IAI Autumn Conference 2006

Date: 21-22 October 2006

Venue: Tara Towers Hotel

Location: Merrion Road, Dublin 4

Admission: Members €30/£20

Non-members €45/£30

Students €15/£10

Conference Programme

Saturday 21st October

8.30-9.00: Registration
9.30-10.00: Taking Giant Steps: Laser-scanning and Excavation in North Roscommon 2005
Dr Niall Brady and Robert Shaw
10.00-10.30: Irelithos Project, National Monuments in State Care
Jason Bolton
10.30-11.00: RMP, NHA, SAC, RPS: Is Management by Acronym the Best Way to Protect and Manage our Heritage?
Paul Gosling
11.00-11.30: Tea and coffee
11.30-12.00: Skellig Michael and the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention: A Case Study in Cultural Resource Management, Irish-Style
Michael Gibbons
12.00-12.30: Preservation on Skellig Michael, Co. Kerry: Excavation and Conservation of the South Peak Hermitage
Alan Hayden and Grellan D. Rourke
12.30-1.00: Discussion and Questions
1.00-2.30: Lunch
2.30-3.30: Leinster Cooking Ware – ‘A Despised Pot’
Clare McCutcheon
3.00-3.30: Archaeological Reconstruction: A Case for Less or More
Daniel Tietzsch-Tyler
3.30-4.00: Recent Reviews and Cross-Profession Dialogue in Irish Archaeology
Margaret Gowen
4.00-4.15: Discussions and Questions
4.15-4.30: Tea and Coffee
4.30-6.00: IAI: Ordinary General Meeting

Sunday 22nd October

10.00-10.30: Stone Circles and Megalithic Architecture
Dr John Ó Néill
10.30-11.00: A Tale of Two Parishes, St. Peter’s and St. Luke’s: Dublin City in the Rare Auld Times
Laureen Buckley
11.00-11.30: Tea and Coffee
11.30-11.45: Future directions for Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Section C
Ruth Hegarty
11.45-12.15: Redating Mount Sandel
Prof. Peter Woodman
12.15-12.45: Proof of fishing ... or just a big cod? Late Mesolithic fish traps excavated in the Liffey estuary
Melanie McQuaid
12.45-1.00: Discussion and Questions
Conference Close

Abstracts

Taking Giant Steps: Laser-scanning and Excavation in North Roscommon 2005

Dr Niall Brady and Robert Shaw

Dr Niall Brady, whose interests include agrarian technology and Underwater Archaeology, is Project Director of the Discovery Programme’s Medieval Rural Settlement Project (2002-8).

Robert Shaw has a wide range of experience and expertise in archaeological survey across the globe and spent a decade with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland before joining the Discovery Programme as the company’s geo-surveyor in 2001.

If the dream of a paperless excavation remains a Utopian ideal, the use and deployment of laser-scanners on sites will help to make that dream a reality. This paper describes the application of laser-scanning within an archaeological context and reports on a very successful season of excavation by the Discovery Programme in north Roscommon, where the Medieval Rural Settlement Project has been investigating settlement and land-use within the lordship of the O’Conor Roe (c. 1100-1650 AD). This technique of recording is in a pilot mode but the benefits are clear already, both in terms of accuracy and speed. It may still be too early to consider packing away those planning frames and rolls of permatrace, but this presentation most certainly presents a view of what the future will be like.

RMP, NHA, SAC, RPS: Is Management by Acronym the Best Way to Protect and Manage our Heritage?

Paul Gosling

Paul Gosling is a lecturer in archaeology in the Department of Humanities, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology where he co-ordinates the BA in Heritage Studies programme.

The early 21st century finds archaeologists, zoologists, botanists and geologists in Ireland grappling with an increasingly complicated set of legal measures for the protection of built and natural heritage. Yet the built and natural worlds are seamless - is a hedgerow built or natural? This talk asks whether the present system of 'boxing' heritage into RMPs or NHAs is sustainable and presents a number of alternate management models for consideration.

Skellig Michael and the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention: A Case Study in Cultural Resource Management, Irish-Style

Michael Gibbons

Michael Gibbons is a member of the Croagh Patrick Archaeological Committee and is currently researching a book on Ireland's Pilgrimage Mountains. His special interests include Irish Islands and Uplands and he has publihsed recent articles on the use of soapstone in Antiquity, the Mesolithic in Western Connacht, the discoveries of Lord Charlemont, the context for a Viking Age Ringed Pin from Omey Island off Connemara and on Croagh Patrick in "Religioni e Sacri Monti".

The present ongoing restoration/reconstruction of the monastic site on the South Peak of Skellig Michael, a World Heritage Site, has resulted in a series of significant alterations to the original structures and fabric. Under the guise of a liberal interpretation of the word conservation massive alterations have taken place resulting in the destruction of original features on the oratory terrace, including a recently discovered altar, the destruction of original terrace walling and soil horizons and the inappropriate rebuilding of some of the above; rendering it inauthentic and removing its heritage value.

The designation of a World Heritage Site is based on its perceived authenticity and its unique contribution to global culture. The management of such sites calls for the highest of international standards and is regulated by a variety of international agreements and Charters issued by ICOMOS (International Commission on Monuments and Sites). Several of these, most notable among them the “Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention” have been breached on the South Peak. This follows an all too familiar pattern of non-compliance on the main complex where original structures have been demolished only to be replaced by “shiny new” replicas.

The acquiescence by senior academics and professional archaeological staff in this level of reconstruction points to a systematic failure by organisations and individuals either to be aware of or to fully understand the full implications of the regulatory framework they are operating in.

Preservation on Skellig Michael, Co. Kerry: excavation and conservation of the South Peak Hermitage

Alan Hayden and Grellan D. Rourke

Alan Hayden is an archaeologist and a director of Archaeological Projects Ltd., an archaeological consulting and contracting company established in 1989. Since 1987 he has directed over two hundred excavations, assessments, etc. in Ireland and has spent some of each summer since 1992 excavating early medieval secular and ecclesiastical sites in Co. Kerry.

Grellan Rourke is an architectural graduate of University College Dublin [1977] and of the Collège d’Europe in Bruges where he completed the post-graduate course in Urban & Building Conservation [1978]. He also completed the Stone Conservation course run by UNESCO in Venice, [1980]. Following his post-graduate study he has worked for twenty eight years with the National Monuments Service of the Office of Public Works where he is a senior conservation architect. He has given advice abroad on the structural conservation of dry stone construction.

He is a founder-director and Chairman of the Institute for Conservation [ICHAWI]. He has been on the executive of ICOMOS-Ireland for many years and was elected President in 2005. He is a member of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland [RIAI]. He is on the executive of the Building Limes Forum International [BLF] and is a founder/director of the Irish branch of this organization [BLFI]. He is also a member of the Council of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property [ICCROM] in Rome, which was founded by UNESCO. He is a former member of Council of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland [RSAI] and sat on the Museums & Archives Sub-committee of the previous Heritage Council.

He has lectured on case studies and has acted as thesis tutor on the ‘Masters in Urban & Building Conservation’ course in UCD and has lectured on the Diploma in Building Repair & Conservation course in TCD. He has also lectured on the post-graduate conservation course at the University of York.

The reasons for undertaking works to preserve this unique site are discussed. The results of three seasons of excavation of this early medieval hermitage on the South Peak, Skellig Michael are described together with the work of consolidation and conservation. All aspects of the work are done in close conjunction.

Leinster Cooking Ware – ‘A Despised Pot’

Clare McCutcheon

Clare McCutcheon MA MIAI Ceramic Researcher/Archaeologist, attached to Archaeological Services Unit, University College Cork since 2000. Reports on medieval and post-medieval pottery around Ireland, a number of publications including Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Galway and Dublin, most recently Medieval Pottery from Wood Quay, Dublin, published by the Royal Irish Academy for the National Museum of Ireland.

A campaign to restore the reputation of Leinster Cooking Ware and to place this material within the wider context of medieval pottery in particular and contemporary materials such as wood, leather, stone and metal in general.

Archaeological Reconstruction: A Case for Less or More

Daniel Tietzsch-Tyler

Daniel Tietzsch-Tyler is a professional geologist by training, who taught in South Wales and then University College Dublin between 1979 and 2002. He combined this with work for the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) between 1987 and 1995. At the GSI, he produced, among other things, a series of geo-tourism pamphlets, including The Building Stones of St Canice's Cathedral - an Introduction to the Geology of the Kilkenny Area. More recently he worked for several years as an instructional designer in the E-learning industry. From 1990 he also worked between times as an artist, specialising in reconstruction drawings commissioned by a variety of clients, most notably the government Heritage Service. His reconstructions, including two sets of serial reconstructions, can be found on permanent exhibition at: St Brendan's Cathedral (Ardfert), Ross Castle (Killarney) and Listowell Castle. Others will shortly go on permanent display at Newcastle West (Co. Limerick), St Brendan's House, Kilmalkedar (near Dingle) and the Copper Coast Geopark (Co. Waterford). These and other commissioned drawings have also been variously published or are in press. Since the summer of 2004 he has been doing this work full time.

Archaeological sites vary from muddy fields and construction sites to more or less ruined castles and abbeys. Interpretation of the former using reconstructions – either drawn or modelled – is essential for public understanding. Standing monuments, on the other hand, are much easier to understand so the use of reconstruction in their interpretation has, until recently, been largely neglected. For certain ‘prestige’ sites such as Ross Castle, Killarney, the buildings themselves were actually physically reconstructed. Many would argue that the money spent on such works would be better spent excavating a number of other monuments before conserving them and making them safe for the public. Because of the complex history of so many monuments, their physical reconstruction often requires a compromise between preserving existing features and restoring them to some original state, with the inevitable loss of the evidence for their subsequent history. An alternative to such physical reconstruction is to use reconstruction drawing to illustrate the appearance of a monument in former times. For sites with a complex history, the use of serial reconstruction drawings is particularly useful for demonstrating clearly and evocatively the evolution of a major archaeological site in its historical context without interfering in any way with the evidence for its history.

Recent Reviews and Cross-Profession Dialogue in Irish Archaeology

Margaret Gowen

Managing Director of Margaret Gowen & Co. since 1990. Current vice-chair of IAI with responsibility for the development of the CPD programme. Current vice chair EAA; member of EAA Committee on Professional Associations. Past president and member ICOMOS Irish Committee. Past member Standing Committee on Archaeology of the Heritage Council. Past and current member of the Directorate of the Discovery Programme

This paper will outline the nature of four discrete cross-profession reviews of aspects of Irish archaeology and Irish archaeological practice that have taken place in the past two years. The speaker has had the privilege of being involved in all these debates as a representative from the commercial sector, with the support and participation of the chairman in two of these. Involvement at Board level in the EAA has also provided a valuable European perspective. While IAI members may be aware of these developments, it was felt that the current content and direction of the discussion should be communicated to IAI members, as there is the potential for a significant shift from traditional ‘positions’/viewpoints held in State, Museum, university and commercial sectors. It is the speakers’ view that this debate must now be extended across the membership of IAI as the changes in thinking observed in these four developments should create significant opportunity for the development of IAI as a fully fledged institute for the entire profession.

Stone Circles and Megalithic Architecture

Dr John Ó Néill

John Ó Néill holds a BA (Hons) in Archaeology and a PhD from Queens University Belfast. He worked on various field projects for the Archaeology Department (QUB) and Historic Monuments and Buildings Branch (DoeNI) before being employed by Margaret Gowen & Co Ltd (1996-2002). In 2002 he took up a post in the newly formed Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork at QUB. In 2005 he left to join the School of Archaeology, UCD, as a lecturer.

The term ‘stone circles’ has been used as a catch-all term embracing various types of monuments in different parts of Ireland, including some significant deviations from the overall theme of a circle of stones. This paper will review our knowledge of Irish stone circles and argue that, given the high incidence of burials present, that they are best considered within the context of megalithic funerary architecture. Dating evidence would suggest that some of the main groups considered as stone circles, such as the multiple and recumbent circles of the south-west, and, the mid-Ulster circles, were largely constructed after 1300 BC. Thus, stone circles, as with other later prehistoric burial monuments, can be suggested to represent regionally distinct burial traditions.

A Tale of Two Parishes, St. Peter’s and St. Luke’s: Dublin City in the Rare Auld Times

Laureen Buckley

Laureen Buckley is a freelance osteoarchaeologist of many years standing. She has studied human skeletal remains from all periods from the Bronze Age, Early Medieval and the Post-medieval period, concentrating on palaeopathology and weapon trauma. She likes to bring the results of her research to a wide audience and publishes frequently in Archaeology Ireland.

By a happy coincidence there has been an opportunity to study the skeletal remains from two 18th century parishes in Dublin over the last few years. The two parishes, St Lukes and St. Peters, represent populations from different social classes and provide a chance to compare and contrast disease prevalence as recorded in their bones.

Future directions for Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Section C

Ruth Hegarty

Ruth Hegarty is the Managing Editor of the Royal Irish Academy. Appointed in June 2005, she took over an almost 230 year-old publishing house which is committed to publishing work of a high academic standard.

The RIA has been active in the preservation of Ireland’s cultural heritage for many years. Responsible for treasure trove throughout the 19th century, the RIA has published the fruits of archaeological research almost since its inception. Its journal, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Section C, has been at the core of this activity as is the Committee for Archaeology which provides advice, gives grants and deals with matters of archaeological concern as they may arise. This talk will give a brief overview of the work of the RIA, in particular announcing changes to the journal and the measures being taken to encourage the submission of quality papers for publication.

Redating Mount Sandel

Prof. Peter Woodman

Excavator of Mount Sandel 1973-77, formerly Professor of Archaeology UCC and at present working on compiling a database for the Irish Mesolithic.

Over the years there has been much discussion on the accuracy and precision of 14C dates obtained from Mount Sandel. Questions as to lab bias old wood effect security of context have been raised. It therefore seemed appropriate to return to the question of the site and obtain a series of new dates based on hazelnuts. These show that while one date was exceptionally early there is a coherent pattern emerging which suggests occupation beginning by 7800 BC and ending by 7500 BC.

Proof of fishing ... or just a big cod? Late Mesolithic fish traps excavated in the Liffey estuary

Melanie McQuade

Melanie McQuade graduated from UCD in 1995. She then went on to complete a Masters in UCC in 1998, writing a thesis on pathological animal bone from Irish excavations. During her studies Melanie worked on several excavations at home and in abroad. She has been employed with Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd. since 2000, working on site and analysing animal bone assemblages. She became license eligible in 2002.

Late Mesolithic fish traps were discovered during archaeological monitoring of development works on reclaimed land on the north bank of the river Liffey at North Wall Quay, Dublin. Subsequently excavations were undertaken. A Mesolithic shoreline was revealed and the remains of up to five wooden fish traps were excavated. The shoreline was approximately 30m north of the present quay wall and at minus 5m O.D. The traps were set in estuarine silts and were located between 1.20m and 13m south of the shoreline. They were preserved under a later accumulation of silts, which had been sealed by 17th- 19th-century reclamation deposits. The fish traps were constructed almost exclusively of hazel (Corylus avellana), and while fragmentary, were in a relatively good state of preservation, with tool marks in evidence. Analysis of the wood suggests that it may have been derived from woodland being managed by coppicing. Radiocarbon determinations from five wood samples returned a date range of between 6100 - 5720 cal BC, suggesting that these are presently the earliest fish traps recorded in Ireland and the UK.