What is recorded here

O Ríordáin found a human skull on the cliff-edge above Ringabella strand in 1934, the rest of the body already taken by erosion. The skull lay east-west on its side in a crouched posture, with no grave construction beside it, suggesting an early person discarded rather than honoured. A broken dog whelk shell and burnt clay above the bone hint that kitchen waste, not ritual, claimed the dead.

On cliff-edge over Ringabella strand. Human skull found by O Ríordáin (1934, 86-9). Remainder of body removed by erosion of cliff-face. Position of skull indicated probably crouched posture of body, lying E-W on itsside. No evidence of grave-construction found. Dog whelk shell broken in characteristic manner for extraction of dye, and 'some pieces of burnt clay' recovered from soil above skull. O Ríordáin concludes skull is of an 'early type' and may be burial-plate of kitchen-midden dweller. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

A Neolithic cist burial; significant as an early recorded example of human remains from a coastal context in the region.

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