Burial

The National Monuments Service's description

During improvements to the harbour in 1927 two crouched inhumations accompanied by objects that date them to the first century AD were discovered. One of these is a warrior with his iron sword and shield and objects such as an iron mirror indicate that a female burial was also present. An extensive range of Neolithic flint artifacts, stone axes, an adze and decorated pottery were discovered at the site (MacAlister, 1929, 240-246; Cooney 2009, 19-20). Geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) was carried out by The Discovery programme for the LIARI Project in the vicinity of the burial site. Faint traces of a possible oval feature were identified nearby but cannot be linked in any definitive way with the cemetery (Dowling 2014, 10).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker

Date of upload: 31 December 2014

References

Macalister, R.A.S. 1929b On some antiquities discovered upon Lambay. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 38C, 240-46.

Cooney, G. 2009, The prehistory of Lambay, a long view. In Baker, C. (ed.) Axes, Warriors and Windmills: Recent archaeological discoveries in north Fingal. Fingal County Council.9-22.

Dowling G. 2014b, Geophysical survey at Lambay, north Co. Dublin (Licence no. 12R078). Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.