What is recorded here

Burial in Hartwell Lower records two distinct losses: a prehistoric adult and a child aged five to seven years, both uncovered accidentally during sand digging in 1936. The child’s rib and jaw fragments still belong to someone young enough to have been carried, named, and mournged before being forgotten. A copper spoon and a bullaun stone remain beside the account, suggesting the place was not empty when it changed.

In 1936, digging operations in a sand ridge uncovered evidence of burials, but the discovery was only reported and investigated by the NMI in 1939. Material subsequently collected by the NMI actually comprised evidence of two burials from two different locations: a prehistoric burial (KD020-011----) and unburnt human remains comprising adult skull fragments and fragments of a mandible and rib from a juvenile aged 5-7 years. A bone sample was dated 935 ± 35 BP. An object described as a “copper spoon” was said to have been found with the bones. A bullaun stone (KD020-028----) was also recorded in the vicinity. (Cahill and Sikora 2011, Vol 1, 218-21) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

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