Archaeology

The development of the castle in medieval europe

Thousands of castles of various forms can still be seen in the Irish landscape. They are really the principal visible reminder throughout Europe of the whole later medieval period. Castles were one of the major means by which medieval lords controlled society and land in the period from the eleventh century to c.1600. Their study tells us much about the way society was organised and administered during medieval times. Students will be introduced to current thinking on the development of castles and the basics of architectural dating will be taught. While the course will consider castles across Britain, Europe and the Crusader lands, the Irish evidence will be examined in detail. One particular theme will be the differences between the Gaelic-Irish and Anglo-Norman usage of fortifications during the late 12th, 13th and 14th centuries.

Assessment: Essay
Lecturer: Dr Kieran O'Conor
Time:
Available:

Irish art from the early iron age to the 8th century AD

The sublime artistic achievements of the 8 ^th century such as the Book of Kells, the Tara Brooch and the Ahenny crosses, represent the climax of an artistic tradition that began with the introduction of Celtic or La Tène art styles into Ireland around the 4 ^th century BC.

This course examines how, following the Roman conquest of western Europe, the Classical roots of La Tène art re-emerge as a dominant, vegetal, element in Irish art of the first few centuries AD and continue, as a core element in the motif-book of early Christian art, into the 7 ^th and 8 ^th century. Dominated by fantastical animals, Germanic art of Dark Age Europe was also incorporated into Insular oeuvre. Aesthetics and cross-cultural influences notwithstanding, art provides a unique window unto the more religious and philosophical concerns of its creators and its audience, aspects that are explored through iconographical analysis.

Assessment: Essay and Class Examination
Lecturer: Conor Newman
Time:
Available:

Landscapes of cult and kingship

Cult centres and royal complexes like Tara, Emain and Cruachain provide a fascinating window onto the evolution of religion and society in pre-Norman Ireland. Combining monuments, topographies, mythologies, histories, legends and toponomies they are landscapes of sacral and political power. Archaeology has demonstrated that Irish royal complexes comprise monuments of every period, from the Neolithic (ca. 4000-2500 BC) to the Early Medieval Period (ca. AD 400-1000), organised into ceremonial arenas of sacral kingship and burial.

This course investigates how such landscapes evolved over time, and how topographical formations, monuments, toponomy (placenaming), mythology and history were blended to create sacralised landscapes and centres of sacral kingship. Following instruction on the principles of Landscape Archaeology*, this course focuses on Tara, premier cult site of ancient Ireland and seat of the High-Kings; Emain Macha / Navan Fort, Co. Armagh, traditional seat of the Uliad and sacral fortress of the Red Branch Knights; Dún Ailinne / Knockaulin, Co. Kildare, seat of the Laigin; Cruachain / Rathcroghan, Co. Roscommon, seat of the Connachta from where the epic Táin Bó Cuailnge (Cattle Raid of Cooley) was launched; Caisil / Cashel, Co. Tipperary, ancient capital of Munster, and Uisneach, the Navel of Ireland, meeting point of the five ancient provinces. The course finishes with an examination of how the institutions and traditions of sacral power converged with the new, Christian model of kingship and religion from the early 5 ^th century AD onwards.

Assessment: Essay
Lecturer: Conor Newman
Time:
Available:

Castles, colonists and crannogs 1100-1350

This course critically examines the archaeology of Ireland during the high medieval period from c. 1100 until the late 14 ^th century. The reform of the church in the 12 ^th century and the nature of society prior to the arrival of the Normans are both examined in the first part of this course. The background to the coming of the Anglo-Normans to Ireland in 1169 and the impact they had on the landscape are discussed in depth. Themes for this part of the course will include the role of castles, the manorial economy, trade, the foundation of villages and towns by mostly. English immigrants and dispersed settlement in Anglo-Norman dominated parts of eastern Ireland. In particular, the interplay between castle, town and country in Anglo-Norman Ireland is explored in this comprehensive program.

It must also be remembered that large parts of Ireland remained in some way under the control of Irish (Gaelic Irish) princes and lords. The course will chart the interaction between the indigenous Irish and the newcomers. Lectures in this section of the course will examine the nature of Irish settlement during the period under review and will argue that while there was much change, continuity from the pre-Norman period was seen too. The changes of the 14 ^thcentury will be examined in the last lectures of the course.

Assessment: Essay
Lecturer: Dr Kieran O'Conor
Time:
Available:

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