IAR Digital Magazine

Cont

ents

Irish Archaeological Research Issue 3 May 2012

1 Thom Kerr outlines the results of the Early Medieval Archaeology Project

IAR Events for The Council for British Archaeology’s ‘Festival of British Archaeology’ 11 Diana McCormack urges us to explore the work of the Antarctic Heritage Trust 13 Gavin Donaghy experiments with Kite Aerial Photography 16

Christina O’Regan describes Down’s Delights 22

Welcome to the Spring issue of the Irish Archaeological Research e‐zine.

Since the publication's launch last year, the e‐zine has seen over 22,000 downloads and has

been widely praised for it's diverse range of articles and it's enthusiastic tone and this issue is

no different.

With articles on sites to see, practical projects to try and updates on current academic

research, we hope that you will enjoy reading this issue as much as we have putting it

together.

It's been a busy time for us at IAR with several more school workshops under our belt. Visits to

Dublin, Wexford and Waterford illustrated the undeniable thirst that some of the younger

generation has for archaeology. With further workshops planned for Meath and Donegal we

look forward to stimulating further young brains with fresh insights into our shared heritage.

Front Cover: Gavin Donaghy using KAP Layout: Lianne Heaney

Contributors Dr Thom Kerr, Research Fellow, Queen's University Belfast Gavin Donaghy (IAR Technology Director)

Diana McCormack (Archaeologist & Conservator)Christina O’Regan (IAR Fieldwork / Schools Director)

Belfast Hills Partnership Archaeology Update 26

Thom Kerr outlines the results of the Early Medieval Archaeology Project.

THE ISLAND OF SAINTS, SCHOLARS... AND A FEW FARMSTEADS, UNENCLOSED SETTLEMENTS AND

CAVE DWELLINGS TOO!

The early medieval period in Ireland is one of the most studied phases in the history of the island – the contemporary documentary sources (e.g. saints’ lives, annals, and legal tracts) have attracted the attention of historians and linguists; and the monument-rich landscape from this period was widely investigated in the early years of academic archaeology.

An estimated 45,000 extant early medieval sites were recorded during the production of the first Ordnance Survey map of Ireland in the 1820s and 1830s. This means that more habitation sites from the latter half of the first millennium are known for the island of Ireland than for the rest of northwest Europe combined (Mallory & McNeill 1991, 185). These are dominated by the ‘rath’ or ‘ringfort’, a circular (or sub-circular) area, generally ranging from 30-40m in diameter, defined by an earthen bank and external ditch. In some cases there are two series of banks and ditches, and there are a small number of examples with three or even four banks. The Republic of Ireland has tended towards the use of ‘ringfort’ as an umbrella term for the site-type, whereas in Northern Ireland, ‘rath’ is preferred, and is often divided into univallate, multivallate and raised sub-types.

Early research excavations tended to focus on upstanding monuments with substantial remains, such as the multivallate raths at Garranes, Co. Cork (Ó Ríordáin 1942) and Garryduff, Co. Cork (O’Kelly 1963). These excavations also tended to run over a number of excavation seasons, e.g. Clogher, Co. Tyrone (Warner 2000), or Knowth, Co. Meath (Eogan 1977). The result of excavating known, substantial, archaeological monuments meant that a high proportion of early excavations took place on ‘high status’ (potentially atypical) early medieval sites.

By the 1990s there was a general consensus in early medieval Irish archaeology, as exemplified by Nancy Edwards’ influential synthesis, The Archaeology of Early Christian Ireland. Raths or ringforts were unquestioningly recognised as the major site-type from this period, and the pastoral agriculture practised by their inhabitants was generally accepted as being the prevalent economic model. Future discussion seemed to be limited to semantic disagreements (e.g. rath vs. ringfort; early medieval vs. Early Christian), and some issues with chronologies (e.g. did the period start c. A.D. 400 or A.D. 432, and did it end c. A.D. 1100, 1150 or 1169/1170?; or when were raths occupied?). Research into the archaeology of early medieval Ireland seemed set on a course of adapting new methodologies to reinterpret the existing data set, for example modelling social hierarchies based on quantitative data such as site type and location (Stout 1992; 1997); or the incorporation of various theoretical approaches (e.g. Mytum 1992).

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Changes in the study of early medieval Irish archaeology came from an unanticipated source. Subsequent

to the Valetta Convention of 1992 (adopted in the Republic of Ireland in 1997 and in the United Kingdom in

2000) any invasive work on, or near, an archaeological site (or potential site of archaeological interest)

requires a prior archaeological evaluation to satisfy planning regulations. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of

early medieval sites recorded in the 1830s had been destroyed in the interim through farm improvements,

road widening, railway building, quarrying, etc. A number of raths, such as Deer Park Farms, Co. Antrim

(Lynn & McDowell 2011) were excavated during EC-funded land reclamation schemes, but the vast

majority of these sites were neither recorded, nor excavated, and were simply flattened, dug out, or

ploughed away. Such a cavalier approach to the national heritage, however, is not restricted to the

nineteenth (or even the twentieth) century, as seen in the successful court case recently brought against a

Co. Kerry farmer fined €25,000 for destroying a ringfort on his farm (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Destroyed rath in Co. Kerry http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0303/1224312717627.html

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http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0303/1224312717627.html�

Fig. 2: Numbers of early medieval excavation by county pre- and post-adoption of Valetta Convention in Republic of Ireland (1997).

The impact of the changes to planning laws on Irish archaeology, and especially early

medieval Irish archaeology, was threefold:-

The new requirements meant that a far larger number of sites were being excavated on an

annual basis (Fig. 2).

A large number of the small-scale excavations undertaken ‘near’ an early medieval site in advance of

single housing developments, encountered nothing of archaeological significance (Fig. 3).

Large-scale investigations, such as those undertaken in advance of the motorway building schemes,

revealed a far greater variation in early medieval site types than had been previously contemplated.

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Fig. 3: Percentages of early medieval excavations which discovered no archaeological remains by county pre- and post-adoption of Valetta Convention in Republic of Ireland (1997).

The discovery of a ‘plectrum-shaped’ enclosure at Newtown, Co. Limerick (Coyne 2005), and identification

of anomalous ‘non-circular settlements’ (Kinsella 2010) along the route of the M3 in Co. Meath (e.g.

Raystown, Dowdstown, Baronstown (Seaver 2005; 2006; 2010; Cagney & O’Hara 2009; Linnane & Kinsella

2007; 2009), seriously challenged the previously accepted wisdom on early medieval settlement patterns

and assumed hierarchies. Further excavations (and more reliable chronologies) started unravelling the

perceived uniformity of farming life and economic practices, and even the perceived church-control over

burial practices during the early medieval period was weakened by the identification of ‘secular’ cemeteries

and much more variable burial practices.

Information on these new sites, however, was often limited to small, overview articles in Archaeology

Ireland or NRA monographs, or was disseminated through public lectures. The crash of the ‘Celtic Tiger’,

and the subsequent wave of unemployment that swept over the commercial archaeological sector, meant

that these implications had not been fully synthesised into the overall understanding of the archaeology of

the early medieval period.

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The Early Medieval Archaeology Project (EMAP) was established in University College Dublin in 2007 in an

attempt to deal with the perceived information gap between archaeological excavation of early medieval

sites in Ireland and the dissemination of this data. At its inception the project was funded by the Heritage

Council Archaeological Research Grants (2007) scheme and the original grant from the UCD Seed Funding

(2007). The establishment of the Heritage Council Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research

(INSTAR) programme in 2008, and its funding of EMAP in subsequent years, allowed the project to expand

and take in Queen’s University, Belfast. The scope and scale of the task undertaken by EMAP became

quickly apparent, with over 3,500 excavations identified on, or near, potential early medieval sites, the vast

majority of which occurred during the construction boom of the ‘Celtic Tiger’ in the 2000s.

The core ethos of EMAP is to collate, synthesise and disseminate the huge ranges of early medieval data

produced over the past decade. This has been largely achieved through making the results of the project

available freely online at http://www.emap.ie. There are three major reports available – a site gazetteer; a

report on the archaeology of early Irish farming; and a number of syntheses (a revised and updated

version of which is the basis for a forthcoming Royal Irish Academy publication).

Site Gazetteer

The site gazetteer deals with 229 early medieval secular sites which have been excavated from 1930 to

2007, and which produced ‘significant’ remains. This includes sites which revealed structural evidence;

which had stratified dating evidence; and/or which had evidence of material culture. Sites which could not

be definitely dated to the early medieval period (either through radiocarbon dating or material culture)

were excluded from this gazetteer. Although 229 excavated and significant early medieval sites is a

substantial number, this must be compared with the approximately 45,000 extant sites (i.e. 0.5% of the

total), and also must be seen in the light of the 3,500-odd excavations undertaken on, or near, early

medieval sites.

By including a short summary of the site, relevant plans and radiocarbon dates (where available), and a

bibliography, the gazetteer functions as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for early medieval researchers, students and

academics.

Archaeology of Early Medieval Irish Farming

Examination of the specialist archaeo-faunal and archaeo-botanical reports are augmented by discussion of

the documentary sources as well as by investigation of the taskscapes uncovered around early medieval

settlements during recent excavations. It appears, for example, that field enclosures were for the most

part limited to the immediate vicinity of early medieval farmsteads and were especially common around

non-rath-type settlements where they were primarily utilised for protecting gardens and managing

farmyards.

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http://www.emap.ie/�

Archaeology of Early Medieval Irish Farming

Examination of the specialist archaeo-faunal and archaeo-botanical reports are augmented by discussion of

the documentary sources as well as by investigation of the taskscapes uncovered around early medieval

settlements during recent excavations. It appears, for example, that field enclosures were for the most

part limited to the immediate vicinity of early medieval farmsteads and were especially common around

non-rath-type settlements where they were primarily utilised for protecting gardens and managing

farmyards.

Examination of plant reports from 60 early medieval sites (comprising 165 separate phases of activity), and

faunal remains reports from over 130 excavations, allows a broad spatial and chronological investigation of

farming in early medieval Ireland. Both examinations reveal subtle chronological and geographical

differences in species production over this period, and also re-evaluate the status requirements outlined in

early medieval legal tracts. The law tracts, for example, regard wheat as a high status grain. Although it is

present on about two thirds of sites, and in much lower quantities that the other cereals, it is clear that it

cannot automatically be used as an indicator of high status. Equally, the proportions of specific livestock

species required by the Críth Gablach, ‘Law of Status’, are not replicated in the faunal remains.

While barley was the dominant cereal at the start of the early medieval period, there are indicators that,

over time, oat became the dominant cereal in some areas of Munster and Ulster (Fig. 4). The faunal

reports show a considerable consistency in the livestock economy in the eastern part of Ireland, but

suggest a significant regional variation in the assemblages in Ulster and western Ireland (Fig. 5). The data

also shows that the livestock economy of Ireland, with its focus on cattle, differed greatly from the

economies of contemporary southern Britain and south-west France where sheep were dominant.

Fig. 4: Percentages of early medieval sites on which identified types of cereal grains have been found by time

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Faunal assemblages can also be used as a proxy for distinguishing between urban (consumer) and rural (producer/consumer) settlements on the basis of the age slaughter pattern of cattle. The evidence indicates that the numbers of consumer sites increased during the second half of the Early Medieval period. A number of “enclosure” settlements in Co. Meath, such as Baronstown, Roestown and Dowdstown display slaughter patterns with ‘consumer’ traits, suggesting at the very least an expanding human population, and perhaps indicating proto-urban development. There does not seem to have been a great variation in size of livestock during these centuries (Fig. 6).

Fig. 5: Comparison of percentages of livestock in faunal remains by time in Ulster and Meath compared to ‘ideal’ in Críth Galblach.


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Fig. 6: Average heights of cows and bulls by site over time.

Towards a Synthesis of Early Medieval Irish Archaeology The traditional consensus was that early medieval dwellings and settlement activities were situated within enclosures, typically, but not exclusively, the classic ringfort/rath. In recent years, a much wider range of ‘settlement enclosures’ (e.g. ‘settlement/cemeteries’, palisaded enclosures, settlements within field enclosures, ecclesiastical enclosures) have been investigated that reveal the varied and evolving character of settlement in the early medieval landscape. An increasing number of ‘unenclosed’ habitations dating from the early medieval period have also been uncovered during excavation. These appear in various forms (e.g. houses in fields; souterrains associated with unenclosed settlement; cave occupations; early medieval shell middens, etc.) and offer further insight into the organization of early medieval Irish society and its spread across the entire landscape. It seems clear, for example, that between the fourth to sixth century A.D. (i.e. during the establishment of Christianity in Ireland) communities buried their dead in a range of burial grounds (including penannular and annular ring ditches; mounds, standing stones and other unenclosed sites). Radiocarbon dating from many of these burials show that this practice carried on into the seventh/eighth centuries (and in some cases through ‘til the twelfth century). This happens at a time when church graveyards were being established, yet it seems that burials in long-used community, or kin-based, graveyards was still a viable option. Many of these non-ecclesiastical graveyards were associated with non-ringfort-type settlements. These have been given the rather uninspiring title of ‘settlement/cemeteries’ or ’cemetery-settlements’ and may represent one of the most intriguing archaeological discoveries of the past decade.

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EMAP has highlighted evidence for local and regional variation in early medieval settlement patterns, implied from differing chronologies of continuity on geographically divergent sites. Fitting these new site-types and new chronologies into the wider settlement landscape and incorporating them into the social, ideological and political mindscapes which influence modern-day cultural biographies represents the great challenge for early medieval archaeological research going forward into the twenty-first century.

EMAP would like to acknowledge the support of archaeologists within UCD School of Archaeology and the

School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, QUB; project partners in Archaeological Consultancy

Services (ACS); Cultural Resource Development Services (CRDS) and Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd (MGL), as

well as all those archaeologists and archaeological companies who have allowed access to excavation

reports and specialist reports. Without this help, advice and encouragement, this project could not have

been completed.

Bibliography: Cagney, L. & O’Hara, R. 2009. An early medieval complex at Dowdstown 2, in M. Deevy and D. Murphy (eds.) Places Along the Way: First Findings on the M3. National Roads Authority Scheme Monograph Series 5. Bray: Wordwell, 123-34. Coyne, F. 2005. Excavation of an Early Medieval ‘Plectrum-shaped’ enclosure at Newtown, Co. Limerick. North Munster Antiquarian Journal, 45, 51-63. Edwards, N. 1990. The archaeology of early medieval Ireland. London, Batsford. Eogan, G. 1977. The Iron Age and early Christian settlement at Knowth, Co. Meath, Ireland, in V. Markotic (ed.) Ancient Europe and the Mediterranean, studies in honour of Hugh Hencken. Warminster: Aris & Phillips Ltd, 69-76. Kinsella, J. 2010. A new Irish early medieval site type? Exploring the ‘recent’ archaeological evidence for non-circular enclosed settlement and burial sites. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 110C, 89-132. Linnane, S. & Kinsella, J. 2007. Fort Baronstown? Exploring the social role of an impressive ringfort on the M3. Seanda, 2, 57-59. Linnane, S. & Kinsella, J. 2009. Military lords and defensive beginnings: a preliminary assessment of the social role of an impressive rath at Baronstown, in M. Deevy and D. Murphy (eds.), Places along the way: first findings on the M3. National Roads Authority Scheme Monograph Series 5. Bray: Wordwell, 101-22. Lynn, C. J. & McDowell, J. A. 2011. Deer Park Farms: The Excavation of a Raised Rath in the Glenarm Valley, Co. Antrim. TSO. Mallory, J. P. & McNeill T. E. 1991. The archaeology of Ulster from colonization to plantation. Belfast: The Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University of Belfast Mytum, H. 1992. The Origins of early Christian Ireland. London: Routledge. O’Kelly, M. J. 1963. Two ring-forts at Garryduff, Co. Cork. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 63C, 17-125. Ó Ríordáin, S. P. 1942. The excavation of a large earthen ring-fort at Garranes, Co. Cork. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 47C, 77-150. Seaver, M. 2005. Run of the Mill? Excavation of an early medieval site at Raystown, Co. Meath. Archaeology Ireland, 19(4), 9-12. Seaver, M. 2006. Through the mill– excavation of an early medieval settlement at Raystown, County Meath, in J. O’Sullivan & M. Stanley (eds.) Settlement, Industry and Ritual: proceedings of a public seminar on archaeological discoveries on national road schemes, September 2005. Bray: Wordwell, 73-87. Seaver, M. 2010 Against the grain: Early medieval settlement and burial on the Blackhill: excavations at Raystown, Co. Meath, in C. Corlett and M. Potterton (eds.) Death and burial in early medieval Ireland, in light of recent archaeological excavations. Bray: Wordwell, 299-319. Stout, M. 1992. Plans from plans: an analysis of the 1:2500 OS series as a source for ringfort morphology. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 92C, 37-53. Stout, M. 1997. The Irish ringfort. Dublin: Four Courts Press (in association with the Group for the Study of Irish Historic Settlement). Warner, R. B. 2000. Clogher: an archaeological window on early Medieval Tyrone and Mid Ulster, in C. Dillon et al. (eds.) Tyrone: History and Society. Dublin: Geography Publications, 39-54.

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Irish Archaeological Research is a member supported social enterprise. Our aim is to bring information about your local heritage to a wider audience. We have started a membership scheme to help fund our projects and with membership for one year just £12.50 you can help support the following: The Publication of a free Digital Magazine about Heritage, History and Archaeology Updating and maintaining our websites Publishing an annual Journal Arranging archaeological events such as excavations, conferences, lectures and

experimental archaeology days As part of your membership you will receive: A welcome pack An automatic subscription to our digital magazine Free Digital copy of our yearly Journal A 20% discount on all hard copies of our publications A yearly newsletter Notification of all of our events and free attendance to them

If you would like to become a member visit our membership page on our website at:

www.IrishArchaeologicalResearch.com

Your support will help us introduce our rich cultural heritage to the world


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The Festival of British Archaeology is an annual extravaganza of heritage events co-ordinated by the

Council for British Archaeology. Each year the Festival showcases the very best of British archaeology, by

presenting hundreds of special events organised and held by museums, local societies, national and

countryside parks, universities, and heritage organisations across the UK. The Festival presents everyone

the opportunity to learn about their local heritage, to see archaeology in action, and to get involved.

Events ranging from excavation open days and behind-the-scenes tours to family fun days, hands-on

activities, guided walks, talks and finds identification workshops take place all over the UK during this

special fortnight.

14th to 29th July 2012

Discover the lives of our ancestors, from the earliest hunter-gatherer to the modern society we have today.

Archaeology gives us a unique insight into the past through the artefacts our ancestors left behind in the

earth beneath our feet. Irish Archaeological Research (IAR) is launching an innovative, hands-on, heritage

scheme called the ‘The Open Air Museum’. This project will showcase the artefacts found during

archaeological investigations around the country and enable the public to interact with them. As well as

the museum exhibit there will be a living history component that will allow people to experience how our

ancestors might have made tools and equipment and how we think they may have lived. There will be

archaeologists on hand to answer any questions about the local heritage and any aspect of the event.

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Archaeology in the Glens

Glenariff Forest Park, Co. Antrim

Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd July

Archaeology in the Park

Gosford Forest Park, Co. Armagh

Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th July

The Open Air Museum Alongside the genuine artefacts will be replicas, showing how some of these artefacts may have looked when originally made. There will also be models of prehistoric dwellings to complement information about how Ireland was populated; from the few tribes of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, armed with just bows and arrows, to the large-scale farming communities of the Neolithic, who purged the landscape of trees using stone axes and fire. Making Prehistoric Pottery An archaeologist will demonstrate how to make and decorate prehistoric pottery and then you can have a go yourself.

Junior Archaeology Workshops We have found through experience that children love the mystery and myth of archaeology and his-tory and they learn best through actively taking part, so we will have an area especially for under 12’s. Here they will learn about our Celtic warrior ancestors and the art they used on their clothes, jewellery, and weapons. They will be able to design and make their own Celtic warrior shield and helmet as well as try their hand at Celtic art. Hunting for Food There will be an archery section to the outdoor mu-seum, to let the public experience how our hunter-gatherer ancestors used bows and arrows. Targets will be set up that resemble the prey during the time of the earliest hunter-gatherers in Ireland, and an archaeologist and archery coach will be on hand throughout the day to illustrate the techniques and technologies our ancestors would have used to hunt.

Looking for a great day out—join us at Glenariff or Gosford for

some great hands on archaeological activities


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This year marks the centenary of the arrival of the British Antarctic Expedition at the South Pole, led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott. His ship Terra Nova and a compliment of Royal Navy, scientists and explorers spent three years on the Antarctic continent (1910-1913). Their final adventure on this expedition was the journey to the South Pole, in which endeavour five of the crew were to lose their lives. The story of that final journey is well known; they arrived at their goal on January 12th, to find the Norwegian flag flying, after Roald Amundsen’s party had raced in to claim the ‘first’, and

their slow return beset by freak storms that ultimately cost the polar party their lives.

Conserving the Heroic Age: the British Antarctic Expedition

Diana McCormick urges us to explore the work of the Antarctic Heritage Trust

Scott, Bowers, Simpson & Evans 1911

Wilson at the sunshine recorder

Scott, Wilson, Bowers, Oates and Evans; Evans was the first to die, probably from a fall and subsequent brain haemorrhage; Oates’ famous self-sacrifice was intended to give the others a chance at survival; ultimately the three surviving men were unable to leave their tent in the storms, frostbitten, starving, and only eleven miles from a supply cache and the point where the rescue party turned around. It is a fascinating story, tragic yet inspiring, and there are many exhibitions in 2012 to commemorate those involved. It is also important to remember everything that the expedition achieved in terms of environmental and natural history research, something that has often been overshadowed by the ‘race to the pole’.

The Antarctic Heritage Trust (AHT) was established in 1987, entrusted with the care of four of the Heroic Age bases; Scott’s British Antarctic base at Cape Evans, Ross Island, is of course one of these. The Trust also maintains the base at Hut Point, used by Scott’s Discovery crew in 1901-4, which laid the groundwork for much of the scientific work of the 1910-13 expedition. The other sites are Shackleton’s base at Cape Royds (1907-9), from which he made a ‘furthest south’ record, and a base at Cape Adare established by the lesser-known Carsten Borchgrevink (1898-1900), who claimed the first footfall on the Antarctic continent. The conservation work is carried out year-round, with a small over-wintering staff and alongside work at the Canterbury Museum, in Christchurch, New Zealand. The project can be followed through their website and blog at http://www.nzaht.org/.

Wright working at night

The Natural History Museum, London, has a centenary exhibit that brings together an impressive collection of objects from the AHT, the Canterbury Museum, and collections held by the Polar Museum at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge. The gallery is laid out around a floor map of the footprint of the hut, marking each man’s bunk and working areas. The audio-visual presentations also show the efforts of the conservation team alongside the story of the men who worked there, and all in all, it is an exhibition not to be missed. This exhibition is open now and runs until September 2nd.

Motor tractor leaving the winter garage


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http://www.nzaht.org/�

The Scott Polar Institute also has an excellent online project, showcasing several collections of photography of polar exploration (from which the pictures in this article are taken). This can be searched or browsed through http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/resources/freezeframe/.

The interior of Scott’s hut today

For the more enthusiastic polar buff, the Polar Museum in Cambridge (founded by one of the Terra Nova crew) has a once-in-a-lifetime display running until May 5th, entitled ‘These rough Notes’ after a line from Scott’s diary. This exhibit shows, for the first (and probably only) time, diaries and letters of the crew, including a letter written by Dr Wilson ‘to my widow’ from the tent, but also written material from the other members of the Terra Nova crew. The exhibit paints a picture of the wide range of achievements made on the expedition, and does not focus solely on the polar party.


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Músaem Chorca Dhuibhne, Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, Trá Lí, Co. Chiarraí West Kerry Museum Ballyferriter Co. Kerry

E: [email protected] Opening Hours: Easter Period; 7 days 10:00 - 17:00 Late May Till September; 10:00 - 17:00 Winter months; Open by request

Musaem Chorca Dhuibhne

http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/resources/freezeframe/�

The Highest Heights

Aerial photography on a kite string

IAR’s Technology Director Gavin Donaghy looks at the world of Kite Aerial Photography (KAP)

to see if it can aid the amateur and professional archaeologist in further understanding our

archaeological landscape.


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Background is a picture of Lisnabreeny Rath using KAP kit.

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Aerial photography is an essential tool for the archaeologist. It can help us understand why a monument is located

where it is and also to discover new archaeology within our landscape that would normally go un‐noticed. In this

article I am going to show you how to have a go at aerial photography without breaking the bank and also give you a

brief background into kite aerial photography and how it got started.

Kites originated in China around 800 BC, and were originally made of

silk and bamboo with a silk line to tether them. Kites have been used

since that time for a variety of purposes, from helping Benjamin

Franklin with his early meteorological experiments to lifting people

into the sky in portable observation posts during the Boer war. Kite

Aerial Photography was first used by a British meteorologist,

Douglas Archibald in 1887, who built his own rig to observe changes

in weather patterns. The most famous image taken using KAP was

in 1906 in San Francisco after the great earthquake by George R

Lawrence. Since what some people refer to as the Golden Age of

Kite usage in the latter half of the 19th century, and the invention of

the airplane, kite flying has become more of a hobby and less of a

tool for scientific discovery. I would like to change this and maybe

see if we can use it more often in the field of archaeology. Cody man‐lifer kite

Aerial view of San Francisco 1916

Archaeology at the moment relies on a number of different methods of aerial photography, these are: the MEWP

(Mobile elevated work platforms), basically a cherry‐picker; a camera on a pole mounted on a vehicle or carried

around; and aerial shots taken from a plane or helicopter. The first two methods I have mentioned are the most

economical but can only give you aerial pictures from 20 meters up. Aerial pictures from an aeroplane or helicopter

are extremely impressive, but by the time you have bought a plane/helicopter and learned how to fly it, you may

have hurt your bank account (you can hire people for the day to take your photographs but it is quite expensive).

KAP has already been used in the archaeological world for surveys, in recent years Dr Tatjana Kytmannow completed

“An Archaeological Survey of the Off‐Shore Islands of Sligo”, using KAP very successfully, taking great images to

identify archaeological sites. Kite Aerial Photography has great potential for widespread use in both amateur and

professional archaeology as it won’t break the bank, and theoretically the only height restriction on your images is

how long you make your kite string.

The Camera

The camera I wanted to use for this project was a simple

point and shoot digital camera with a high pixel count and a

low price tag. The camera I ended up using was a Samsung

SH100 wi‐fi camera which can connect to a smart phone and

allows you to take images from a distance.

The Rig

The rig I used was a variant of one that I had seen online

called the Brooxes basic Kap Kit. Made of aluminium it comes

with all of the necessary pieces to make a platform for your

camera. My variant consisted of adding a radio‐controlled

component so that I could steer my camera and legs so that it

may have a softer landing. The radio control and servos I

recovered from an old racing car that I had and mounted onto the Brooxes frame. One servo controlled the rotation

of the camera rig, one controlled the tilt of the camera allowing me to look up and down and one acted as an

auxiliary control for activating the cameras shutter and taking a picture. The legs are made from fibreglass rods cut

to measure and splay out from the bottom of the rig. Brooxes, who supplied the frame, offer servo motors, radio

controls and legs but this brings greatly increases the cost of your kit. I would recommend sourcing your own and

playing with the set‐up yourself. It gives you a nice insight into the function of your rig as well as being good fun to

build.

My Kit

I have been looking into using KAP for quite a while now, going out at the weekends and taking photographs of

unusual earthworks in the landscape to see if they are archaeological in nature. I did most of my research online and

found a thriving community of enthusiasts

who were incredibly helpful in getting me

started. The kits that people were using

ranged from a simple disposable camera on

a string with an elastic band to act as a trig‐

ger mechanism suspended from a kite, to

radio‐controlled rigs capable of taking 360‐

degree images from a multitude of angles.


My KAP Kit

The Kite

The first thing that I investigated was the

kite itself. There are several on the market

and choosing the right one is incredibly

important. Through my investigations

online I found that the type of kite most

people use for this is a single line sled kite. These kites are incredibly stable and easy to fly; the single line means that

it is easier to control and tie off when you want to mount your camera rig. The other thing that you need to consider

is lift; the kite has to have a large enough sail to pull your string taut and lift your rig into the air in reasonably light

winds. The kite I bought was a Mega Sled from Sky High Kites. It has a 2 meter sail, a strong lift and came with 75

meters of line.

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Flying

Once I had got my kite and built my rig the next stage was to attach a camera and get it up into the sky! I decided to

be a little more cautious to begin with and just try flying the kite first to get used to it and the weather conditions it’ll

be able to fly in. The first thing I noticed was it can be hard to gauge when you’re going to get the best conditions so

it’s better to bring the kite with you in the boot of your car and fly it whenever you can. The sled kite will fly in

almost any weather condition but the best condition I found was a steady wind of between 10 and 15 mph. The next

stage is mounting the rig with the camera and testing it. For this I found that if the wind is slower than 10 mph there

wasn’t enough pull to get the rig up nice and high but between 10 and 20mph were perfect conditions for the rig.

Winds over 20 mph made the kite move slightly more erratically and cause a jerking movement on the rig which can

make it tricky to take an image.

I soon discovered that as with

most things practice is the way

to try and get a good image. The

camera I had bought could

connect to a smart phone to let

you see what the camera sees

but that function (as I

discovered) has a limited range

of 20 metres and when you fly

the kite it is astonishing how

quickly you have the kite string

at its limit and are soaring

hundreds of meters up. The

radio control system was great

and allowed me to take images at the full length of the string, slowly controlling the little arm that depressed the

shutter button, as well as rotating the camera and tilting it to try and get a better shot.

Flying the kite rig at Nendrum

Gavin & Rachel flying the KAP

19

Conclusion

My KAP kit cost me £170 in total and was well worth it in my opinion. I haven’t quite mastered taking the perfect

picture yet but with practice I am getting better every time I go out. The height above ground that you can achieve is

staggeringly good, and as I said before you are only really limited by the length of line you have for your kite. This is

a great tool for an archaeologist’s arsenal and is portable enough to go rambling with to find out what treasures we

have nestled within our landscape. So why not give it a try? You don’t have to go all out and build a rig like mine;

there are plenty of budget‐friendly options out there and it's great fun to do.

20

Nendrum at dusk

The skies above Lisnabreeny rath

Useful links http://www.arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/kaptoc.html http://arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/discuss/ http://www.kapshop.com/Rig‐Kits/c37/index.html

http://www.skyhighkites.co.uk/shop/product/268/Mega‐Sled.html


We sell replicas of archaeological artefacts, artefact based jewellery, historical games, and much more, all handcrafted by Ross Bailey

All profits from our sales help to fund our community and

membership based archaeological projects

Some of our items for Sale

Arrowhead pendant on a sliver chain

Replica Dagger

Replica brandubh board made from leather

Down's Delights Irish Archaeological Research Issue 3 May 2012

The most ancient site in the region is also perhaps the most famous: Legananny Dolmen. This is

one of the most photogenic and photographed Early Neolithic portal tombs in Ireland and is

definitely as impressive in the flesh as it is in print. One cannot fail to marvel at the capstone, which

though massive, seems to float atop three uprights. Legananny seems so vivid and bold that the

antiquity of the monument is difficult to believe, especially as it is at least 5500 years old. Located

off the B7, seven miles south of Dromara, it is well signposted from both the Dromara and

Castlewellan roads. Legananny has never been formally excavated, although there are

antiquarian accounts of pottery finds at the site. Old photographs show the orthostats slightly more

exposed than they currently are. A field wall once ran straight through the monument, perhaps

denuding the tomb of the cairn that was probably once associated with it.

22

Christina O’Regan discusses the archaeology of the Slieve Croob Region

Above: Figure 1 A modified passage tomb: the summit cairn on Slieve Croob also serves as a sheepfold. Image: Irish Archaeological Research.

The Slieve Croob region, in central County Down, is one of those rare places; spectacular yet

unfrequented, even though it is highly accessible from urban centres and prominent throughout the

surrounding landscape. Perhaps the nearby Mourne Mountains divert attention away from Croob,

which is a shame as the area has much to offer, especially to the archaeologist. The landscape of

Croob, though marginal today, was in the past a place of tremendous and enduring importance,

and scattered throughout the region is a plethora of archaeological monuments well worth visiting.


23

Figure 2 Legananny Dolmen and its floating capstone. Image: tm-tm on Flickr licensed through Creative Commons BY-SA 2.0.

Few extant sites from the Bronze Age are easily discernible today, but the region was of

considerable importance during that time. One of the earliest pieces of metalwork ever found in

Ireland is a gold earring-like object from Deehommed townland, now on-display at the National

Museum of Ireland. An extensive cist cemetery was also found nearby, in Cloughskelt, and as

current scholarship has identified the Mournes as the source of Irish Bronze Age gold, the Croob

region was perhaps the centre of the Bronze Age world, for a time.

The summit of Slieve Croob itself features a much-modified and poorly-preserved cairn covering

what is likely to be a passage tomb, dating to the Middle Neolithic period, though it has never been

archaeologically investigated. The gentle walk from the carpark at Dree Hill to the cairns and

transmitters at the top of the mountain is well-worth it at any rate. A fantastic view of the Mournes,

Strangford Lough, the Lagan Valley, Lough Neagh and beyond await allcomers. On a good day,

much of Southwest Scotland and the Isle of Man are also visible. For its prominence and

far-ranging views, the mountain must have been an important part of the landscape for people

thought time.

The Northern Ireland Sites and Monuments Record provides

details about the expansive Early Christian landscape of Croob,

where dozens of ringforts and cashels exist within a 10-mile

radius of the mountain. The majority of these are located on

private land and not accessible to the public without the

landowner's permission. However, several public footpaths, such

as “The Moat Pad” and “Adder's Loanin” both in the western part

of the region, lead the walker though an area particularly rich in

these settlements, many of which are well-preserved and

interesting examples of raised raths.


Finnis Souterrain, also known as 'Binder's Cove', is a fantastically

preserved drystone-built souterrain. Open to the public by

agreement between the landowner and Banbridge District

Council, solar powered lighting guides the visitor down three

passages. It is located two and a half miles south of Finnis, is well signposted and has parking for

two or three vehicles.

Figure 3: Stooping through the main passage in Binder's Cove. Image: Irish Archaeological Research.

24

Although there have been several attempts over the centuries to industrialise the region with

quarries and even Iron mining, these attempts were largely unsuccessful, hence the untainted

landscape we can enjoy today. When travelling though the area, look out for the odd linen mill,

remnants of the only industry that ever really flourished here. Farming, since the famine, has been

low-intensity and therefore fossil remains of lazy-beds, labourer's cottages and booley houses are

manifest and worth spotting – and documenting – as this is one aspect of our archaeological

heritage that is waiting to be fully discovered. But whatever your interests, the Slieve Croob region

abounds with interesting sites (and sights) to educate and inspire visitors.

Location map


25

An old homestead in the Belfast Hills is lifting the roof off our house‐proud ancestors featuring a particularly

exacting “room with a view” design.

It’s all the result of a number of fascinating insights revealed into the rich heritage of the Belfast Hills after a

community archaeology dig at Ballyaghagan on Cave Hill, Belfast.

House styling may be thought of as a modern phenomenon, but this Home of the Year circa 1600 AD and its

obviously choosy builders were 400 years before the advent of designers like Laurence Llewelyn‐Bowen.

It may not “ooze personality and idiosyncratic charm” in the parlance of today’s designer fraternity, but it shows

that the homemaker certainly desired to make the most of the spectacular views on the hill.

A 17th Century ‘room with a view’ discovery on

Cave Hill

More discoveries from The Belfast Hills Partnership

Figure 1: A pre‐Christian illustration of Ballyaghagan with houses inside the perimeter wall.

26


An unknown but discerning 17th century plantation homebuilder had given up the security of a walled enclosure

to keep out invaders and opted instead for breathtaking scenery taking in views of Strangford Lough and the

Mourne Mountains.

The two artist impressions of the archaeological site based on what Queen’s University experts found with the

help of local schoolchildren and members of the public show the needs of two very different residents.

The first – of a pre‐Christian homestead ‐ shows how humans and livestock were billeted inside a protective outer

wall to guard against raiders.

But by the plantation of Ulster, the over‐riding concern of the homeowner was the vista and view from the

house.

“It would certainly look like we have a very discerning homeowner over 400 years ago on Cave Hill. At a time

with no TV, limited books and communication, you would wonder if despite the lovely views, life was very

isolated for the family with the lovely view from Cave Hill,” said Lizzy Pinkerton of the Partnership.

Figure 2: A 17th century impression of the same spot with the house making the most of the views from the hill.

http://www.belfasthills.org/

27


IAR Archaeology

Workshops

Bringing Archaeology

Into the Classroom

Calling all teachers and youth group leaders:

Would your pupils be interested in talking with archaeologists, learning how they investigate the past and learning

about our ancestors from the Prehistoric periods right up to the Post‐Medieval? Would they like to handle

archaeological artefacts found in excavations from Ireland and participate in archaeology themed practical's? If the

answer is YES we can provide archaeology based workshops to suit each age group in a way that will excite and

educate.

‘Archaeology for Schools’ is an exciting new initiative run by Irish Archaeological Research (IAR) with the aim of

bringing archaeology into the classroom.

Our team of experienced archaeologists can visit your school, youth centre or group to demonstrate not just how

people once lived, but also the skills we need to investigate the past and the world around us. We have developed a

number of unique, multi‐sensory activities that will enthral, excite and educate.

Archaeology incorporates a huge range of school curriculum subjects including history, geography, sciences and art.

Whatever your learning objectives we can provide an unique educational experience that will be enjoyed by teacher

and pupil alike.

Call or email now to find out more, get prices and book workshops.

[email protected]

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http://twitter.com/#!/IAR1

http://irisharchaeologicalresearch.blogspot.com/

www.IrishArchaeologicalResearch.com

© Irish Archaeological Research 2012 This magazine is Free

IAR Digital Magazine Issue 3 May 2012

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