part!) archaeologists who were eager to contribute to the debate; to tell stories about the past in the present; to communicate the excitement of archaeology and its extraordinary capacity to explore other worlds and other people's lives. Looking back through past volumes, you can see the names of editors and authors who have since gone on to become some of the leading archaeologists (...excepting yours truly) in Irish archaeology. For most of them, Trowel was their first opportunity to publish, a measure of their eagerness to contribute to their discipline. Indeed at one stage in the early 1990s, an eminent Irish archaeologist commented in print that UCD's Trowel was one of the few venues where scholars were actually asking new questions, rather than simply admiring the richness of Ireland's archaeology. Of course, Trowel has also been about archaeology internationally, and many papers down through the years have also engaged with the landscapes and material culture of places beyond this small island, and that's as it should be. Who knows what Trowel will be like in another 25 years? Hopefully it will still be about people who are intrigued by our material past and who want to communicate that sense of fascination and curiosity to others. Congratulations to this year's Trowel editors, now who's next? Aidan O'Sullivan Senior Lecturer, UCD School of Archaeology P.R.O. UCD Student Archaeology Society (1987/88) 2 Contents Opening Pages: Editors Foreword 1 Introduction by Dr. Aidan O’Sullivan 2 Table of Contents 3 Contributors: Article Authors 6 Reflections Authors 8 Editors: 9 Articles: Conflict or Coexistence? An Examination of the Evidence for 10 (9pp) British Burial in Early Anglo-Saxon England, AD 400-700 Matt Austin Expanding Landscapes: Remote Access to Medieval Ireland 19 (8pp) Michael Corcoran Fish Ponds and Water Features Associated with Moated Sites: 27 (9pp) Two Neglected Aspects of Medieval Studies in Ireland Julie O’Brien 3 Grave Robbers and Secret Keepers: Balancing the Rights of the 36 (5pp) Living and the Dead in Archaeology Mark Haughton Anointed in the Blood of Dragons: Who were the Viking Age Archers 41 (7pp) Of Ireland and where are they? Stephen Fox Tongs and Shafts: An Iron Smelting Experiment 48 (7pp) Liudas Juodzbalys To the Skies: Amateur Aerial Archaeology and its Potential Uses 55 (5pp) Stephen Domican The Early Medieval Development of the Ecclesiastical Site 60 (8pp) At Ardmore, Co. Waterford Trisha Ryan Fat Ann, Baths and Brothels: Sexual Economies of the Wild West 68 (5pp) Laura Elizabeth Scharding Mythology as a Window into the Past: What is the Relevance 74 (8pp) of Mythology in Archaeological Interpretation? Owen Connolly A Bishop’s Court Hidden in Green Hills 82 (6pp) Niall Inwood 4 The Lost Context of a Handprint: Digital Mutilation in Cave Art 88 (6pp) Jane McInerney Book Review: The Royal Manors of Medieval Co. Dublin: Crown and Community by Áine Foley 94 (1pp) Michael Corcoran Reflections: The Role of the Internet in Irish Archaeology 95 (5pp) Charles Mount Riding the Archaeological Rollercoaster: Reflections on a Career in Irish Archaeology 100 (3pp) Cóilín Ó Drisceoil Notes: 103 5 Contributors Article Authors: Matt Austin Originally from Bristol, Matt is undertaking a PhD at the University of Reading, looking at the development of political power and elite settlement in Early Anglo-Saxon England. His article is a revised version of an essay submitted as part of his MA degree at Cardiff University. Email: [email protected] Mick Corcoran Mick is a PhD student at the School of Archaeology, University College Dublin, and Teagasc Walsh Fellow. He is currently researching the development of medieval and early modern agricultural systems in Ireland. Email: [email protected] Julie O’Brien Originally from France, Julie is currently a second-year student undertaking a Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology and Art History in University College Dublin. Email: [email protected] Mark Haughton Mark wrote this article as a final year undergraduate student at UCD, studying archaeology and classics. He is currently pursuing postgraduate study at the university and hopes to complete an MA thesis on gender in the Irish Early Bronze Age. Email: [email protected] Stephen Fox A Masters student from Malahide, Co. Dublin, Stephen’s interests lie in experimental and experiential methodologies with a key focus on ancient and medieval warfare, religion and archaeoastronomy. However, his current thesis specifically explores the nature of Medieval archery in Ireland and the production of Viking Age bows in Dublin and Waterford. Email: [email protected] Liudas Juodzbalys Liudas studied archaeology at IT Sligo between 2007 and 2011. Upon leaving the course, he began to work as a commercial archaeologist, which continues to the present. This is his first published article, but he hopes to make more contributions to the academic world in the near future. 6 Email: [email protected] Stephen Domican Stephen is a second year undergraduate student, currently studying a joint major in Archaeology and Economics at University College Dublin. His research interests include economic history, archaeometallurgy, experimental archaeology, aerial archaeology and anything to do with military history. He also is a regular blogger (these can be found at http://dirtandtaxes.wordpress.com/). Email: [email protected] Trisha Ryan Trisha Ryan from Dromana, Cappoquin, completed her undergraduate degree in history and archaeology in University College Dublin in 2011. She completed her Masters of Arts in Archaeology at UCD in 2012, culminating in a Masters thesis titled 'Ardmore, Co.