This thesis aims at investigating whether archaeobotanical investigations, combined with geochemical (phosphate) and geophysical (magnetic susceptibility) soil surveys, can provide valid data concerning the functional aspects of several burnt mounds detected in County Cavan, Ireland, during the realignment of a local road (N3 between Cavan Town and Belturbet). The results show that the methods can indeed be used to gain data concerning the formation, use and post-depositional aspects governing the nature of these sites. With the exception of one site (which is proven by the analyses not to represent “traditional” burnt mound activities) the sites display indications of animal produce processing as well as some sparse evidence for cereal based activities. The results are not entirely conclusive but indicate that an extended archaeobotanical, geochemical and geophysical investigation coupled with further analyses with methods belonging to environmental archaeology (such as palynology and insect analysis) may potentially be very useful in providing comprehensive information concerning the function of burnt mound sites in County Cavan and Ireland in general.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:umu-61645 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Creators | Grabowski, Radoslaw |
| Publisher | Umeå universitet, Miljöarkeologiska laboratoriet |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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