2023:905 - Shrubs, Dublin

An archaeological excavation was carried out in Shrubs townland in Dublin 17 to facilitate the construction of a permitted development (‘DUB90’) at the Clonshaugh Business and Technology Park. The excavations were undertaken in response to a condition of the grant of planning as issued by Dublin City Council.

Human remains were unexpectedly disturbed by construction contractors during the excavation of two trenches to accommodate infrastructure in the former greenfield portion of the permitted development area. It is likely that these burials relate to those discovered in the 1990s during the construction of the former Little Tykes Factory and recorded as file IA/174/90 and DU014-101, although a precise location for these is not known.

It is clear that the burial ground was also truncated historically, most substantially by 18th/19th-century ground works associated with the development of Shrubs House. Following consultation with the statutory authorities and based on the results a construction-phase impact assessment, it was determined that the disturbed portion of the burial ground be preserved by record. The eastern margin of the site was preserved in situ beneath a pathway around the perimeter of site. A southern limit of the burial area was not identified by the current phase of works, and this may extend downslope towards the River Santry.

Excavation was carried out between June and September 2023 and revealed the remains of at least 68 west–east aligned graves roughly organised in north–south running rows. The graves mainly comprised simple earth-cut features, although some cobble stone and timber lining was noted within a small number of burials. In addition, a single slab-lined grave was also recorded. Despite the relatively restricted size of the excavation area there was a high density of recorded graves with frequent intercutting noted throughout. Several anomalous practices within the burial rites were recorded, including several multiple occupancy graves and a range of burial artefacts including cut antler tine, polished boar tusk, a possible metal blade, stone manuports (quartz and red stones) and shell.

Radiocarbon dating obtained from six individuals returned dates between 414 AD and 773 AD, although a number of disarticulated remains which had been affected by the earlier grave cuts may suggest earlier phases of use. Whilst the high degree of intercutting within the excavation area made detailed phasing of burials difficult, three main phases could be identified, the earliest within the later 5^th to early 6^th centuries AD range at least, with the latest in the 8^th century AD.

Health analysis undertaken by Jennie Coughlan showed moderate rates of childhood stress markers, mild joint degeneration, and low levels of dental disease. Notably, males suffered poorer dental health than females in this population. Although evidence for trauma was limited, it was interesting to note that three male individuals had suffered hand fractures, suggesting activity-related injury. One individual sustained a severe leg injury that would have significantly impaired mobility, providing clear evidence of long-term survival and care within the community.

Most notably, one burial, radiocarbon dated to AD 414–538, displayed clear skeletal evidence of leprosy. This represents one of the earliest confirmed cases of the disease in Ireland and is broadly contemporary with early European examples, such as the well-documented case from Great Chesterford, England. The presence of leprosy at DUB90 offers important insights into the early spread of the disease in Ireland, and it is hoped that ongoing research will shed further light on its origins and transmission.

A heavily truncated section of a curvilinear ditch to immediate north of the exposed burial area was recorded as a possible boundary to the burial ground, although whether this was part of a larger enclosure was not determined. The ditch feature retuned a radiocarbon date between the later 8^th to early 9^th century AD, suggesting that it had been laid out after the main identified burial phases had concluded. J4132 Final Report Figure 1v2

Non-burial activity was also noted within the burial ground, most notably a large pit which contained a disturbed stone setting and a significant amount of heat-affected cockle shells, although a function for this feature cannot be determined at the time of writing. Interestingly, a radiocarbon date returned from this pit suggests use within the later 8^th to 9^th century AD.

The burial ground, of which only a proportion was investigated as part of the development works detailed in this report, represents a significant addition to the regional archaeological resource for the medieval period. The identification of significant burial activity, including substantial recutting of graves, in the 5^th century AD, suggests that this was a well-established community within the earliest phases of the spread of Christianity in the early medieval period, one that continued until at least the 9^th century AD.