Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-25wd4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-28T21:44:43.465Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Bronze Age settlement and ritual centre in the Monavullagh Mountains, County Waterford, Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2014

Michael J. Moore
Michael J. Moore
Affiliation:
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, Office of Public Works, 51 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A complex of settlement and ritual monuments with chronological depth covering a core area of c. 4 km2 on the western side of the Monavullagh mountains in Co. Waterford is described. The morphology of the monuments is portrayed and the development of the settlement and ceremonial areas is elucidated. The ritual monuments are situated in three cemeteries or sanctuaries, one of which is united through elaborate geometric themes. This ritual geometry and the religious insights which this affords raises the importance of this complex to an international level. Analogies with similar monuments from Ireland and the upland regions of Britain are discussed. The overseas parallels demonstrate close contact throughout the Early Bronze Age with many parts of Britain, especially Wales. The unique character of the complex amongst Irish prehistoric landscapes is stressed as it fills an apparent gap in the Irish monumental record of the period.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 61 , 1995 , pp. 191 - 243
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Atkinson, R.J.C., Brailsford, J.W. & Wakefield, H.G. 1951. A pond barrow at Winterbourne Steepleton, Dorset. Archaeological Journal 108, 1–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barber, J. 1973. The orientation of recumbent-stone circles of the south-west of Ireland. Kerry Archaeological Journal 6, 26–39.Google Scholar
Barnatt, J. 1987. Bronze Age settlement on the East Moors of the Peak district of Derbyshire and south Yorkshire. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 53, 393–418.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brindley, A.L., Lanting, J.N. & Mook, W.G. 1987–1988. Radiocarbon dates from Moneen and Labbacallee, County Cork. Journal of Irish Archaeology 4, 13–20.Google Scholar
Brindley, A.L., Lanting, J.N. & Mook, W.G. 1989–1890. Radiocarbon dates from Irish fulachta fiadh and other burnt mounds. Journal of Irish Archaeology 5, 25–33.Google Scholar
Burl, A. 1976. Prehistoric Stone Circles of Britain and Ireland. London: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Burl, A. 1983. Prehistoric Astronomy and Ritual. Princes Risboro': Shire.Google Scholar
Burl, A. 1993. From Carnac to Callanish. London: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Byrne, F. J. 1973. Irish Kings and High Kings. London: Batsford.Google Scholar
Caulfield, S. 1983. The Neolithic settlement of north Con-naught. In Reeves-Smith, T. & Hamond, F. (eds), Landscape Archaeology in Ireland, 195–215. Oxford: British Archaeological Report 116.Google Scholar
Davies, O. 1938a. Excavations at Carnagat. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 1, 217–19.Google Scholar
Davies, O. 1938b. Castledamph stone circle. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 68, 106–12.Google Scholar
Davies, O. 1939. Stone circles in Northern Ireland. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 2, 2–14.Google Scholar
D'Oliveira, B. & Featherstone, N. L. (eds) 1993. The Macmillan and Silk Cut Nautical Almanac 1994. London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Doody, M. 1987a. Ballyveelish 2, Co. Tipperary. Settlement. In Cleary, R.M., Hurley, M.F. & Twohig, E.A. (eds), Archaeological Excavations on the Cork - Dublin Gas Pipeline (1981–2), 22–35. Cork: University College Department of Archaeology.Google Scholar
Doody, M. 1987b. Curraghtoor, Co. Tipperary. Hut sites. In Cleary, R.M., Hurley, M.F. & Twohig, E.A. (eds), Archaeological Excavations on the Cork – Dublin Gas Pipeline (1981–82), 36–42. Cork: University College Department of Archaeology.Google Scholar
Fahy, E.M. 1960. A hut and cooking places at Drombeg, Co. Cork. Journal of the Cork Historical & Archaeological Society 65, 1–17.Google Scholar
Fleming, A. 1971. Territorial patterns in Bronze Age Wessex. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 37, 138–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fleming, A. 1978. The prehistoric landscape of Dartmoor. Part 1: south Dartmoor. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 44, 97–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grogan, E. & Eogan, G. 1987. Lough Gur excavations by Sean P. Ó' Ríordáin: further Neolithic and Beaker habitations on Knockadoon. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 87C, 299–506.Google Scholar
Halliday, S.P. 1990. Patterns and distribution. Patterns of fieldwork and the distribution of burnt mounds in Scotland. In Buckley, V. (ed.), Burnt Offerings. International Contributions to Burnt Mound Archaeology, 60–1. Dublin: Wordwell.Google Scholar
Leighton, D.K. 1984. Structured round cairns in west central Wales. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 50, 319–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lynch, A. 1981. Man and Environment in South West Ireland 4000 B.C.–A.D. 800. Oxford: British Archaeological Report 85.Google Scholar
Lynch, F.M. 1979. Ring cairns in Britain and Ireland: their design and purpose. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 42, 1–19.Google Scholar
Lynch, F. M. 1980. Bronze Age monuments in Wales. In Taylor, A. J. (ed.), Culture and Environment in Prehistoric Wales, 233–41. Oxford: British Archaeological Report 76.Google Scholar
Lynch, F.M. 1985. Moel Goedog Circle 1: A complex ring cairn near Harlech. Archaeologia Cambrensis 133, 8–50.Google Scholar
Lynch, F.M. 1993. Excavations in the Brenig Valley. A Mesolithic and Bronze Age Landscape in North Wales. Bangor: Cambrian Archaeological Association.Google Scholar
Lynn, C.J. 1973–1974. The excavation of a ring cairn in Carnkenny Townland, Co. Tyrone. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 36–7. 17–31.Google Scholar
Lynn, C.J. 1991. Knockaulin (Dun Ailinne) and Navan: some architectural comparisons. Emania 8, 51–6.Google Scholar
MacNeill, M. 1962. The Festival of Lughnasa. Oxford: University Press.Google Scholar
May, A. McL. 1947. Burial mound, circles and cairn at Gortcorbies, Co. Londonderry. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 77, 5–22.Google Scholar
May, A. McL. 1953. Neolithic habitation site, stone circles and alignments at Beaghmore, Co. Tyrone. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 83, 174–97.Google Scholar
Mook, W.G. 1986. Business meeting: recommendations resolutions adopted by the twelfth International Radiocarbon Conference. Radiocarbon 28, 799.Google Scholar
Moore, M. & Woodman, P. 1992. The prehistory of County Waterford. In Nolan, W. & Power, T.P. (eds), Waterford History and Society, 1–26. Dublin: Geography Publications.Google Scholar
Naroll, R. 1962. Floor area and settlement population. American Antiquity 27, 587–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nixon, M.J. 1990. Cumbrian Survey. Some south Cumbrian burnt mounds – an initial survey. In Buckley, V. (ed), Burnt Offerings. International Contributions to Burnt Mound Archaeology, 112–4. Dublin: Wordwell.Google Scholar
O'Brien, E. 1990. Iron Age burial practices in Leinster: continuity and change. Emania 7, 37–42.Google Scholar
O'Kelly, M.J. 1951. An Early Bronze Age ringfort at Carrigillihy, Co. Cork. Journal of the Cork Historical & Archaeological Society 56, 69–86.Google Scholar
O'Kelly, M.J. 1952. Excavation of a cairn at Moneen, Co. Cork. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 54C, 121–59.Google Scholar
Ó Nualláin, S. 1975. The stone circle complex of Cork and Kerry, journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 105, 83–131.Google Scholar
Ó Nualláin, S. 1984. Grouped standing stones, radial-stone cairns and enclosures in the south of Ireland. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 114, 63–79.Google Scholar
Ó Nualláin, S. 1988. Stone rows in the south of Ireland. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 88C, 179–256.Google Scholar
Ó Ríordáin, S.P. 1939. Excavation of a stone circle and cairn at Kealkil, Co. Cork. Journal of the Cork Historical & Archaeological Society 44, 46–49.Google Scholar
Ó Ríordáin, S.P. 1954. Lough Gur excavations: Neolithic and Bronze Age houses on Knockadoon. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 56C, 297–460.Google Scholar
Pearson, G.W. & Stuiver, M. 1986. High-precision calib-ration of the radiocarbon time scale, AD 1950–600 BC. Radiocarbon 28, 805–38.Google Scholar
Pilcher, J.R. 1969. Archaeology, palaeoecology and14C dating of the Beaghmore stone circle site. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 32, 73–91.Google Scholar
Pollock, A.J. & Waterman, D.M. 1964. A Bronze Age habitation site at Downpatrick. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 27, 31–58.Google Scholar
Power, D. 1990. Fulachta fiadh in County Cork. In Buckley, V. (ed.), Burnt Offerings. International Contributions to Burnt Mound Archaeology, 13–17. Dublin: Wordwell.Google Scholar
Raftery, J. 1940–1941. The tumulus-cemetery of Carrowjames, Co. Mayo. Part 2 – Carrowjames 2. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 19, 16–88.Google Scholar
Raftery, J. 1961. A Bronze Age tumulus at Carrower, Co. Mayo. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 61C, 79–93.Google Scholar
RCAHMS. 1990. N.E. Perthshire. An Archaeological Landscape. Edinburgh: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.Google Scholar
RCAHMW. 1976. An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan. Vol. 1, part 1. Cardiff: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Ritchie, J. N. G. & Thornber, I. 1974–1975. Small cairns in Argyll: some recent work. (1) Cairns in the Aline Valley, Morvern, Argyll. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 106, 15–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rynne, E. & Ó hÉailidhe, P. 1965. A group of prehistoric sites at Piperstown, Co. Dublin. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 64C, 61–84.Google Scholar
Simpson, D. D. 1993. Dun Ruadh – a real Irish henge. Archaeology Ireland 7, 14–15.Google Scholar
Stout, G. 1991 Embanked enclosures of the Boyne region. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 91C, 245–84.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. & Pearson, G.W. 1986. High-precision calibration of the radiocarbon time scale, 500–2.500 BC. Radiocarbon 28, 839–62.Google Scholar
Thom, A. 1967. Megalithic Sites in Britain. Oxford: University Press.Google Scholar
Waddell, J. 1970. Irish Bronze Age cists: a survey. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 100, 91–139.Google Scholar
Wailes, B. 1990. Dun Ailinne: A summary excavation report. Emania 7, 10–21.Google Scholar
Wainwright, G.J., Fleming, A. & Smith, K. 1979. The Shaugh Moor Project: first report. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 45, 1–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wainwright, G. J. & Smith, K. 1980. The Shaugh Moor Project: Second Report – the enclosure. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 46, 65–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wainwright, G. J. 1989. The Henge Monuments. London: Thames & Hudson.Google Scholar
Ward, A.H. 1988. Survey and excavation of ring cairns in se Dyfed and on Gower, west Glamorgan Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 54, 153–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, G. 1990. South-west Wales. Burnt mounds in south-west Wales. In Buckley, V. (ed.), Burnt Offerings. International Contributions to Burnt Mound Archaeology, 129–42. Dublin: Wordwell.Google Scholar
Yates, M.J. 1984. Groups of small cairns in northern Britain – a view from south-west Scotland. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 114, 217–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zvelebil, M., Moore, J., Green, S. & Henson, D. 1987. Regional surveys and analyses of lithic scatters: a case study from south-east Ireland. In Rowley-Conwy, P., Zvelebil, M., & Blankholm, P. (eds), The Mesolithic of North West Europe: Recent Trends, 9–32. Sheffield: University of Sheffield, Department of Archaeology and Prehistory.Google Scholar