Archaeological excavations in Moneen Cave, the Burren, Co. Clare —— Insights into Bronze Age and post-medieval life in the west of Ireland

----- 克莱尔州伯伦莫宁洞穴考古发掘：对爱尔兰西部青铜时代和后中世纪生活的洞察

ISBN: 9781784914554 出版年：2016 页码：114 Marion Dowd Archaeopress Archaeology

In 2011, cavers exploring a little-known cave on Moneen Mountain in County Clare in the west of Ireland discovered part of a human skull, pottery and an antler implement. An archaeological excavation followed, leading to the discovery of large quantities of Bronze Age pottery, butchered animal bones and oyster shells. The material suggests that Moneen Cave was visited intermittently as a sacred place in the Bronze Age landscape. People climbed the mountain, squeezed through the small opening in the cave roof, dropped down into the chamber, and left offerings on a large boulder that dominates the internal space. The excavation also resulted in the recovery of the skeletal remains of an adolescent boy who appears to have died in the cave in the 16th or 17th century. Scientific analyses revealed he had endured periods of malnutrition and ill health, providing insight into the hardships faced by many children in post-medieval Ireland.