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Caherconnell Stone Fort
 

Archaeological excavation at Caherconnell stone fort.


This excavation was a collaboration between TVAS (Ireland) Ltd, Dr Michelle Comber and the Davoren family.

The single trench was dug within one of the rectangular stone-built structures inside the fort.

Until heritage week 2007, Caherconnell has not been archaeologically excavated.

The intention was to answer questions such as:
When did people live here?
For how long?
What were they doing here?
Were they farmers, chieftains or scholars?

To find out about the methodology of this dig in detail click here.

For details of the excavations and other local projects being undertaken by the archaeologists click here.

Planning the excavations in Caherconnell Stone Fort in the Burren Ireland


TVAS (Ireland) Ltd is a commercial archaeological consultancy based near Crusheen, Co. Clare. The staff are volunteering their time to this project. Our regular work is mostly on road projects in the West of Ireland. We also undertake smaller jobs - such as satisfying archaeological planning conditions for housing developments.

Dr Michelle Comber is a lecturer and researcher at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Michelle Comber current research is part-funded by the Heritage Council and focuses on the landscape of Early Medieval settlement on the Burren. NUI Galway has completed a topographic survey of the fort interior.

The Davoren family are the owners of Caherconnell stone fort and are supporting the excavation financially and with tea, coffee and food!

Excavations in Caherconnell Stone Fort in the Burren Ireland are open to the public

Archaeological work in Ireland is licensed by the National Monuments Section of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and by the National Museum of Ireland.

The publication and dissemination of archaeological results is the primary factor in excavating. The results of this project will be published in the local journal "The Other Clare" in 2008. The results will also be posted on the Clare Library website www.clarelibrary.ie.

The finds from the site will be displayed in the Clare Museum in Ennis with permission from the National Museum of Ireland.

Graham Hull, site director

The Archaeological Dig at Caherconnell Stone Fort 27th of August 2007 Day 2.


Day 2

With the excavation only in its second day we have already answered some important questions. We have established, by locating the back wall, that the rectangular structure in the fort was free-standing A lime-mortar floor within the building has been found beneath a collapsed wall. There is charcoal within the mortar and this should allow us to obtain a radiocarbon date for the last use of the building.

Excavations in Caherconnell Stone Fort in the Burren Ireland


We have a whet-stone, probably relating to relatively modern sheep-shearing inside the cashel, and have also found a piece of sandstone that has been probably used as a hearth. The Burren is, of course, predominantly limestone and the sandstone is likely to have been imported.

Excavations in Caherconnell Stone Fort in the Burren Ireland


After planning and sampling the mortared floor, it will be removed to find out if there is earlier archaeological evidence beneath.
Graham Hull, site director

The Archaeological Dig at Caherconnell Stone Fort 28th of August 2007.


After removing the mortared floor in the rectangular house we were very pleased to find a part of a rotary quernstone.

Quern Stone found in Caherconnell Stone Fort in the Burren Ireland


Quernstones were used to grind matter, primarily corn (barley, oats, rye, wheat etc.). The saddle quern was used in prehistory, and consisted of a relatively large base stone of slightly concave section. This concavity was formed by using a smaller hand-held rubbing stone to carry out the grinding. The Iron Age saw the introduction of the rotary quern which continued in use throughout the following Christian and Medieval eras. These querns consisted of two disc-shaped stones, one rotated atop the other to grind matter between.

We have also found a small chert blade. This worked stone tool was uncovered beneath the house floor and may be prehistoric in origin.

Chert Blade found in Caherconnell Stone Fort in the Burren Ireland


Graham Hull, site director


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Burren Ireland information from Caherconnell Stone fort is supported by leaderBurren Ireland information from Caherconnell Stone fort is supported by NDP
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