- TORNANT UPPER, CO. WICKLOW, Wicklow

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Wicklow Site name: TORNANT UPPER, CO. WICKLOW

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E1197

Author: BREANDÁN Ó RÍORDÁIN

Site type: Graves of indeterminate date

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 687384m, N 699982m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.043357, -6.696848

Introduction
In late July 1956 a human skeleton was discovered during bulldozing at a mound at Tornant, Co. Wicklow. The work was being carried out through the Land Project scheme and the human remains were found at a depth of 1.2m below ground level. The site came to the attention of the NMI through a newspaper article in the Leinster Leader newspaper. An investigation was undertaken by Breandán Ó Ríordáin and the human remains were analysed by Laureen Buckley.

Location (Fig. 6.58)
The site was in the townland of Tornant Upper in west County Wicklow, close to the border with County Kildare.95 It lay on the northern side of an esker ridge that runs west/east in a field adjoining the road close to the landowner’s residence. On the summit of this esker is an earthen mound. On or beside this mound was a decorated stone and to the east of the mound at a lower level was an earthen platform, originally encircled by a ring of stones. A cist containing a bowl is recorded from the neighbouring townland of Tornant (Walshe 1931; Price and Walshe 1933; Price 1934–5).96

Description of site
The burial appears to have been unprotected as there was no evidence of any stone or other construction around the body. It consisted of a single inhumation (1956:222) and no accompanying artefacts were found. According to the finder, the skeleton appeared to be lying on its left side in a crouched position and the skull had been removed on its discovery. No further details are recorded as to the disposition of the skeleton. The remains were analysed by Buckley and found to represent the remains of a middle adult male.


Fig. 6.58—Location map, Tornant Upper, Co. Wicklow.

Comment
In the absence of any associated finds or other evidence it is not possible to suggest a date for this burial.

HUMAN REMAINS
LAUREEN BUCKLEY

Description of burial (1956:222)
The burial was in good condition but a number of smaller bones were missing. The top of the skull was present, the frontal, the complete left parietal and most of the right parietal and also most of the right temporal bone. There was no maxilla or mandible. The first thoracic, two middle thoracic and the first lumbar vertebrae were all that remained from the vertebral column. Only four ribs from the left side and two from the right side were present. The left scapula and clavicle were complete but the right bones were missing. The left arm was virtually complete but the proximal end was missing from the ulna. The right arm consisted of the humerus, the proximal half of the ulna and the almost complete radius, which was missing its distal end. There were no bones from the left hand and only the fourth right metacarpal remained from the right hand.

The left ilium and ischium from the pelvis were complete. The right ilium was incomplete but the right ischium and pubis were complete. The sacrum was complete. Both femora were complete and the tibiae were virtually complete but their proximal ends were fragmented. The shafts of both fibulae were present. Only the left talus and right calcaneum remained from the foot bones.

Age and sex
All the features of the pelvis, the ventral arc, sub-pubic concavity, sub-pubic angle and sciatic notch were of the male type. The mastoid process and supraorbital ridges were also of the male type. The surface of the pubic symphysis and the auricular surface of the ilium indicate that the individual is a middle adult aged 25–39 years.
The estimated stature, based on the length of the femur, was 168cm.

Non-metric traits
There was an ossicle at lambda.

Skeletal pathology
Mild cribra orbitalia was present in the left orbit. There was mild marginal lipping around the inferior surface of the body of the first thoracic vertebra and also on the right inferior articular surface. One of the middle thoracic vertebrae, possibly T8, was compressed on the right side of the body. A Schmorl’s node was present on the superior surface of the body and there were moderate osteophytes around the inferior edge. Moderate osteophytes were present around the left side of the first sacral vertebra. Both acetabula had marginal lipping and porosity of the superior surfaces, with the right more affected than the left. There was also mild lipping around the head of the left femur and moderate lipping on the head of the right. Marked enthesophytes were present on the soleal lines of both tibiae. The dorsal surfaces of the three lower sacral vertebrae were open.

Dentition
Six loose teeth were present with the skeleton but there was no maxilla or mandible.

There was no wear on the teeth apart from some slight polishing of the lower molar.

Summary
This was the skeleton of a middle adult male with a living stature of 168cm. There was evidence that he may have had iron-deficiency anaemia. One of the middle thoracic vertebrae was compressed on the left side of the body. This indicates a crush fracture, probably incurred while lifting a heavy load, and it might also indicate some osteoporosis of the bones. The tibiae also appeared light in weight, possibly a further indication of osteoporosis. The soleal line was very marked on both tibiae arising from injury to the soleus muscle, which is used in walking.

95. Parish of Dunlavin, barony of Lower Talbotstown. OS 6in. sheet 15. IGR 287453 199949.
96. According to local tradition, the area was the burial ground of the kings of Leinster.