Burial ground in Ranelagh

Located within the concentric enclosure (RO039-102----). The burials extended over a triangular area (dims c. 30m NW-SE; c. 25m NE-SW) with the apex at NW within Enclosure A where the burial process began and from where the burials are thought to have spread S and E, over the fosses of Enclosure A until they encountered the fosse of Enclosure C, which may have provided a boundary on this side. Enclosure A was abandoned by this stage, although the interments respected the area of its bank but not of its causeway or the fills of its fosses. Some of the early burials at the NW apex were stone-lined and all were roughly oriented west-east, with the head at W. In all, 551 articulated burials and 242 disturbed deposits of bones were recorded. There were some unusual burials. One probable male had a single toe-ring, probably from a sandal, and there is evidence of some shroud use. Grave-goods do occur, and some glass and amber beads, quartz pebbles, iron objects, bone pins and spindle whorls, and boars’ tusks were recovered, often from the head or shoulder area. Unusual items were fragments of a crucible with copper alloy adhering, and pieces of worked antler grasped in the hands of an adolescent. A few interments had evidence that the hands and feet might have been bound, and there were two cases of decapitation. There were two burials of children or adolescents in an embracing posture, in the older part of the burial ground. There were even some crouched burials as well as some isolated burials outside the unmarked limits of the burial ground. Intense clusters of burials, perhaps family groups, were noted at various points, and there were also clusters of infant burials, particularly at the SE extent, which together with Enclosure D form the Childrens’ burial ground (RO039-102007-). (Delaney and Ní Cheallacháin 2017, 13-16) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 8 December 2020