County: Kerry Site name: BRAY HEAD (Valencia Island)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 97E0278 ext.
Author: Alan Hayden, Archaeological Projects Ltd.
Site type: House - early medieval
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 434385m, N 573762m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.891390, -10.406244
Excavation was undertaken over a four-week period in August and September 1998. This is the sixth season of excavation undertaken on Bray Head. This year's work concentrated on the group of early medieval houses revealed in 1997 (Excavations 1997, 81–2). To date, nine early medieval buildings have been uncovered, superimposed on each other in at least five phases. Five rectangular houses overlay four round houses. One of the round houses was found to contain a souterrain, as well as evidence of internal divisions and other features that rarely survive in buildings of this period.
Not all the buildings could be fully excavated in the time allotted, and it is hoped to return to the site in 1999 to complete the excavation and to try to determine whether the settlement was enclosed or unenclosed.
14C dates are awaited for the structures, but the latest has been previously dated to the 11th century. Samples retrieved from the floors of the structures indicate that wheat, barley and oats were being consumed and probably grown in the area in the early medieval period.
The work was funded by Dúchas The Heritage Service.
25A Eaton Square, Terenure, Dublin 6W
