Most Significant Archaeological Discoveries

Witchburner

In Ireland - What do folks reckon the most important discoveries have been ?

And, where do people reckon we have lost the greatest amount of archaeological information? i.e. was it Tara?

Riamfada

Witchburner wrote: »

And, where do people reckon we have lost the greatest amount of archaeological information? i.e. was it Tara?

Personally I think Tara was the greatest amount of archaeological information gained.

Witchburner

Riamfada wrote: »

Personally I think Tara was the greatest amount of archaeological information gained.

You got me wrong there Riamfada I was referring more to the fact that we built through it, therefore did we sacrifice the greatest location?

cfuserkildare

Hi Witchburner,

Personally I think Carrickmines was the greatest travesty commited in recent times.
A massive site that was mostly destroyed which could have tought us a huge amount, considering the area had been almost constantly populated since the 3rd millenium BC.

bawn79

Personally I think the discovery of the sun-beam entering Newgrange at the winter solstice. For me it gives a sense of national pride that it was built by the indigenous population and that we didn't need help from the "Danes" or Romans or Phonenicans. I suppose that shows a bit of nationalism on my part.

Another is the carbon dates from the sites around Carrowmore placing them as some of the oldest stone monuments in Europe - even older than Newgrange which is of our famously older than the Pyramid of Giza. http://www.newgrange.com/european-megalithic.htm
It shows that perhaps the original migration was from the western seaboard to the eastern one. Recently some rock-art was found in one of the passage mounds in Carrowkeel so perhaps megalithic rock-art also worked its way from west to east.

http://www.academia.edu/271365/More_than_meets_the_eye_new_recordings_of_megalithic_art_in_North-West_Ireland

slowburner

Witchburner wrote: »

In Ireland - What do folks reckon the most important discoveries have been ?

Impossible to say really, because each new discovery is just a part of the jigsaw that informs us about a specific period.
That said, the Céide Fields would be high on the list.

And, where do people reckon we have lost the greatest amount of archaeological information? i.e. was it Tara?

The destruction of the Public Records Office in 1922 at Four Courts and the Customs House local government records in 1921.

Maudi

bawn79 wrote: »

Personally I think the discovery of the sun-beam entering Newgrange at the winter solstice. For me it gives a sense of national pride that it was built by the indigenous population and that we didn't need help from the "Danes" or Romans or Phonenicans. I suppose that shows a bit of nationalism on my part.

Another is the carbon dates from the sites around Carrowmore placing them as some of the oldest stone monuments in Europe - even older than Newgrange which is of our famously older than the Pyramid of Giza. http://www.newgrange.com/european-megalithic.htm
It shows that perhaps the original migration was from the western seaboard to the eastern one. Recently some rock-art was found in one of the passage mounds in Carrowkeel so perhaps megalithic rock-art also worked its way from west to east.

http://www.academia.edu/271365/More_than_meets_the_eye_new_recordings_of_megalithic_art_in_North-West_Ireland

The beam ust have been really incredible illuminating the interior through the crystals origionally set in the upper opening

Maudi

Witchburner wrote: »

In Ireland - What do folks reckon the most important discoveries have been ?

And, where do people reckon we have lost the greatest amount of archaeological information? i.e. was it Tara?

Not too sure if its a loaded question but as having a construction background ive seen far to many jobs "rushed and hushed " to be satisfied that the relationship betwixt construction personall and "those of us who are suppose to have national heritage interest at heart is a tad self serving..on both sides..i.e one ends up with too many interested partys..construction. interest guardains of heritage.interest and people like me who really care about our history and heritage but are voiceless

mocmo

Tara was not built through, a road went through the Tara-Skryne Valley resulting in a lot of excavations and as Riamfada said a lot of knowledge gained. Whether the road was necessary or built in the right place is a matter of debate, but I hate to see (and it does pop up a fair bit) the statement that Tara was built through when it is still very much there

Back to the original post, for me the most exciting and important discoveries of the last few years have been bog bodies, Old Croghan Man, Clonycavan Man and recently the discovery at Cashel. Not only have these finds provided clear evidence that ritual killings were part of Late Bronze Age/Iron Age culture in Ireland, but they have also yielded really fascinating details such as the imported hair gel used by Clonycavan Man. While we are used to considering prehistoric international trade of precious metals, amber etc etc, the idea of Spanish/French pine resin being traded for hair gel in the Iron Age is just brilliant, puts a smile on my face anyway these have also been a boon for capturing the public imagination and bringing people into the NMI.

By the same measure, I think our greatest archaeological loss has been in our bogs. Industrial peat harvesting mills through 100's of sites every year, many of which go unrecorded. It is a bit of a catch 22 as these sites would never be found without peat harvesting, however, the programme of survey and excavation is woefully inadequate (the state have not actually funded a survey for 4 years despite publishing a code of practice in which they agreed to do so), and much much more is lost than found. Many people (archaeologists and non-archaeologists) cite the road building programme of the last 10years as a negative time for archaeology, and yes not everything was perfect, but at least most of the work was completed and published, it's too late for most of what is and was in the bogs.

Maudi

mocmo wrote: »

Tara was not built through, a road went through the Tara-Skryne Valley resulting in a lot of excavations and as Riamfada said a lot of knowledge gained. Whether the road was necessary or built in the right place is a matter of debate, but I hate to see (and it does pop up a fair bit) the statement that Tara was built through when it is still very much there

Back to the original post, for me the most exciting and important discoveries of the last few years have been bog bodies, Old Croghan Man, Clonycavan Man and recently the discovery at Cashel. Not only have these finds provided clear evidence that ritual killings were part of Late Bronze Age/Iron Age culture in Ireland, but they have also yielded really fascinating details such as the imported hair gel used by Clonycavan Man. While we are used to considering prehistoric international trade of precious metals, amber etc etc, the idea of Spanish/French pine resin being traded for hair gel in the Iron Age is just brilliant, puts a smile on my face anyway these have also been a boon for capturing the public imagination and bringing people into the NMI.

By the same measure, I think our greatest archaeological loss has been in our bogs. Industrial peat harvesting mills through 100's of sites every year, many of which go unrecorded. It is a bit of a catch 22 as these sites would never be found without peat harvesting, however, the programme of survey and excavation is woefully inadequate (the state have not actually funded a survey for 4 years despite publishing a code of practice in which they agreed to do so), and much much more is lost than found. Many people (archaeologists and non-archaeologists) cite the road building programme of the last 10years as a negative time for archaeology, and yes not everything was perfect, but at least most of the work was completed and published, it's too late for most of what is and was in the bogs.

Great post *

Witchburner

Maudi wrote: »

Not too sure if its a loaded question but as having a construction background ive seen far to many jobs "rushed and hushed " to be satisfied that the relationship betwixt construction personall and "those of us who are suppose to have national heritage interest at heart is a tad self serving..on both sides..i.e one ends up with too many interested partys..construction. interest guardains of heritage.interest and people like me who really care about our history and heritage but are voiceless

Loaded?

Witchburner

mocmo wrote: »

Tara was not built through, a road went through the Tara-Skryne Valley resulting in a lot of excavations and as Riamfada said a lot of knowledge gained. Whether the road was necessary or built in the right place is a matter of debate, but I hate to see (and it does pop up a fair bit) the statement that Tara was built through when it is still very much there

Back to the original post, for me the most exciting and important discoveries of the last few years have been bog bodies, Old Croghan Man, Clonycavan Man and recently the discovery at Cashel. Not only have these finds provided clear evidence that ritual killings were part of Late Bronze Age/Iron Age culture in Ireland, but they have also yielded really fascinating details such as the imported hair gel used by Clonycavan Man. While we are used to considering prehistoric international trade of precious metals, amber etc etc, the idea of Spanish/French pine resin being traded for hair gel in the Iron Age is just brilliant, puts a smile on my face anyway these have also been a boon for capturing the public imagination and bringing people into the NMI.

By the same measure, I think our greatest archaeological loss has been in our bogs. Industrial peat harvesting mills through 100's of sites every year, many of which go unrecorded. It is a bit of a catch 22 as these sites would never be found without peat harvesting, however, the programme of survey and excavation is woefully inadequate (the state have not actually funded a survey for 4 years despite publishing a code of practice in which they agreed to do so), and much much more is lost than found. Many people (archaeologists and non-archaeologists) cite the road building programme of the last 10years as a negative time for archaeology, and yes not everything was perfect, but at least most of the work was completed and published, it's too late for most of what is and was in the bogs.

Fascinating