Knoxspark

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Photo-request.svg
 Image wanted 
BW
Hill and Promontory forts in the British Isles

Knoxspark (also Knockspark, Irish Tamhnaigh Liam ) is a townland on the southern outskirts of Ballysadare ( Baile Easa Dara ), in County Sligo in Ireland . In 1993 an inland promontory fort was discovered in the district and an Iron Age burial ground was excavated.

Historical classification

The areas of the baronies of Leyny ( Luíne ), Tirerrill ( Tír Oirill ) and Carbury ( Cairbre ), as well as the dioceses of Elphin , Achonry and Killala probably represent clan areas of the late Iron Age and the early Christian period in the region. They border each other where the Ballysadare River flows into the deeply cut funnel of Ballysadare Bay. On the nearby beach of Tráigh Eochaille is a junction of the old road that connected Ulster with Connacht . St. Patrick and St. Columba are said to have crossed the beach. St. Columba is said to have presided over a council near Ballysadare and St. Feichín is associated with an early Christian monastery in the west of the Ballysadare Falls ( Eas Dara ). The founding of St. Feichín's monastery seemed to be the oldest building activity in the region.

discovery

Although the land surveying office was aware of a fence that was also shown on old maps, the significance of the location was unknown. It was only while studying aerial photographs that Tom Condit identified an inland promontory fort.

The Promontory Fort

The excavations were carried out prior to the construction of the Collooney-Ballysadare bypass. In a river bend, which is bounded on three sides by the Ballysadare River and on the fourth by a swampy surface, lies a 30 m high elongated limestone hill , which is covered by slate and gneiss . In the southern area of ​​the hill, the moats and ramparts of the fort were examined. The trenches were about one meter wide at the base and four to five meters at the top. A number of oval hut bases have been preserved within this complex . The excavations have revealed a lot of animal remains, iron tools and nails. Slag and a furnace point to an industrial center.

The late Iron Age burial ground

The Irish Iron Age goes from 600 BC. until 400 AD. Inside the fort are two stone mounds . The Ostcairn contained corpse burn and a small bronze needle . Nails may indicate cremation in the wooden coffin. The remains of a hearth and the burial of a child were found in Westcairn. The Late Iron Age burial ground lies between the cairns that were first erected. The dead lay stretched or embryonic in pits, some of which were lined with stones. 187 graves were examined and about 100 more are to be expected. Many of the remains consist of partial skeletons, such as eleven isolated skulls. Children seem to be underrepresented at funerals. They were buried in twos or threes or with adults. One grave group consisted of a headless adult, possibly female. One of the three children was missing a head. Another child's head was on the adult's upper arm.

The northwest corner of the burial ground was marked by deposits that were not in the anatomical association. Two adult men were found in this area with their arms linked together. One of the men was buried with a spearhead, the head of the other was severed and laid down separately. The beheadings appear to be references to a Celtic cult, which are references in numerous stories of the Ulster Cycle . A number of the burials contained cattle bones, mainly teeth and jaws.

At some point an enclosure measuring 23 mx 19 m was created on the burial ground. The wall received inner and outer facings made of boulders and dry stone walls and has an access formed by orthostats on the west side. On the west side, the enclosure was built over a number of children's graves, which provide a date for the construction. Late use in the 8th century is indicated by the discovery of part of a brooch . Presumably the region was already Christianized at this time and the functions of the site were taken over by the abbey near Ballysadare.

literature

  • Charles Mount: From Knox Park to Tír na nÓg. In: Archeology Ireland. 29, 1994, ISSN  0790-892X , pp. 22-23.
  • Charles Mount: Knoxspark. In: Isabel Bennett (Ed.) Excavations 1994. Summary Accounts of archaeological Excavations in Ireland. Wordwell Ltd., Wicklow 1999, ISBN 1-869857-20-8 , pp. 78-79.
  • Charles Mount: The promontory fort, inhumation cemetery and sub-rectangular enclosure at Knockspark, Co. Sligo. In: Martin A. Timoney (Ed.): A celebration of Sligo. First essays for Sligo Field Club. Sligo Field Club, Sligo 2002, ISBN 0-9528091-0-9 , pp. 103-116.

Web links

Coordinates: 54 ° 12 ′ 23.7 ″  N , 8 ° 30 ′ 7.5 ″  W.