Hundreds of archaeological sites uncovered across Northern Ireland

Excavations in Northern Ireland have given rise to hundreds of important archaeological discoveries over the past four years, according to reports from several global newsgroups. About 800 digs were licensed by the Department for Communities mainly as a requirement of the planning process where developers are required to record important sites. Details of all the new findings have been enlisted in a public booklet named Unearthed. The book mentions sites ranging from Stone Age farms to 19th Century urban industry. 

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Archaeologist Gault speaks about the findings

In a media interview, Senior archaeologist Andrew Gault said "The department wanted to publish the guide because its the process of the archaeology that's going on all the time in Northern Ireland in the background that people maybe aren't aware of."

The book focuses on findings from 2015 to 2018, as this was the period when planning powers were transferred to local councils yet authors hope to make it a regular periodical publication. Gault describes the work to be a result of the mitigation archaeology's planning process. 

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He adds that the works are unexpected and unknown archaeology that emerges when the topsoil is removed.
The archaeologist also informed that the discovered sites are dated after the Bronze Age settlement of 2500 to 800BC between the time of St Patrick (about AD500) to the arrival of the Normans in the 12th Century. Human occupations before 10,000 years are the basis of the archaeological research and its findings, he said. There's even more potential to retrieve more items from the country's soil, he concluded.

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Sites mentioned in the book

Major sites mentioned in Unearthed include the Glenshane ritual site dated it to about 2,500BC which comprises a timber circle - large wooden posts with an outer fenced forecourt - which was likely to have been the site of elaborate rituals attended by large crowds of people. Similarly, Tanning pits in Belfast city centre is another finding which consists of 15 wooden pits dated the 18th century. The list of findings also mentions Neolithic house at Dungiven which dates from the time when farming was first introduced to Ireland almost 6,000 years ago.  Almost 1,400 pieces of Neolithic pottery were also uncovered at the site. A fourth finding, Bronze Age roundhouse at Rasharkin from 1500BC also consisted of rubbing the stone and several pieces of late Bronze Age pottery.

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