County: Antrim Site name: NEWFERRY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Mr. Peter Woodman, Department of Antiquities, Ulster Museum
Site type: Habitation site
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 699030m, N 898091m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.820920, -6.459029
Excavations at Newferry were jointly financed by the Ulster Museum and the Ministry of Finance. They were a continuation of the study of the complex of river deposits and occupation layers which were excavated in 1970. These deposits began to accumulate probably sometime after 7,000 B.C. and continued to accumulate until about 2,000 B.C. In these deposits is a series of occupation layers, which have been dated with aid of several Radiocarbon Dates.
The occupation deposits can be divided up as follows:-
1) Orange sand. Contains possible remains of a structure, water-rolled charcoal, and two struck flakes. Probably earlier than 6,000 BC (Sited on the edge of an old course of the Bann) This is the earliest dated evidence of man’s presence in Ireland.
2) Complex of occupation layers resting in and on top of a peat deposit. This complex is dated approximately to between 5,500 BC and 5,000 BC. It is the oldest series of occupation layers proper in Ireland. One layer contains occasional traces of structures. These layers were archaeologically very rich. They contained at least 8 stone axes, a scraper, borers, knives, tanged knives, microliths and many other implement forms. Several implement forms are so rare that they are not even represented in the Museum collections.
3) Wash-off material from an occupation layer, which has been destroyed. Basically the same form of industry but with changes in the type of tang.
4) Sand bank in which there are several occupation layers and soil horizons. These are, with the exception of the upper-most layer, rather sterile.
The lower part of the sand bank does contain, however several interesting pen-knife-forms and tanged knives. The uppermost layer of the sand bank contains many blades, heavily worked pointed implements and the occasional stone axe. It also contains a large quantity of the bone material, which was found last year.
5) Upper diatomite complex. So much of the upper layers were eroded by (6) that very little from this complex was found in situ this year. This complex would appear to date from around 4,000 BC to 3,000 BC. Last year pottery and a leaf shaped arrowhead were found in the uppermost of these occupation layers. Many stone axes including miniatures were found in this complex. The heavy retouched element would appear to be diminishing in importance towards the top of this complex.
6) An erosion level which cut into (5) over nearly half the area excavated and in fact at one point cut into the very top of (4). This layer contained very large quantities of pottery, stone axes and flint implements, unfortunately out of context.
7) Diatomite. Nearly sterile; only the occasional undiagnositic flake.
8) Modern disturbance. The River Bann has eroded large area of the site particularly the earlier layers. Brick pits, one containing two sherds of Post-Medieval pottery, were cut into (7).
The excavation team worked in conjunction with a group from the Palaeoecology Laboratory, Queen’s University, who took several monoliths in order to undertake an extensive Pollen Analysis study of this site.
