Glencurran Cave — Tullycommon

Excavations were undertaken at Glencurran Cave in 2004-2005 and 2008-2009 (Licence Nos 04E0432, 05E0379, 08E0265). The cave reaches almost 1 km in length but only the outer 65m were found to be of archaeological interest. Approximately 30,000 animal bones and bone fragments, 500 artefacts and 100 human bones were recovered from the site revealing two main periods of activity: Middle and Late Bronze Age ritual activity (centering on c. 600 BC) and Early Medieval occupation (c. 7th - 9th century AD). An artificial drystone cairn (2.5m x 1.5m x 1.6m high) was found c. 15m from the cave entrance and this was topped with a deposit of decayed calcite which had been taken when wet from the cave walls and floor and used to fill the interior of the structure. On excavation a lower sunken dry-stone chamber was revealed. This had also been filled with layers of decayed calcite dug up from the rear of the cave and scraped from the cave walls: some of the extraction pits are still visible. The cairn is considered to have served as some form of ritual monument. Directly beneath it, on the cave floor, was a concentration of artefacts including a shale axe, a rubbing stone, a copper-alloy object, a net sinker, three bone beads, three perforated cowrie shells, a perforated and unperforated periwinkle shell and 42 amber bead fragments with a few complete beads. Intermingled with the artefacts were 17 human bones representing two adults; one bone produced a Middle Bronze Age date of 3035± 36BP (UB-6660). Animal bones from this area represented four sheep (most under 6 months), two cattle and two pigs. Some bones were scorched and bore butchery marks. Deeper in the cave, approximately 45m from the entrance, a series of Late Bronze Age ritual deposits were discovered. Scattered throughout the area were human bones representing five adults, two 2-4 year old children and a newborn baby. It seems that one of the children was placed in the cave as an intact corpse. However, the remainder of the bones appear to have been introduced into the cave in a disarticulated state. Several of the human bones were radiocarbon dated and all returned Bronze Age dates. In addition to the human bones, amber beads, sherds of three typical Late Bronze Age pots and a scatter of 85 perforated cowrie shells and perforated periwinkle shells were found. The faunal assemblage from this part of the cave included 21 sheep, 8 cattle, 15 pigs and 5 hares. Some sheep and cattle bones bore butchery and skinning marks suggesting joints of meat, though full carcasses were also present. Among the burnt/cremated neonatal animals were at least six neonatal lambs, three neonatal piglets, one possible foetal pig and two neonatal calves. Several animal bones also returned Bronze Age radiocarbon dates. A shed antler tine of a red deer was also recovered and was dated to the Early Medieval period. The area immediately inside the cave entrance was occupied during the Early Medieval period and a platform outside seems to have been used as a working area. A series of limestone blocks were neatly fitted across the cave entrance and it is possible that they functioned as a plinth for a wooden door, particularly as an iron barrel padlock key was discovered inside the cave. The remains of a crude hearth were found immediately outside the entrance and contained a rich charcoal deposit and burnt and charred animal bones. Charcoal analysis indicated local collection of dead wood and twigs or small branches. Artefacts found on the platform outside the cave included a socketed sickle, a tanged knife, a stone spindle whorl and a perforated iron strap, possibly from a wooden bucket. Just inside the cave entrance, a ringed pin was discovered where it appeared to have been deliberately placed under a flat stone. The animal bones from the entrance chamber and the platform represent butchery and consumption and consisted mainly of cattle, sheep and pigs. The bones of domestic fowl, mallard and goose were also present and hare bones from this area displayed skinning marks. The quantity of animal bones indicates either long-term domestic occupation of the cave or repeated intermittent periods of occupation. In the same part of the cave where the Late Bronze Age burial was located, a Viking necklace of almost 70 glass beads of a type dating to the mid-9th century AD was discovered. A large proportion of the beads were segmented and covered with gold foil. (Dowd 2007; 2009; 2010; 2015) Compiled by: Marion Dowd Date of upload: 10 April 2017