REFERENCING, RE-USING, REPURPOSING: EARLY MEDIEVAL ACTIVITY AT BRONZE AGE HILLFORTS IN IRELAND
Channel: European Association of Archaeologists
Date: 11/03/2021

In Ireland, small circular enclosures known as ringforts developed mostly in lowland areas or on the slopes of undulating productive farmland during the Early Medieval period. These enclosures, although abundant, are generally associated with average subsistence farmers, with a limited number of multivallate examples being linked with kings and other high status individuals. These ringforts, however, are not comparable, either in size, location or prominence, to their Bronze Age predecessors. How, therefore, can we explain and compare the disparity between the developing elite centres in Ireland with other parts of Europe during this period? This paper will attempt to coalesce, for the first time, the substantial evidence for the re-use and repurposing of Bronze Age hillforts in Ireland during the Early Medieval periods and place this phenomenon in its wider context. This is supported by reference to historical texts which infer that earlier hilltop fortifications were important mythological reference points for Early Medieval elites and used as ‘media’ to substantiate their access and rights to power, authority, land and goods.


Author(s): O’Driscoll, James (University of Aberdeen)