1976:047 - DUBLIN CITY: Fishamble Street, Dublin

Archaeological excavation of some of the lowermost habitation strata on an area of ground south of the old City Wall in the vicinity of Fishamble Street was carried out in 1975-6. In the course of this investigation stretches of two successive earthen banks traversing the site in an apparent arc-like fashion were partially revealed. Palisades of post and wattle work and of vertical timber planking were associated with these features which may have been constructed originally to act a flood barriers to prevent encroachment of the low lying areas of the site by the waters of the Liffey. It was established that these features pre-dated the period of construction of the old City Wall.

Excavation of part of the habitation area delimited by the earthworks revealed quantities of amber including many fragments and roughouts of beads and pendants. Other finds included textiles and leatherwork, an iron arrowhead and its wooden shaft (total length 55.5cm) bone trial pieces, bronze pins of ring-head and stick pin types, bone combs, an iron stirrup of early type and an Anglo-Saxon coin of tenth century date.

Elements of a further earthen bank of more significant proportions were noted in the section face of accumulated habitation layers of Viking-Medieval date to the east of the site adjoining Fishamble Street.

Note: Further archaeological excavation of these areas adjoining Fishamble Street was resumed in Autumn 1977 in advance of further construction phases of the proposed Civic Offices.