Crannog

The National Monuments Service's description

In the N half of Lough Kinale, c. 100m from its NW stony shoreline. This oval, mound crannog (45m N–S; c. 37m E–W) rises almost 3m above the lake-bed and the centre of it is densely overgrown with large sally trees and briars. It is surrounded by reed beds that cover most of its edges and extend outwards for some 10m. There is no visible stone content on the surface of the crannog. An irregular crescent-shaped mound (29m N–S; 18.5m E–W; diam. at top 12m) is located off-centre to the NW and rises 1.28m above the surface. A plateau (17.5m E–S; 6.8m N–E) surrounds the mound from N–E–S with a few stones protruding through the vegetation. There is a berm around the plateau, represented by a slight break in slope and a different material make-up of shattered and fire-cracked stones. A number of radial timbers were found in the SE sector, some of which were mortised, and traces of an inner palisade revetment, in a continuous line from S–W–N, were evident along the edge of the plateau: the majority of these timbers were of oak. Some indications of a possible outer palisade were found 2–4m beyond the N perimeter. Extensive areas of brushwood matting cover the N sector of the crannog. The only dendrochronological date available suggests use of the crannog around AD 785 +/- 9 or later. Radiocarbon dates indicate a period of use in the late 14th to mid-15th centuries. These dates correspond to some extent with the range of artifacts recovered that include stick-pins, iron keys, harp pegs, an iron bell and silver chalice and a hoard of hack-silver (Fredengren et al. 2010, 157–63). (Ryan 1990, Fredengren 2004b, 348; Kelly 2006)

Compiled by: Christina Fredengren, Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 13 January 2013

References

Kelly, E.P. 2006 Secuity and sanctity: the ecclesiastical metalwork of Lough Kinale. Irish Arts Review 23(1), 106-9.

Ryan, M. 1990 The formal relationship of Insular early medieval Eucharistic chalices. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 90C, 231-356.

Fredengren, C., Kilfeather, A., and Stuijts, I. 2010 Lough Kinale: studies of an Irish lake. Lake settlement project. Discovery Programme Monograph No. 8. Wordwell Ltd.

Fredengren, C. 2004b Ballywillin: Crannog. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2002:summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 348. Bray. Wordwell. 11:52