The BBC reports, as do other news outlets, the Northern Ireland Environment Minister’s press release on “the first substantial, scientific excavation of a crannog in Northern Ireland”. A “huge treasure trove of artefacts” was uncovered – potentially of “international importance” – and the crannog was occupied from at least AD 900 to AD 1600. The ministerial press release also announced “the Drumclay Crannog Open Day on Saturday 1st December” – between 9.30 and 3.00pm.
The BBC has the DoE images in an online gallery. Including this image of a comb made from bone with an incised decoration.
From the BBC report
Environment Minister Alex Attwood, who visited the crannog on Thursday to announce details of Saturday’s open [day], said the dig had changed his view of history and Irish life.
“This is the first substantial, scientific excavation of a crannog in Northern Ireland. What has been found has the potential not only to be internationally important but ultimately to lead to a reassessment of life in Ulster in early Christian and medieval times,” he said.
“It was important therefore that we took both time and the effort to unearth this rich seam of history. That is why in August I placed an exclusion zone around the site and ensured that the time was given to allow archaeological excavation to proceed.”
The crannog open day will include a series of talks at the Fermanagh County Museum, followed by a guided tour of the site.
Access to the site for the tour can only be obtained via an official coach at the Fermanagh County Museum at Enniskillen Castle Museums.
Spaces are limited for the talks and the tour of the site and booking is advisable on 028 6632 5000 (NI) or 048 6632 5000 (ROI).
Which leaves unanswered the questions posed by the Institute for Archaeologists on 25 July this year.
Questions that remain to be answered include why the road was routed so close to an important site, and why the engineering decision was taken that so disastrously affected the hydrology of the site, precipitating an emergency archaeological solution.
And, after the Open Day…
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