County: Kerry Site name: CAHERQUIN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 96E302ext.
Author: Isabel Bennett
Site type: Burial ground
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 435985m, N 605755m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.179196, -10.398356
Preliminary investigation had taken place at this site, a victim of coastal erosion, during 1996 (Excavations 1996, 47, and JKAHS, forthcoming). In May 1997, an adult skeleton was exposed and retrieved under an extension to the original licence.
The skeleton was found at a depth of c. 5m below modern ground level, in a steep, sandy cliff face. It lay 20.2m west of the child found during the previous season, and was orientated north-west/south-east with the head to the north-west. A pillow-stone lay under the right-hand side of the skull; the other side was eroded away at the time of the excavation, but a stone may have been here too. No grave-cut was visible.
The remains were examined by Barra Ó Donnabháin, who suggested that they belonged to a female of between 25 and 45 years who had suffered from severe iron-deficiency anaemia and arthritis, particularly of the back. Her life was characterised by hard, physical labour, and she had suffered disease, deprivation and probably hunger.
Since last year's summary was published, a 14C date has been obtained for the child of 598±43 BP (UB-4134), and for a charred grain sample from below the possible cairn of 392±41 BP (UB-4161), indicating a 14th/15th-century date range for activity on this site.
Glen Fahan, Ventry, Tralee, Co. Kerry
