Rough Island (County Down)

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Rough Island at high tide

Rough Island ( German  "the rough island" ) is between Newtownards and Comber , about 300 m from the north-west bank of Strangford Lough in County Down in Northern Ireland . The small teardrop-shaped tidal island was formed by a drumlin and is connected to the mainland by a narrow dam at low tide .

First excavations

Rough Island was first identified as a site of archaeological importance in 1936 when Hallam L. Movius (1907–1987) discovered a late Mesolithic rubbish heap with a hearth near the summit on the northern side of the island . A second excavation was carried out in 1997 by Tom McErlean. The island's south and south-west coasts were in danger of being eroded by coastal erosion, and McErlean was studying a dark layer of sand rich in medieval pottery.

  • Rough Island

  • Dam leading to the island

  • Dam leading to the island

  • View of Rough Island

  • Dam leading from the island

Last excavation

A third archaeological investigation took place in 2001. It was used to re-examine the area investigated by Mövius in 1936. Samples for radiocarbon dating of shells and fireplaces should provide a chronology for the island's use. Nine trenches were dug to investigate whether there was a medieval settlement near McErlean's dig. Similar stratigraphy was found in all of the trenches, and although other medieval pottery shards were found, no evidence of settlement was found.

Twelve narrow test trenches were dug between the Mövius trenches to examine the prehistoric mussel pile. They showed that the Køkkenmøding, lying directly under a dark brown humus layer, measured 8.3 × 8.1 m and was 0.21 m thick. It was loosely piled and there was no discernible stratification. Its small thickness suggests that the material accumulated over a short period of time. Shards of Western Neolithic ware were found within the pile and in the adjacent charcoal-infused yellow sand soil. A depression with a combination of shells, large stones and Western Neolithic ware was discovered under the Køkkenmøding. The samples for radiocarbon dating showed a date of about 4000 BC. For dumping.

A number of post holes have been discovered under and next to Køkkenmøding. It could not be determined whether these had arisen before or after the mussel accumulation. Two parallel rows of post holes, about 4.5 m apart, were discovered along with a semicircle about 2.3 m in diameter interrupted by the edge of a trench. The posts are not remnants of imposing architecture, but can be evidence of stick racks (for drying fish), windscreens or tent structures .

See also

literature

  • Hallam L. Movius: Report on a Stone Age excavation at Rough Island, Strangford Lough, County Down . In: Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. 70, 1940, pp. 110-142.
  • Thomas McErlean, Rosemary McConkey, Wes Forsythe: Strangford Lough: An Archaeological Survey of the Maritime Cultural Landscape. Blackstaff Press et al., Belfast 2002, ISBN 0-85640-723-2 .

Web links

Commons : Rough Island  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 54 ° 32 ′ 46 "  N , 5 ° 41 ′ 22"  W.