EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Dublin
Excavations occurred directly west of Exchange Street Upper/Parliament Street levels at Temple Bar
West which also revealed ninth century Scandinavian levels (Simpson 1999). Five sunken structures;
three at Site A (Fishamble Street) and two at Site C (Copper Alley), were identified to the west and
south of the site respectively (Simpson 1999, 13–6). The structures were not orientated regularly and
were not associated with property plots. Each structure contained a sunken floor which was dug into
the bedrock. They were rectangular in shape but small with average dimensions of 2.25m by 3m. The
chambers had wattle walls and the roof was supported by an arrangement of internal vertical posts
which were usually located at either end of the structure. No hearths were present internally but a
paved area and external hearth was situated beside the structures at Fishamble Street. A late eighth
to late ninth century date was retrieved from one of the Fishamble Street structures while a road,
which removed part of a sunken structure at Copper Alley, was dated between the late ninth and
tenth centuries. The latter structure, therefore, was also early in date.
Between the middle and late ninth century the sunken structures were filled-in and replaced by Type
1 post and wattle houses and other structures (Simpson 1999, 17–30). Two phases of activity were
evident at the eastern part of the site at Essex Street West (Site B) and Exchange Street Upper (Site
D). At the latter, a large post and wattle house (Structure R), orientated east-west and measuring 6m
north-south by 10m east-west, was constructed. A wattle screen floor was dated between the late
eighth and late ninth centuries with the highest probability in the middle ninth century (Simpson
1999, 20). Two houses (Structures O and P), typical of Type 1, were located in close proximity.
Structure O revealed a well-preserved central hearth and both were three-aisled structures. Structure
P was dated to the late ninth/early tenth century. A similar house, dating to the late ninth century,
was identified at the same level a short distance south at Site D. The houses at Sites B and D were
defined by property boundaries.
The Site B and D structures were replaced by a second phase of housing. Structure H – a Type 1
house – directly replaced the earlier house (Structure I) in Site B. Also, a second, smaller, post and
wattle house (Structure F) – of Wallace’s Type 2 – was revealed directly to the west in an adjoining
yard. The houses were small and contained wattle floors. The lack of hearths has led to the
suggestion that they functioned as sleeping dwellings, possibly for children (Simpson 1999, 25;
Wallace 1992a, 15). Another house at Site A also replaced an earlier house. This smaller dwelling had
four roof posts and a central hearth but lacked aisle divisions. Rough paving led to its eastern
entrance and finds associated with the house included a belt buckle, a loom weight, a gaming piece,
a comb and a walrus ivory pin (Simpson 1999, 26).
A number of non-dwelling type structures were revealed within the plots at Temple Bar West
including circular wattle pens. Some of these functioned as animal enclosures while others seem to
have had a different use possibly related to craft (Simpson 1999, 25–6).
A large rectangular house – which may relate to the early longphort – with two building phases was
revealed to the south of the town at South Great George’s Street. It was at least 10.5m long, the
central aisle was 3m wide and the roof was supported by large posts. Both floor phases contained a
stone layering and a hearth was present at the north-eastern end. Two habitation layers produced
burnt animal bone and fish, charcoal and artefacts such as bone beads and a pin head. Two
radiocarbon dates of A.D. 793-971 and A.D. 894-1011 were returned from the posthole fills and this
house has many of the characteristics of Wallace’s Type 1 buildings (Simpson 2005, 48–50).
Tenth Century
Although the eastern settlement at Temple Bar West was abandoned in favour of industrial activities
in the early tenth century, the western part of the settlement at Fishamble Street expanded to
incorporate six plots with accompanying houses and outbuildings (Simpson 1999, 30–1). The houses
– which are dated approximately to the mid tenth century – were Type 1 dwellings and fronted onto
a road. Nine building phases were recorded as earlier houses and outbuildings were regularly
replaced by newer constructions across the tenth century. A tenth-century sunken structure was also
identified at Fishamble Street.
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