AMS dating of antler/bone pin material from Carrowmore megalithic complex, Co. Sligo

Project Description

Background

The chronology of the Irish Passage Tomb Tradition has long been a problem for Irish archaeology, particularly so with regard to the building and use history of the four great passage tomb complexes; Carrowmore, Carrowkeel, Loughcrew and the Boyne Valley.

Excavations by Burenhult of the Carrowmore monuments in the 1970s and 1990s, produced a number of surprisingly early and much contested radiocarbon dates. Burenhult suggested that the dates (from mid 5^th to mid 4^th  Millennium BC), dated the actual building of the monuments, while others see them as not directly linked to the construction phases of these monuments.

However, these dates were almost exclusively based on the testing of ’charcoal’ samples. The main problem with dating charcoal from a megalithic monument is that the cultural context of the charcoal rarely can be established to an acceptable degree of certainty. The fact is that the dating of the Carrowmore monuments can in no way be resolved using this form of dating material, as its' precise provenance is simply unclear.

Aim

The central aim of this project is to achieve as reliable dates as possible for the  use of the passage tombs at Carrowmore, and thereby further information on the chronological relationship between Carrowmore and other excavated passage tombs.

Methodology

A recurring feature of the primary assemblages from passage tombs is a distinctive kind of pin often made from animal bone or deer antler. Evidence of intense burning on many of the recovered antler/bone pin fragments has led to the conclusion that these pins may have been worn by individuals who were cremated as part of the ritual activity at these sites. The dating of this material would therefore facilitate a chronology indisputably reflecting the primary use of the monuments, though without laying claim on dating the earliest use, or actual building, of the monuments.

For this purpose 25 bone/antler pins fragments from two monuments, Carrowmore 3 (13 fragm.) and Carrowmore 55A (12 fragm.), where selected for dating. The 25 samples were subject to AMS dating at The Angstrom Laboratory, Division of Ion Physics, University of Uppsala, Sweden.

Contact Details

Dr Stefan Bergh ( Profile); Robert Hensey Department of Archaeology,

School of Geography and Archaeology, NUI, Galway

Contact: stefan.berghnuigalway.ie

Contact: roberthenseygmail.com

The Heritage Council 2008

Millennium Research Fund, National University of Ireland, Galway

Project Publications

In preparation.

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