Terrace of houses from 11th century reveals treasure trove of artefacts
Posted on 04/03/2018 2:06:46 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
The four adjacent Hiberno-Norse properties with gardens and cobbled stones dating from the around the 11th century were found during excavations for a hotel development in Dublin... Further excavations found two other settlements from a later period. One dating from the 13th to the 14th century had evidence of industrial activity including a tanning pit and two lime pits. The upper level dating from the 17th century revealed ovens, vaulted cellars, kilns and cobbled working areas. The site has been waterlogged for almost the last millennium. As a consequence organic material, including leather shoes and wooden utensils, have been very well preserved. Aisling Collins, whose team made the find, said they were lucky to make such a discovery... Among the objects found in the excavations were a copper alloy, decorated stick pin, a 12th century copper alloy key and worked bone objects. Shards of pottery were found in several locations. The most significant find was a rare example of graffiti art carved onto a piece of slate depicting a figure on a horse with a shield, sword and two birds present. The slate was found to the rear of one of the houses which was made from wattle. There was evidence of industrial activity with the presence of a tanning pit, lots of animal horn and two lime pits. To the north of the site was a stone built medieval well with steps leading down to the water... Another layer led to the discovery of a copper alloy merchant's weighing scales, a 13th-14th silver King Edward coin and medieval pottery -- mostly local and some imported. Medieval floor tiles were discovered with very unusual ceramic bird that looks like a dove.
(Excerpt) Read more at irishtimes.com ...
Terrace of houses from 11th century reveals treasure trove of artefacts
Drone flight over Drumanagh site, Loughshinny, Co. Dublin | Mark Broderick | YouTube
I would love to have been a fly on the wall of that developer when the construction crews announced their find and shut it all down.
The Irish have such a way with words when they get really upset...
Three Irishmen walk out of a pub.
Hey, it could happen.
Wattle : a fabrication of poles interwoven with slender branches, withes, or reeds and used especially formerly in building
I was not familiar with the word.
How do those ancient sites get all covered up with feet of dirty anyway?
How do those ancient sites get all covered up with feet of dirty anyway?
Sometimes earthworms are responsible.
Don’t let the Swedes know. They’ll burn all of it in a selfish, cowardly act of cultural self destruction.
Satan does it, to tempt people into becoming archaeologists.
How do those ancient sites get all covered up with feet of dirty anyway?
1) a older gentlemen in my toastmasters club worked for the soil conversation service in the 30’s. He documented that plowing uphill increased soil depth.
2) ever notice how new sidewalks are 3-4 inches about the lawn but older sidewalks are lower than the lawn. The organic matter builds up.
Looks like lath and plaster probably developed from wattle and daub.
UnPossible!
Heh...
:^)
Apparently there’s a whole canal full of wattle, the wattle canal, huge battle was fought there in WWII.
I’d often wondered what wattle, of wattle and daub, was. Sometimes, rather than using mud, the “plaster” was made of dung, probably because so much was around all the time. They figured out how to treat it so there was no smell. That’s their story anyway.
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