Latest News

irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/ancient-burial-site-discovered-in-kerry-697015.html

Excavations of what is thought to be the oldest surviving structure in Kerry have uncovered a burial site which dates back almost 6,000 years.

The dolmen or portal tomb at Killaclohane, Milltown is the oldest such structure still intact anywhere in Kerry according to the county archaeologist, Michael Connolly.
The tomb, on a site between Milltown and Castlemaine, dates from around 3,800 BC and had never been excavated before.

A team of archaeologists recently undertook conservation works to ensure that the capstone on the tomb – which had slipped off its supporting portal stones – would not fall completely and irreparably damage the two upright pillars.

Excavations of what is thought to be the oldest surviving structure in Kerry have uncovered a burial site which dates back almost 6,000 years.

According to archaeologist Michael Connolly “during the excavations, the cremated remains of at least two people were discovered along with a number of arrowheads, scrapers, neolithic pottery and a flint javelin head”.

The precise dating of those objects may take several months but they are believed to be from the early Neolithic period. The discovery suggests that one of the earliest settlements in the county was in the Milltown area when people began to farm and develop ties to the land. Connolly has described the discovery as “very important”.

Although the cave was discovered a couple of years back by female cavers slim enough to fit in the tunnel where at least 15 skeletons were interred... women far braver than I’ll ever be... I only read about this tonight in The Tmes. And already it’s on the Wiki.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_naledi

Standing stones found buried near Stonehenge could be the “largest” intact prehistoric monument ever built in Britain, archaeologists believe.
Using ground-penetrating radar, some 100 stones were found at the Durrington Walls “superhenge”, a later bank built close to Stonehenge.

The Stonehenge Living Landscapes team has been researching the ancient monument site in a five-year project.

Finding the stones was “fantastically lucky”, researchers said.
The stones may have originally measured up to 4.5m (14ft) in height and had been pushed over the edge of Durrington Walls.

The site, which is thought to have been built about 4,500 years ago, is about 1.8 miles (3km) from Stonehenge, Wiltshire.

The stones were found on the edge of the Durrington Walls “henge”, or bank, an area which had not yet been studied by researchers.
Lead researcher, Vince Gaffney said the stones were “lost to archaeology” but found thanks to modern technology.

National Trust archaeologist Dr Nick Snashall said: “In the field that lies to the south we know there’s a standing stone which is now the only standing stone, now fallen, that you can go up to and touch in the whole of the Stonehenge landscape,” he said.
“It’s called the Cuckoo Stone.

“If there are stones beneath the bank... they’re probably looking at stones of pretty much the same size as the Cuckoo Stone.”

Dr Snashall added there was a “sense” of one area set aside for the living and another for the dead at Durrington Walls – and that had changed over time.
The findings are being announced later on the first day of the British Science Festival being held at the University of Bradford.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-34156673

This week I will be opening up a trial trench to examine a prehistoric site, on the fringe of Glasgow, that was buried 51 years ago beneath a 1m layer of soil and turf.

The site is called the Cochno Stone and it is one of the most spectacular and extensive panels of prehistoric rock-art in Britain. It is located in the lower reaches of the Kilpatrick Hills, in an area with dense rock-art concentrations on small outcrops and boulders.

In 1964 it was sealed, put beyond use and rendered inaccessible.

By archaeologists.

For its own good.

This rock-art splattered outcrop, rich with cups, cup-and-rings marks, spirals and two four-toed footprints was deemed, in the 1960s, to be under threat from the urban expansion of Glasgow. The Council-built estate of Faifley, now in West Dunbartonshire Council, encroached almost to the Cochno Stone itself. Too close apparently.

Houses were built. Infrastructure was constructed. Power towers and electricity cables were added.

Continues here:
theurbanprehistorian.wordpress.com/2015/09/05/a-matter-of-trust/

Peak District National Park archaeologists have praised a contractor working on a major footpath restoration scheme in North Staffordshire after he discovered a previously unknown Bronze Age burial site.

Kieran Fogarty was digging a trench to reinforce a popular public footpath at The Roaches near Leek when he unearthed part of a decorated Bronze Age cremation urn. Mr Fogarty quickly alerted staff at the Peak Park authority to his find and a team from the cultural heritage division visited the site and identified his discovery.

A team led by archaeologist John Barnatt carried out a rescue excavation of the site and as well as recovering three large fragments of the urn were also able to identify and record the extent of the cremation pit, fully recover a ‘significant amount’ of cremated bone and charcoal from the site and even record the impression left by the side of the urn in the edge of the pit.

Ken Smith, cultural heritage manager for the authority said: “Kieran did exactly the right thing – by contacting us quickly we were able to get out to the site and identify what he had uncovered.” Mr Smith added, “Often finds like this are associated with burial mounds but in this case there was no clue on the ground surface that there was archaeology present.”

Funding is to be sought for post-excavation work to be carried out that may identify where the clay used to make the urn came from, C14 dating of the charcoal and study of the cremated bone. Once the urn has been analysed it will be deposited with The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

Link to story on website of Leek Post and Times newspaper:-
leek-news.co.uk/Pot-containing-human-remains-3-500-years-old/story-27680909-detail/story.html

Archaeologists excavating a field in Aberdeenshire (aka drewland) where standing stones where found believe they have uncovered the entrance to a Pictish palace. (Iron Age)

More at :

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-34075227

irisharchaeology.ie/2015/08/the-destruction-of-a-3000-year-old-bog-roadway-in-co-westmeath/

“While Irish heritage is being celebrated and promoted this week, the destruction of a major archaeological monument, a major timber-built road of European significance at Mayne Bog, Coole, County Westmeath is continuing.

Although the National Monuments Service (NMS, the responsibility of Minister Heather Humphreys) has known since 2005 about the existence of the monument, they have failed to act to preserve it.

The road or Togher was discovered in 2005 and was reported by a concerned local resident, rather than the landowner or the industrial peat company Westland Horticulture who are extracting compost from the site.

The National Monuments Service subsequently instigated the excavation of a few meters of the 657m long roadway, which established that:

The monument was a substantial transversely laid plank built roadway. It was no mere trackway, it measured from 4.3m to 6m in width. The recorded length of the road was 675m, but it was seen to extend beyond both recorded limits.

A carbon 14 date of 1200-820 BC was obtained from the timbers, making it a remarkable structure of Bronze Age date, 1000 years older than the celebrated Corlea Bog roadway in neighbouring County Longford.

The excavators recommended further archaeological work but this was never acted upon. What did happen was that peat extraction work continued unabated. What is worse is that the monument was never even properly listed or given any legal protection ...”
(Contd.)

‘One of the most remarkable decorated stones we’ve ever seen’

On this remarkable, sunny day we can do one of two things. We can ransack our box full of superlatives to describe what has happened, or just ask you to look at the photographs. Go for the pics, kindly supplied by Ola Thoenies (thank you Ola!)

orkneyjar.com/archaeology/nessofbrodgar/2015/08/dig-diary-monday-august-17-2015/

Our ancient Irish ancestors carved images of an ancient eclipse into giant stones over 5,000 years ago, on November 30, 3340 BC to be exact. This is the oldest known recorded solar eclipse in history.

The illustrations are found on the Stone Age “Cairn L,” on Carbane West, at Loughcrew, outside Kells, in County Meath. The landscape of rolling hills is littered with Neolithic monuments. Some say that originally there were at least 40 to 50 monuments, but others say the figure was more like 100.

“Cairn L” received a mention in Astronomy Ireland’s article: “Irish Recorded Oldest Known Eclipse 5355 Years Ago.” They write that the Irish Neolithic astronomer priests recorded the events on three stones relating to the eclipse, as seen from that location.

Continued....

irishcentral.com/roots/history/Ancient-Irish-recorded-worlds-first-eclipse-5355-years-ago.html

A prehistoric trackway that could be more than 4,000 years old has been discovered on a beach in Cleethorpes.

The wooden track would have been used to cross a boggy landscape and is believed to be from the early Bronze Age, said archaeologists.

It was found during a coastal survey for a project into threatened archaeological sites.

More on BBC website:

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-33732116

Kilmartin Museum in Argyll is one step closer to a multi-million pound refurbishment.

The Heritage Lottery fund has endorsed an application for a £3.1m grant – as well as awarding £400,000 to develop the plans further.

The museum is located in the Kilmartin glen, one of Scotland’s most important prehistoric landscapes.
It currently cares for some of the oldest artefacts in the UK – some dating back to 3,500 BC.

There are 800 known prehistoric and historic monuments within 10 miles of the museum, including the world’s largest prehistoric cup and ring-marked rock and Dunadd Fort, citadel of the Kings of the Scotti tribe from whom Scotland got its name.

The museum – which opened in 1997 – collects and curates almost all of the archaeology in Argyll but it requires a major upgrade.

The announcement of a first-round pass means they are a step closer to a £3.1m lottery grant, which will allow them to redevelop the museum and increase the number of visitors.

They have been given £400,000 to develop the plans further.

The redesign and expansion of the museum will include a new exhibition gallery displaying never-before-seen prehistoric objects and an additional gallery for use by local artists and to showcase temporary exhibitions.

The addition of modern and attractive visitor services is seen as vital to Argyll’s tourism sector.
The museum hopes to have the new facilities in place by 2020.

Gordon Gray Stephens, chair of Kilmartin Museum Trust, said: “We’re really pleased to have the support of HLF for our proposals.

“The Kilmartin Glen landscape is a gem that more people from Scotland and further afield will now be able to discover. We believe that the redevelopment will also create cultural and economic opportunities for Argyll.”

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-33797256

Archaeologists believe they may have found the remains of a house where people who built Avebury stone circle may have lived.

The three-week Between the Monuments project is researching the daily lives of Neolithic and Bronze Age residents at the Wiltshire site.

The dig is being led by The National Trust and Southampton and Leicester University archaeologists.

The National Trust said if it is a house they will have “hit the jackpot”.

Spokesman Dr Nick Snashall said: “I could count the number of middle Neolithic houses that have been found on the fingers of one hand.

“This site dates from a time when people are just starting to build the earliest parts of Avebury’s earthworks, so we could be looking at the home and workplace of the people who saw that happening.”

Continued.....

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-33686240

Radiocarbon dating shows the Dunnicaer fort to have belonged to the 3rd/4th centuries CE.

This report appeared in Herald Scotland on July 28, 2015..

Jim Leary’s team at Marden Henge have found a Bronze Age burial of a child. Gender not known yet but child wearing amber beads.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-33643447

(Slightly out of our timeline being early-medieval, and very long and detailed, but of interest to archaeological activists all the same)

I’ve written before about how a simple, unattributed blog post … just 178 words long … kicked off an advocacy campaign to ensure the correct management and archaeological excavation of a crannog at Drumclay, Co. Fermanagh. I’d had reports from trusted, experienced colleagues that the site was poorly run and equipped. Worse than that, the excavation appeared to be in imminent danger of hitting its arbitrarily allotted time limit, declared ‘complete’, and whatever else remained allowed to be destroyed … all so the road could continue. Well, we weren’t going to stand for that and, a large number of archaeologists and concerned members of the public banded together to cause a fuss. We were joined by a significant number of professional organisations, including the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland, and the BAJR Federation. We set up a Facebook page, we ended up on radio and television talking about it, we eventually presented a paper at the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland conference in Belfast, and even wrote pieces about it for Archaeology Ireland magazine [here & here]. The initial reaction of the relevant government departments was to close ranks and claim that they were satisfied with the conduct of the excavation and that everything was running according to plan. When that failed, it was claimed that they were aware of the issues and were already working hard behind the scenes to resolve them. The significant breakthrough came when then Minister for the Environment, Alex Attwood, visited the crannog, was convinced of its importance and subsequently ordered an exclusion zone around the site, along with instituting a competent regime of excavation and management. To paraphrase Hunter S Thompson’s obituary of Nixon: ‘That is Drumclay, in a nut, for people with seriously diminished attention spans.’

More:
rmchapple.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/mud-lies-and-hazard-tape-reviewing.html

A team of archaeologists working in Boeslunde, Denmark recently stumbled onto an intriguing mystery: nearly 2,000 tightly-wound golden spirals dating back to the Bronze Age. The discovery of gold in Boeslunde isn’t uncommon, as numerous gold objects have been unearthed in the region over the last few years. But the purpose of these coils has stumped archaeologists who refer to the find as the “golden enigma.”

thisiscolossal.com/2015/07/archaeologists-unearth-trove-of-2000-mysterious-gold-spirals-in-denmark/

A British wildlife film-maker has returned from one of the most inaccessible parts of the world with extraordinary footage of ancient rock art that has never been filmed or photographed before.

In an area of Colombia so vast and remote that contact has still not been made with some tribes thought to live there, Mike Slee used a helicopter to film hundreds of paintings depicting hunters and animals believed to have been created thousands of years ago. He said: “We had crews all over the place and helicopters filming all over Colombia. As a photographer, Francisco Forero Bonell discovered and took the pictures for my movie.”

The extraordinary art includes images of jaguar, crocodiles and deer. They are painted in red, on vertical rock faces in Chiribiquete national park, a 12,000 square kilometre Unesco world heritage site that is largely unexplored. There are also paintings of warriors or hunters dancing or celebrating. “It is the land that time forgot,” Slee told the Observer.

More:
theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/20/colombia-wilderness-film-maker-prehistoric-rock-art?CMP

“From September 2015 all our LIDAR data will become Open Data and everyone will be able to use it for free.”

Although primarily used for flood risk assessment, there will be lots of archaeology to see.

environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2015/06/16/free-mapping-data-will-elevate-flood-risk-knowledge/

Ancient Mediterranean cultures thought nothing of splicing different animals together to form fantastical mythical beasts, such as the half-lion, half-goat chimera or the half-lion, half-eagle griffin.

Until now, however, ancient Britons were not credited with such imagination. That is all about to change following the discovery of a series of animal skeletons near Winterborne Kingston in Dorset, which raises the possibility that Britain’s ancient Celtic population had hybrid-animal monster myths similar to those of the ancient Greeks, Mesopotamians and Egyptians.

Continued.....

independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/news/the-boneyard-of-the-bizarre-that-rewrites-our-celtic-past-to-include-hybridanimal-monster-myths-10381965.html

Excavations at sites deep in the glens, on the National Trust for Scotland’s (NTS) Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire, have produced radiocarbon dates which demonstrate a human presence as far back as 8,100 BCE.

Report:
The Scotsman
BBC News

amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004AB01MW/ref=gb1h_img_c-2_7727_6704119f?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_s=center-new-2&pf_rd_r=1CC36S43Q5VRV383AF1J&pf_rd_i=20&pf_rd_p=643587727

Early Cairngorm mountain people evidence has been found.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-33425672

The new dig season got off to a VERY wet start yesterday with all mucking-in today to catch up on the process of preparing the site for further excavation. Excellent overview to a large group of visitors by Roy Towers..........managed to complete JUST before another squall came in !

The Festival is a huge celebration of our incredible history here in the UK, and you don’t have to be an archaeologist to join in. It’s a chance for everyone to explore and uncover the past, see archaeology in action, and bring the history on your doorstep to life. We look forward to seeing you there.

Find out what’s going on near you during the Festival of Archaeology!

archaeologyfestival.org.uk/whatson

Use the form to search all our events nationwide. Choose from over 1,000 events across the UK hosted by more than 400 organisers. You can sort your search by region, keyword (including county), event period or type.

Step into the world of the henge builders for the day and explore later Neolithic Avebury with archaeologist Dr Nick Snashall and Museum Curator Dr. Ros Cleal. The day includes a field visit to Avebury Henge and stone circles and draws on finds from the museum collections.
Periods: Prehistory

archaeologyfestival.org.uk/events/1925