EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Dublin
Rosepark, Co. Dublin
1. Early Medieval Hilltop Enclosure Complex
2. Early Medieval Unenclosed Souterrain Complex
Grid reference: O20206121 (32020/26121)
SMR: DU005-013
Excavation Licence No: 99E0155
Excavation duration: July 2000 – June 2001
Site director: J. Carroll (Judith Carroll and Co. Ltd)
Excavations at Rosepark, Balrothery, Co. Dublin – in advance of a housing development – revealed a
hilltop multi-phase enclosure complex spanning approximately the late Iron Age until the eighth or
ninth centuries A.D. Unenclosed habitation, consisting of seven souterrains, potentially succeeded the
hilltop settlement but was abandoned prior to the arrival of the Anglo-Normans. A small number of
disarticulated burials were identified on the summit of the hill and agricultural activity, especially
cereal processing, was present including eleven cereal-drying kilns and quantities of animal bone.
Approximately a little over half of the site was excavated.
1. Early Medieval Hilltop Enclosure Complex
Phase I (Fig. 123) witnessed the digging of an enclosure ditch (Ditch G); only a small section was
excavated, on the summit of the hill and it has been dated to A.D. 259-411 (see Table A for
radiocarbon dates). The highest part of the site was 58m OD and there were clear views of the
surrounding countryside in all directions from the hilltop. The coastline was just 2km away. Only 12m
of the ditch was revealed within the excavated area and it contained a stony layer throughout its fill
as well as animal bone, charcoal and iron slag. The remainder of the ditch may have been removed
due to the digging of later ditches’ A and F. Contemporary agricultural activity occurred at the base of
the hill as two cereal-drying kilns produced similar radiocarbon dates. The remainder of the kilns were
undated but it is likely that many were contemporary. A number of possible huts may also date to this
phase as they were truncated by the Phase II ditch (Ditch E). Phase I was largely devoid of artefacts
except for a possible iron axehead. Analysis of the animal bones showed that cattle represented the
vast majority of the domesticate animals (89%), followed by pig (9%) and sheep/goat (3%).
Both an inner (Ditch A) and outer ditch (Ditch B) were excavated on the hilltop during the second
phase of activity between the fifth and sixth centuries (Fig. 124). A linear ditch (Ditch E) also
extended eastwards from Ditch B while a large house was constructed at this time between the inner
and outer enclosures. An entranceway, represented by parallel trenches, was located to the east of
the outer enclosure. Ditch A contained large quantities of charcoal and animal bone and its lower fill
was dated to A.D. 431-607. E ware sherds were identified in its upper fill and can be dated between
the mid sixth and seventh centuries. It is likely that the outer enclosure was contemporary with the
inner enclosing ditch as it related to Ditch E which cut a number of the Phase I features. Only a few
finds came from Ditch B, including a possible iron belt buckle and a bone needle, while the only find
from Ditch E was an iron escutcheon. Generally, therefore, artefacts were scarce from the Phase II
enclosure ditches. During this phase, cattle remained the dominant domesticated species but were
less abundant than the preceding phase. Pigs were also fewer when compared to Phase I whereas,
conversely, sheep/goat numbers increased and they represented the second most utilised species
after cattle.
Burial evidence was also revealed at Rosepark as the disarticulated remains of three adults were
found in a shallow pit on top of the hill. One of the individuals was dated to A.D. 582-694. The burial
activity may relate to the latter part of Phase II or Phase III
The hilltop enclosure was again extensively modified between the sixth and eighth centuries during
Phase III (Fig. 125). Ditch F was largely a re-cut of Ditch A – the inner enclosure – and E ware was
recovered from its fill. A new outer enclosure, Ditch C, was dug but was not as extensive as the
previous outer enclosure. However, it showed evidence for an associated stone-revetted bank.
Charcoal from Ditch C was dated to A.D. 671-778 while E ware was also recovered. Other finds from
the upper fill included an iron belt buckle, a bronze pin, a knife and a loom weight. Ditch J was likely
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