Midden

The National Monuments Service's description

On S shoreline in estuary to N of Great Island. More than usual amount of oyster shells found on stony beach. Schlichting (1973, 17) notes 'runs west from abandoned cottage 280 feet' along top of boulder clay cliff, deposit '4 feet thick' and extends in at least '10 feet from cliff edge'. Midden consists 'principally of oyster shells', other shells in very small numbers and some charcoal. (Atkinson 1874, 258, no. 1). A C14 date of 1050 +/- 50 bp (calibrated date range 820 – 1030 AD) was recovered from oyster shell at the top (Laboratory: Beta 155384) and a C14 date of 2000 +/- 50 bp (calibrated date range 200 BC – 30AD) was recovered from oyster shell at the base of this midden (Laboratory: Beta 155385 ) (Milner & Woodman 2007, 103).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In this instance the entry has been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Revised by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 25 June 2012

References

Milner, N. and Woodman, P. 2007 Deconstructing the myths of Irish shell middens. In N. Milner, O.E. Craig and G. Bailey (eds) Shell middens in Atlantic Europe. Oxford. Oxbow.