2025:715 - Drumanagh, Dublin

Season V of the Digging Drumanagh–Fingal Community Excavation Project.

Excavation took place over 13 days from 14-28 May 2025. A single north-south aligned Trench 6 (20m x 5m) at a relatively high point on Drumanagh headland was selected to examine the topography of this area, which is higher than that of previous seasons and slopes down to the north and east, and to examine the impact of modern ploughing on a higher area of the landscape.

Prehistoric activity and artefacts dominate Trench 6. Disturbed by later ploughing activity, large stones were used to delineate rather than cap an area of activity as had been seen in previously excavated areas of the site. Activity was defined by waste pits cut into subsoil overlain by cultural layers. In comparison to previous seasons, where despite the proximity to sea and seashore there was a noticeable paucity of evidence for seashell, Trench 6 contained an abundance of seashell. A total of approximately 32,903 shells were present throughout the occupation layers in Trench 6, concentrated in localised pits and deposits and contained within a large pit (F161). A very considerable amount of animal bone was also recovered from Trench 6, equating to at least three times the amount retrieved from other trenches. Likewise, there were a considerable number of bone/antler artefacts recovered. Of particular interest were the seven dice and range of gaming pieces and pegs recovered. These included two complete parallelopiped dice (150:2, 152:68), the remainder partial, two of which are burnt (151:10). In addition, at least 12 pegged gaming pieces were recovered as well as a number of heads/fragments of gaming pieces. Comparable material outside of Drumanagh seems to have been recovered from burial rather than settlement contexts. Post-excavation analysis is ongoing.