EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Clare
wooden bucket, as well as Bronze Age lithics and a prehistoric perforated dog whelk. An early
medieval ringed-pin was recovered inside the cave entrance where it seems to have been
deliberately and carefully placed under a flat stone.
A relatively large quantity of animal bone was recovered from the entrance chamber and
platform and appears to represent butchery and consumption. Bones of cattle, sheep and pig
outside the cave entrance were associated with primary butchering waste. Consumption
appears to have taken place inside the cave where most of the faunal remains represented
meat-bearing elements of cattle, sheep and pig. Domestic fowl, mallard, goose bones, cat
and dog were also recovered.
A Viking necklace of 71 glass beads was found in the area where much of the Late Bronze
Age activity was identified. A number of the beads were segmented and foil-covered and are
similar to examples recovered from Kilmainham, Islandbridge as well as from the trading site
at Birka, Sweden. The necklace may have been stolen and hidden in the cave.
Fig. 51: Areas of archaeological activity at Glencurran cave, Co. Clare (after Dowd 2009a).
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