In the first major work on the subject for over 30 years, Nancy Edwards provides a critical survey of the archaeological evidence in Ireland (c. 400-1200), introducing material from many recently discovered sites as well as reassessing the importance of earlier excavations. Beginning with an assessment of Roman influence, Dr Edwards then discusses the themse of settlement, food and farming, craft and technology, the church and art, concluding with an appraisal of the Viking impact. The archaeological evidence for the period is also particularly rich and wide-ranging and our knowledge is expanding repidly in the light of modern techniques of survey and excavation.
Tahdg O'Keeffe's lively and wide-ranging study addresses the need for a fresh archaeological study of medieval Ireland. Individual chapters re-examine such familiar themes as urban and rural settlement, military, domestic and ecclesiastical architecture, agriculture and craft, and trade and industry. Other topics discussed include diet, dress, burial rites, and entertainment. The cultural relations between the Gaelic Irish and English populations of medieval Ireland are explored throughout the book, as are Ireland's relations with her European neighbors. With its elegantly written text and numerous illustrations, this portrait of medieval Ireland will appeal to general readers as well as to students and professionals in the fields of archaeology, history, and historical geography.
An indispensable guide to the major monuments of the period - earthen and stone castles, moated sites, villages, towns, cathedrals, churches, tower houses, pottery kilns and mills.
This book is the first to explore the archaeology of female monasticism in medieval Ireland, primarily from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. Nuns are known from history, but this book considers their archaeology and upstanding architecture through perspectives such as gender and landscape. It discusses the archaeological remains associated with female monasticism in Ireland as it is currently understood and offers insights into how these religious communities might have lived and interacted with their local communities.
This is a study of Ireland's people, landscape, and place in the world from late antiquity to the reign of Brian Borama. The book narrates the story of Ireland's emergence into history, using anthropological, archaeological, historical, and literary evidence. The subjects covered include the king, the kingdom and the royal household, religion and customs, free and unfree classes in society, exiles, and foreigners. The rural, urban, ecclesiastical, ceremonial, and mythological landscapes of early medieval Ireland anchor the history of early Irish society in the rich tapestry of archaeological sites, monuments, and place-names that have survived to the present day. A historiography of medieval Irish studies presents the commentaries of a variety of scholars, from the 17th-century Franciscan Micheal O Cleirigh to Eoin Mac Neill, the founding father of modern scholarship. *** "Bhreathnach draws on archaeological evidence to supply insights into a society that has left only oblique views in the written record, proposing a revised view of the place of Ireland in medieval Europe....the book features eight pages of color plates and many photos, and is a must for academic libraries, particularly those with extensive history or archaeology collections. Essential." - Choice, Vol. 52, No. 4, December 2014 *** Featured in 'Outstanding Academic Titles', a prestigious list of publications for the year 2014. - Choice, January 2015 [Subject: History, Medieval Studies, Archaeology, Anthropology, Irish Studies, Religious Studies]
This is the first book devoted to churches in Ireland dating from the arrival of Christianity in the fifth century to the early stages of the Romanesque around 1100, including those built to house treasures of the golden age of Irish art, such as the Book of Kells and the Ardagh chalice. � Carrag�in's comprehensive survey of the surviving examples forms the basis for a far-reaching analysis of why these buildings looked as they did, and what they meant in the context of early Irish society. � Carrag�in also identifies a clear political and ideological context for the first Romanesque churches in Ireland and shows that, to a considerable extent, the Irish Romanesque represents the perpetuation of a long-established architectural tradition.
Irelands landscape is dotted with remains of medieval buildings, most of them in ruins. As works of architecture, these buildings have very specific stories to tell about the people who built them and about the societies in which they functioned, but it is hard for historians to hear those stories without some knowledge of architecture. This guide seeks to provide historians with the knowledge they need to tap into this great reservoir of information. It reviews the different types of medieval building that one encounters in Ireland, discusses their measurements, materials and construction techniques, explains their functions, and provides a checklist of datable features and includes a guide to recording buildings.
This impressive survey covers the early history of Ireland from the coming of Christianity to the Norman settlement (400 - 1200 AD). Within a broad political framework it explores the nature of Irish society, the spiritual and secular roles of the Church and the extraordinary flowering of Irish culture in the period. Other major themes are Ireland's relations with Britain and continental Europe, and Vikings and their influence, the beginnings of Irish feudalism, and the impact of the Viking and Norman invaders. Splendid in sweep and lively in detail, it launches the newLongman History of Ireland in fine style.
This book examines the evidence for medieval parks in Anglo-Norman Ireland. It is the first book on the subject and concentrates on the parks documented in the period 1169 to c.1350. Drawing on archaeological fieldwork, historical and place-name evidence, the book generates a broad understanding of the role of parks in medieval society. It stresses the importance of the landscape and of the deer, cattle, and timber within it as integral aspects of the material culture of high medieval Ireland. The research is underpinned by extensive fieldwork, which has identified surviving park features in the landscape. Key topics explored include the form and function of medieval parks, their occurrence and location in the landscape, the status and identity of their owners, and a comparison with parks elsewhere. Notably, the evidence suggests that both parks and fallow deer were relatively uncommon in Ireland compared to England. The reasons for this lie in chronology, landscape, and politics, and these form a major theme within the book, which looks at over 45 parks across Ireland. [Subject: History, Medieval Studies, Irish Studies, Archaeology]
