1964:016 - BONNYBROOK, CO. DUBLIN,, Dublin
County: Dublin
Site name: BONNYBROOK, CO. DUBLIN,
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR DU015-071
Licence number: E1057
Author: PETER DANAHER AND ÉTIENNE RYNNE
Author/Organisation Address: —
Site type: Graves of indeterminate date
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 719190m, N 739958m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.396313, -6.207810
Introduction
In January 1964 a number of inhumation burials were discovered in a disturbed mound during the excavation of a sewerage drain near Coolock, Co. Dublin (Pl. 100). The site was being cleared in advance of the construction of a Dublin Corporation housing scheme. The
Fig. 6.8—Location map, Bonnybrook, Co. Dublin.
discovery was reported to the NMI by Dublin Corporation. It was inspected on 30 January 1964 and a rescue excavation was undertaken by Peter Danaher and Étienne Rynne over two days. This report is based on Danaher’s excavation report. Human bone had also been found at the site in 1934 while the mound was being levelled. It was investigated at the time by Liam Gógan, and human remains (1934:375–81) and an iron stirrup (1934:83) were acquired. The human remains recovered in 1934 were analysed by Laureen Buckley.10
Location (Fig. 6.8)
The site is in the townland of Bonnybrook in east County Dublin, north-west of Coolock village.11 It lay in a flat field between 30m and 60m above sea level. The site is not listed in the SMR for County Dublin and no other sites are known from this townland.
Description of site
Mound
The mound was irregular in shape with many depressions on the surface. It was approximately 23m in diameter, with a maximum height of 0.7m at the east side. On the west side it sloped gradually to field level. No visible bank or surrounding ditch was evident. As the site was very heavily disturbed, and as the sewer and the adjacent roadway were about to be cut through the centre of the monument, it was decided that a 1m-wide trench should be cut through the centre of the mound in order to reveal the nature of the site.12 It appears from Gógan and Danaher’s notes that they considered the mound to be artificial. Approximately twelve skeletons were uncovered from two different levels of the mound. At the upper level some of the bones were disturbed, possibly owing to previous bulldozing activity. There was no evidence of any structure or grave-slabs associated with either level of burials. The contents of these layers are outlined below.
Level 1
Approximately 0.25m under the present surface, skeletons of adults and children were discovered. These were aligned west/east or north-west/south-east and were not all deposited at the same period, as some partially overlay others. Iron nails, pieces of glass, some cockleshells and some animal bones were also found at this level. The excavators do not discuss the disposition of the burials, but they appear to have been extended.
Level 2
At this level, approximately 0.6m below ground level, a number of adult skeletons were discovered aligned west/east. At the east side of the mound, also at this level, several skulls were found close together with other human bones. These may have been dumped in a pit at this side in 1934 when the human remains were first discovered. It would appear that the skeletons lay in an extended position. The bones were disposed of on site and construction work was continued.
Comment
In the absence of any associated finds or other evidence it is not possible to suggest a date for these burials, though analysis of the remains suggests a normal graveyard population.
HUMAN REMAINS
LAUREEN BUCKLEY
1934:375
A fragment of adult skull only, consisting of most of the right parietal bone with a small amount of the posterior part of the left parietal bone around the sagittal suture, and a small amount of the right side of the occipital bone around the lambdoid suture. The most anterior part of the right parietal bone was missing. The skull was 6mm thick and the lambdoid and occipital sutures were almost obliterated, so it was probably from an older adult.
1934:376
This consisted of a complete mandible only.
Dentition
Attrition: there was light to moderate wear on the canines and premolars and light wear on the molar teeth.
Calculus: deposits were light on buccal surfaces of the premolars and moderate on the buccal surfaces of the canines and lingual surface of the right second and third molars. Deposits were considerable on the lingual surfaces of all the teeth in the left side of the mandible and also on the lingual surface of the first right molar.
Periodontal disease: there was a slight degree of alveolar recession around the left premolars and a moderate degree of recession around the left molars.
Hypoplasia: linear enamel hypoplasia was present on the left second premolar and first molar and on the canines. The canines also had pits and grooves of hypoplasia.
1934:377
This consisted of a complete mandible only, although a small fragment was missing from the internal surface. This, however, enabled the development of the third molar to be noted.
Dentition
Development: the crown of the third molar, 48, was visible in the broken part of the mandible and it could be seen that the root was only three-quarters completed. An individual at this stage of dental development would be aged around 16–17 years.
Attrition: wear was light on the remaining teeth.
Calculus: deposits were light on the lingual surfaces of the first molars and were moderate on the distal surface of the right first molar.
Hypoplasia: pits of enamel hypoplasia were noted on the right first molar.
1934:378
This consisted of the left side and part of the anterior of a mandible only. The mandible appeared to be of the female type.
Dentition
Attrition: there was heavy wear on all the molars, although the second molar was less heavily worn than the first and third molars.
Calculus: there were moderate deposits on the buccal and lingual surfaces of the root of the first molar and on the lingual surface of the root of the third molar.
Caries: all the molars had caries cavities. The first molar had a moderate-sized cavity on the distal surface at the cervical margin. The second molar had a moderate cavity on the buccal surface of the root and small cavities on the mesial and distal surfaces at the cervical margin. The third molar had moderate cavities on the mesial and buccal surfaces of the root at the cervical margins (Pl. 101).
Periodontal disease: there was severe alveolar recession around the roots of the canine, premolars and molars. The alveolus was broken slightly around the other sockets so the degree of recession could not be determined.
Hypoplasia: pits of hypoplasia were present on the first and second molars and there was also linear hypoplasia on the second molar.
1934:379
This consisted of the left side and part of the right side of a mandible only.
Dentition
Attrition: there was heavy wear on the first and second molars and moderate wear on the third molars. Attrition was light to moderate on the premolars.
Calculus: deposits were light on the buccal surfaces of all the incisors and on the buccal and lingual surface of the first molar. There were moderate deposits on the lingual surfaces of the incisors, canines and premolars and on the buccal surface of the root of the second left molar. Deposits were heavy on the lingual and distal surface of the third molar.
Periodontal disease: there was severe alveolar recession around the roots of the second and third molars, with a moderate degree of recession around the roots of the remaining teeth.
Hypoplasia: linear hypoplasia was present on the lateral right incisor and the left canine and first premolar.
1934:380, 381
1934:380 and 1934:381 were labelled individually but they are actually two halves of the same maxilla. They also belong to the same individual as 1934:376.
Dentition
Abrasion: there were some chips out of the bucco/mesial quadrant of the right first molar, 16. The bite pattern and hypoplasia were an exact match with mandible 1934:376.
Attrition: there was light wear on the incisor, canines and premolars and on all of the molars apart from the upper right first molar, which had heavy wear.
Calculus: deposits were light to moderate on the buccal and lingual surfaces of all the teeth apart from the buccal surface of the right first molar, which had heavy calculus deposits.
Periodontal disease: there was a slight degree of alveolar recession around all the molar teeth and around the left premolars.
Hypoplasia: lines and grooves of hypoplasia were noted on the canines and there were grooves of hypoplasia on the left first premolar.
Summary and conclusions
The remains from this site included part of the back of an adult skull, four mandibles and one maxilla. The maxilla and one of the mandibles probably belonged to the same individual. Therefore, based on the number of mandibles, the minimum number of individuals present was four. One of the mandibles was from a female individual and one was from an adolescent aged 16–17 years. If the skull belonged to the same individual as one of the mandibles, then there was also an older adult present. Two of the mandibles had heavy attrition, which could indicate that the individual was an older adult. All the mandibles had calculus deposits and there were heavy deposits in three individuals, although in two of these only one tooth was affected in this way. Calculus deposits can be a risk factor in the development of periodontal disease and three of the four individuals had evidence of alveolar recession, indicative of periodontal disease. In two individuals, 378 and 379, who both had heavy attrition, there was severe alveolar recession.
Enamel hypoplasia, which can indicate acute infection or nutritional deficiency in childhood, was present in two individuals, including the mandible and maxillae that belonged to one individual. It was severe in this individual, with grooves of hypoplasia on the canines. The episodes of hypoplasia probably occurred at 1–2 years and 3–4 years of age. Caries was present in one individual only, 378, but all the remaining teeth, the left molars, were affected. The cavities occurred at the cervical margins of the teeth, where food is often trapped and the action of plaque bacteria on carbohydrate residue can lead to the acid production that results in caries.
The dental pathology on these dentitions is typical of the early medieval period or earlier, with heavy attrition, lack of dental hygiene leading to calculus and periodontal disease, and a low rate of caries but with the cavities occurring at the cervical margins of the teeth.
APPENDIX I.
TRANSCRIPT OF LIAM GÓGAN’S SITE REPORT FROM BONNYBROOK, CO. DUBLIN
‘I visited the site alluded in the attached reports March 13 ’34 with Father Glasheen (O.M.I.),13 Belcamp, Raheny, and C.G. [Civil Guard] Sgt. McGuinness from Coolock Barracks. It consisted originally of a low mound or platform in or about two feet above the general surface of the field which slopes down to a stream. The mound is the structure indicated as circular on the OS 6in. sheet 15. It has been almost wholly destroyed by a deepploughing tractor plough which churned up the grave contents. At most twelve skeletons were involved, perhaps not half that amount, the bone fragments being spread over an area of about 20sq. ft which only represents about one quarter of the entire mound. It has been turned into an omelette. Father Glasheen will make some trial openings and let me know the result, if any. It is thought locally to be connected with the Bt. [battle] of Clontarf. Its destruction has caused some annoyance. It is said locally that an attempt made to drain the area led to a flow not of water but blood. The Belgian firm who have leased the land gave every assistance in the matter and have promised to report any further developments. A scribbled tracing of the area is attached showing the mound. The mound is shown in a circular form. It appeared to me an elongated affair and traces of an earth wall on the S. side (part of) is noticed, it may be heaped up field refuse. The mound itself is a mass of humus. Several lower maxillae in perfect condition and an iron spur were taken over from Sgt. McGuinness.’
10. The human remains from Danaher and Rynne’s investigation were not retained but were reburied locally.
11. Parish and barony of Coolock. SMR DU015-071——. IGR 319266 239934.
12. A ditch was visible in the section face of the sewerage trench approximately 4m west of the mound, but as a modern drainage pipe was visible at the bottom of the ditch, and as the ditch did not appear in the cuttings made at the south and east sides of the mound, this was probably associated with fairly modern drainage near the site. This ditch was about 1.25m wide at field surface, 1m deep, round-bottomed, vertical at the west side and sloping at the east side.
13. A member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.