Discover Alone, back to main map

Drumhaggart Flat Cemetery

Flat cemetery

What is recorded here

Drumhaggart Flat Cemetery in County Donegal holds six ancient cists where cremated remains still wait beside a small biconical vessel. That vessel belongs to the young adult female whose bones shared the container, while a piece of unburnt antler survived the fire. The flat cemetery has no grand monument, yet it preserves a rare domestic object inside death itself.
In 1950 'six cists containing cremated remains were found. One of the cists also contained an undecorated biconical miniature vessel (1956:428). The site was not investigated by NMI staff and the only report extant is that written by Garda B. McTernan. Ó Donnabháin and Brindley (1989-90, 19-20) reported that the bones associated with the miniature vesselwere those of a young adult female. A piece of unburnt antler was also found. The human remains have not been dated. Brindley (2007, 294) suggests that biconical miniature vessels date from c.1900-1800 BC.' (Cahill and Sikora 2011, Vol. 1, 114). (Waddell 1970, 113; Lacy et al. 1983, 65; Ó Donnabháin and Brindley 1989-90; Brindley 2007). Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 18 February 2013
Early Bronze Age flat cemetery; its significance lies in the presence of cremation burials and a miniature vessel, indicating funerary practices and material culture of the period.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.

What survives
Recorded monument

Places near here

Add to this placeAdd a picture Comment or add a tip

Explore 1,118,481 places