Burial

The National Monuments Service's description

In March 1945 a number of human burials were discovered while ploughing a field on a farm at Faddan Beg, Ferbane, Co. Offaly (Cahill and Sikora 2011, vol.2, 416-18). The remains were found at a depth of 0.5-0.75m below the ground surface. Some of the remains were re-interred on the spot, and a ring was apparently found close to one of the burials. Accounts of the discovery differ, one states that the ring was on a finger of a skeleton while the second states that the ring was found approximately '3 yards' from where the burials were. The site was reported to the NMI through Mr Richard Duff, Dundrum, Dublin, who brought the ring to the Museum. The following February an investigation was carried out by Ellen Prendergast accompanied by Mr Duff. The field is known locally as 'Andy's hill'. According to Prendergast's report the whole site had been heavily disturbed, but the landowner was able to indicate the area in which the bone was found. A number of bones were noticed directly under the ploughed soil. Prendergast also describes finding a finger bone on which verdigris was noticed. There was no evidence of grave cuts. According to the landowner, the skeletons had lain side by side, fully extended, supine and facing east. The depth of topsoil varied from c.0.1m to 0.75m over the burials. Prendergast uncovered the remains of nine skeletons, all of which appeared to have been extended. A bronze finger ring was reportedly found with the burial in grave 1, which was immediately south of grave 2. To the west of these two were the remains of seven other burials, three complete and four partial. Grave 4 contained a fully extended and supine skeleton with the hands extended by the side. The feet do not appear to have been particularly close together. Grave 5 lay at a slight angle, with the head of the interred placed to the south-west and the feet to the north-east. Prendergast describes how a 'smaller skeleton (in grave 6) lay in confusion with the pelvis of that in grave 5, and it is possible that these were foetal bones. The skeleton in grave 7 was extended, supine and oriented west-south-west/east-north-east. Some skull bone and leg bones (numbered skeleton 8) were found over the lower limbs of this skeleton. The burial in grave 9 consisted of a skull and some other bone fragments, but no other parts of the skeleton were found.

Compiled by: Mary Cahill and Maeve Sikora

Date of upload: 09 August 2012

References

Cahill, M. and Sikora, M. (eds) 2011 Breaking ground, finding graves - reports on the excavations of burials by the National Museum of Ireland, 1927-2006, 2 vols. Dublin. Wordwell Ltd. in association with the National Museum of Ireland.