Amplify Archaeology Podcast

By Neil JackmanSociety & Culture Science Social Sciences History Places & Travel

Amplify Archaeology Podcast episodes

May 30, 2019Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 5 – Archaeology in Bloom
The History of the Irish Diet in Plants
Join us at Bloom to see a very special showgarden that demonstrates what plant remains can reveal about the past
The History of the Irish Diet in Plants
Join us at Bloom to see a very special showgarden that demonstrates what plant remains can reveal about the past
Archaeology in Bloom – join us as we visit a very special showgarden at Bloom in 2019, to meet with the project team who have created a sensory journey into Ireland’s history through plants.
We’re always interested in food [perhaps a little too interested at times] and we were delighted to hear of this really innovative way of showcasing the changing nature of Irish diets. This show garden at Bloom demonstrates a selection of key food plants from Ireland’s past. All the plants are based on archaeological evidence and seeing, smelling and touching the plants helps you to gain a tangible glimpse into the changing nature of diet from the earliest settlers in Ireland to the present day. The gardens are accompanied by wonderful reconstruction images by artists that visually represent the evidence and allow us to picture what life was like in the past.
The Bloom show garden is subdivided to better show the different periods.
The first part demonstrates some of the key food plants that would have been utilised during the Mesolithic Period. Some of the plants on display in this section include the yellow water-lily, seeds from this plant have been discovered on Mesolithic sites in Ireland. This section is accompanied by a wonderful reconstruction of the Clowanstown Fish Traps by artist J.G. O’Donoghue.
The second section symbolises the landscape of the first farmers during the Neolithic Period. This period provided the first evidence for tillage of crops, such as Emmer wheat which you can see in the garden. This section is accompanied by an illustration of the Early Neolithic settlement at Town Parks in County Meath by Dan Tietzsch-Tyler.
The time of Ireland’s Medieval Traders is represented in the next section. Trade transformed the diet of many of Ireland’s inhabitants around 800 years ago, though a number of plants were still being foraged, including plants that we consider weeds today – such as fat-hen. Hawkers sold the spinach-like leaves of fat-hen up until the eighteenth century. This section is accompanied by Michael Duffy‘s reconstruction illustration of a medieval farmstead at Mondaniel County Cork, that was uncovered during work on the M8 Motorway.
Moving forward through time, the Industrial society of the late eighteenth and nineteenth century is represented by a garden that includes plants such as potatoes that became such an important food for the Irish people. The collapse of the potato crops in the middle of the nineteenth century led to the Great Famine, resulting in tragedy, starvation, disease and emigration. This section is accompanied by an illustration of nineteenth century houses and farm buildings by Dan Tietzsch-Tyler.
The final section represents the modern era, with plants such as chilli peppers reflecting the global diet of today. This section is accompanied by an illustration that depicts a scene in a modern supermarket by John McCord.
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
Title: Bloom: A History of the Irish Diet in Plants
Duration: 36 mins.
Summary:
Join us at Bloom to visit a very special showgarden that demonstrates a history of the Irish diet in plants
The UCD Project Team behind the History of the Irish Diet in Plants Bloom Show Garden:
Dr Caroline Elliott-Kingston is an Assistant Professor of Horticulture and Crop Physiology at UCD. She co-designed and delivered an award-winning Bloom garden in 2016. Interested in exploring interactive/participative methods of teaching, she uses garden design as one educational tool for teaching students and the public about plant history.
Dr Meriel McClatchie is an Assistant Professor of Archaeology at UCD, where she leads a team examining the ancient remains of plants from archaeological excavations, providing insight into what foods our ancestors included in their diet.
John McCord, Niamh Conlan, Ciaran Rooney and Hannah Johnston are third-year Landscape Architecture students at UCD. Using their combined educational knowledge and unique design ideas, they created the design for the UCD History of the Irish Diet in Plants garden.
With thanks to Rónán Swan and Michael Stanley of Transport Infrastructure Ireland for their support of the garden and their participation in this podcast.
Episode 5 – Archaeology in Bloom: A History of the Irish Diet in Plants
You can discover more about this fabulous show garden and the innovative project team here.
You can also see a short YouTube video on the garden here.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast
During this podcast series we will meet some of Ireland’s archaeologists to discuss the key periods, places and people that tell the story of Ireland, and we’ll gain new insights into the practice and techniques of modern Irish archaeology.
The podcast is an Abarta Heritage production. It was recorded on location at Bloom in the Park by Neil Jackman (the interviewer) and Róisín Burke, with Dr Meriel McClatchie, Dr Caroline Elliot-Kingston, John McCord, Niamh Conlon, Rónán Swan and Michael Stanley. We are so grateful to everyone for their time and insights.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast is also available on
Dig into more stories with Amplify Archaeology Podcast
Episode 20 with Cathy Moore & Dr. Ben Gearey
Wetland Archaeology
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 11; Orla-Peach Power & Gary Dempsey
Digital Heritage & Sheela-na-gigs
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 9 with Déise Medieval
Living History
Amplify Archaeology
Please help to Amplify Archaeology by sharing this podcast
The post Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 5 – Archaeology in Bloom appeared first on Abarta Heritage Home.
36 min
May 09, 2019Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 4 – Passage Tombs
Passage Tombs
Dig into the Story of Ireland’s Passage Tombs in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 4 with Dr. Jessica Smyth
Passage Tombs
Dig into the Story of Ireland’s Passage Tombs in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 4 with Dr. Jessica Smyth
Passage Tombs like Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, Loughcrew and the cemetery of Carrowkeel are some of Ireland’s most iconic monuments, but how much do we know about the societies that constructed these magnificent megalithic marvels? Join us for Episode 4 of Amplify Archaeology Podcast for this fascinating discussion with Dr. Jessica Smyth.
Passage tombs are undoubtedly one of Ireland’s most iconic archaeological monument types. Every year thousands of people visit the great tombs of the Boyne Valley – Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, or climb the hills of Loughcrew or Carrowkeel to discover these ancient places. The tombs were constructed over 5,000 years ago, during the Neolithic Period, generally between 3,600–2,900 BC. Passage tombs typically consist of large mounds of stone or earth that cover a burial chamber that was accessed by a stone-lined passageway, and some tombs contain complex megalithic art. There are at least 230 known passage tombs across Ireland, and these monuments can also be found along the Atlantic seaboard of Western Europe, from the Iberian Peninsula of Spain and Portugal, Brittany in France, the Westernmost parts of Britain and Sweden.
But how and why did communities of early farmers come together to build these colossal monuments? In this podcast, Neil had the opportunity to discuss passage tombs with Dr Jessica Smyth of UCD School of Archaeology. We discussed Jessica’s exciting project Passage Tomb People that uses a multidisciplinary approach to better understand some of the social and economic aspects of passage tombs and to examine questions about the societies that built them.
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
Title: Ireland’s Passage Tombs
Duration: 48 mins.
Summary:
Dig into the story of Ireland’s Passage Tombs with Dr. Jessica Smyth in Episode 4 of the Amplify Archaeology Podcast
Episode 4 Passage Tombs – Show Notes
You can find out more about Jessica’s fascinating project on the Passage Tomb People Website.
Jessica also appeared in Episode 2 of our 5 part miniseries on Newgrange and the Winter Solstice, you can find that here.
For an excellent and insightful overview into Ireland’s passage tombs we highly recommend First Light; the Origins of Newgrange by Dr. Robert Hensey. Published by Oxbow Books.
For truly stunning images of Ireland’s passage tombs and megalithic art it is well worth spending some time on Shadows and Stone, Ken Williams is an absolute artist when it comes to capturing the intricacies of these enigmatic works of art.
Ken also has a very insightful article that addresses the recent controversy regarding the roof-box at Newgrange.
In an absolute gift to us all, the six volumes on the excavation of the great passage tomb of Knowth have been made available free on the Digital Repository of Ireland. It’s a truly incredible resource!
A number of the best examples of passage tombs are accessible to visit. Many under the auspices of the OPW. Including Newgrange and Knowth that are accessible through the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, and Loughcrew. Those three in particular feature on our free audioguide to the Boyne Valley and you can hear their story there.
We carried out a small targeted excavation of a passage tomb behind the Hellfire Club in the Dublin Mountains. You can read all about the excavation and what we discovered in our free ebook.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast
During this podcast series we will meet some of Ireland’s archaeologists to discuss the key periods, places and people that tell the story of Ireland, and we’ll gain new insights into the practice and techniques of modern Irish archaeology. If you enjoyed this podcast I’d be really grateful if you could leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, or share it and tell your friends.
The podcast is an Abarta Heritage production. It was recorded on location by Neil Jackman (the interviewer), with Dr Jessica Smyth. We are so grateful to Jessica for her generosity with her time and insights.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast is also available on
Dig into more stories with Amplify Archaeology Podcast
Episode 19 with Prof. Gabriel Cooney
Newgrange Podcast Miniseries; Part 5
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 18 with Dr. Robert Hensey
Newgrange Podcast Miniseries; Part 4
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 15 with Prof. Muiris O’Sullivan
Newgrange Podcast Miniseries; Part 1
Amplify Archaeology
Please help to Amplify Archaeology by sharing this podcast
The post Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 4 – Passage Tombs appeared first on Abarta Heritage Home.
48 min
April 17, 2019Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 3 – Castles
Irish Castles
Discover the origin of Irish Castles in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 3 with Prof. Tadhg O’Keeffe
Irish Castles
Discover the origin of Irish Castles in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 3 with Prof. Tadhg O’Keeffe
Irish Castles loom large both across the landscape and in our imagination, but what exactly was a castle? How do we define it? Was it the Normans who brought castle-building to Ireland in the 12th century, or did castles exist in Ireland before they arrived? In this episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast we’re joined by Professor Tadhg O’Keeffe to discuss some of these questions and more!
Castles are one of the most evocative icons of our medieval past. Ireland has a vast array of fortifications, ranging from earthwork structures to large stone fortresses. But what was the origin of castles in Ireland? Did they come in with the Anglo Normans after the invasions of the late-twelfth century, or could it be said that castles existed in Ireland before the Normans? I was delighted to have the opportunity to discuss some of these questions with Professor Tadhg O’Keeffe of UCD School of Archaeology. We also look at how Irish castles compare with those of England, Wales and the rest of Europe, and the significance of sites like Roscommon Castle.
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
Title: Irish Castles
Duration: 37 mins.
Summary:
Discover the origin of Irish Castles in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 3 with Prof. Tadhg O’Keeffe
Episode 3 Irish Castles – Show Notes
If you’d like to dig further into some of these discussion points, Tadhg has a new publication called Ireland Encastellated, AD 950–1550 Insular castle-building in its European context, available from Four Courts Press.
There are some terrific publications that give great insights into castles. Tadhg himself is a prolific writer on the medieval period. As well as his new publication, his Medieval Irish Buildings 1100–1600 is an essential guide to the architecture of the period. Another of his publications Medieval Ireland An Archaeology also provides an excellent overview.
If you are interested in the architecture of castles, I recommend checking out Malcom Hislop’s Castle Builders: Approaches to Castle Design and Construction in the Middle Ages. There isn’t much specifically about Ireland in there but it is a really interesting guide to how castles were designed and constructed in the medieval period.
Lady Rohesia’s castle at Castleroche (pictured above) is one of the most spectacular sites in the country. It is situated near Dundalk in County Louth, and it is on private land so please do ask permission before entering the site.
Trim Castle and the Hill of Tara both feature in our free audio guide to the Boyne Valley.
You can visit Trim Castle (and enjoy a great guided tour!), see here for opening hours and entry fees.
Maynooth Castle can also be visited, see here for opening hours and entry fees.
The Forradh and the Hill of Tara is also well worth a trip, it’s such a fascinating archaeological landscape! See here for opening hours.
Roscommon Castle is located in Roscommon Town and it can be accessed for free. Why not take a guided tour with Roscommon Heritage Tours?
A number of the castles mentioned, including Castleroche, the Forradh on the Hill of Tara, Maynooth Castle, Trim Castle and more feature in my guidebook to Ireland’s Ancient East, published by Collins Press in 2016. It’s available from all good bookshops, and it is available cheapest from Kennys.ie or the Book Depository.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast
During this podcast series we will meet some of Ireland’s archaeologists to discuss the key periods, places and people that tell the story of Ireland, and we’ll gain new insights into the practice and techniques of modern Irish archaeology. This is the third instalment of Amplify Archaeology, our first episode featured the exciting archaeological dig at Glendalough, and the second was a discussion about Mesolithic Ireland.
I’d love some feedback, so please do leave a comment below – and if you have any questions about Irish archaeology please do let me know, we can try to answer them in forthcoming episodes. Finally if you enjoyed this podcast I’d be really grateful if you could share it and tell your friends.
The podcast is an Abarta Heritage production. It was recorded on location by Neil Jackman (the interviewer), with Professor Tadhg O’Keeffe. We are very grateful to Tadhg for his generosity with his time and insights.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast is also available on
Dig into more stories with Amplify Archaeology Podcast
Episode 12 with Dr. Damian Shiels
Conflict Archaeology
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 10 with Cóilín Ó Drisceoil
Excavations at Kilkenny Castle
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 8 with Dr. Patrick Gleeson
Excavations at the Rock of Cashel
Amplify Archaeology
Please help to Amplify Archaeology by sharing this podcast
The post Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 3 – Castles appeared first on Abarta Heritage Home.
37 min
March 31, 2019Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 2 – Mesolithic Ireland
Mesolithic Ireland
Discover the Story of Mesolithic Ireland in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 2 with Prof. Graeme Warren
Mesolithic Ireland
Discover the Story of Mesolithic Ireland in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 2 with Prof. Graeme Warren
Have you ever wondered what life might have been like in Mesolithic Ireland? Join us for a fascinating discussion on some of Ireland’s earliest inhabitants with Professor Graeme Warren.
In Ireland, the Mesolithic Period is generally considered to last from around c.7500 – 4500 BC. The traditional view is that the period begins with the end of the Ice Age and ends with the beginning of farming. This is a time when the population of Ireland was believed to have consisted of nomadic, (or semi-nomadic), tribes of hunter-gatherers. The term ‘Mesolithic’ itself derives from ‘Middle Stone Age’, reflecting the the stone tools that are the most common form of evidence that we find from that period. The landscape that these tribes found in Mesolithic Ireland was likely to have been profoundly different to that we are used to today. The Mesolithic landscape was variable, but before the advent of farming that brought field clearance, much of the land may have been covered with forests. Hazel scrub, pine, oak, elm and ash were common. The midlands of Ireland held large lakes, that over millennia turned into the bogs that we know today. The differences were perhaps most dramatic along the coast, as sea levels have changed considerably since the Mesolithic Period.
But how much do we actually know about this remote period in the Irish story? In this podcast, Neil had the opportunity to discuss Mesolithic Ireland with Professor Graeme Warren of UCD School of Archaeology. We discussed how Ireland may have looked like back then, how people lived, the evidence of Mesolithic culture and religion, and what sort of dangers people may have faced at the time. We also discussed how we know what we know about the Mesolithic and the types of evidence that tell us the story of our ancient past.
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
Title: Mesolithic Ireland
Duration: 54 mins.
Summary:
Have you ever wondered what life might have been like in Mesolithic Ireland? Join us for a fascinating discussion on some of Ireland’s earliest inhabitants with Professor Graeme Warren.
Episode 2 Mesolithic Ireland – Show Notes
Mountsandel is perhaps the most famous Mesolithic site in Ireland. It was excavated in the 1970s by Professor Peter Woodman, you can find a short summary on the excavations.ie website. The site itself is located on the banks of the River Bann in County Derry, just south of Coleraine. Ferriter’s Cove is at the opposite end of the country – on the coast of County Kerry. In both cases there is nothing to be seen of the sites themselves, but it is still nice to roughly follow in the footsteps of some of Ireland’s earliest inhabitants.
Lough Boora in the midlands of County Offaly can also be visited, again there isn’t much to see on site but there are interpretative panels where the site was discovered, and the bog is a lovely place to visit. The story of the Lough Boora Mesolithic site also features in one of our latest audioguides.
The threat to indigenous tribes in Brazil is described in detail by Fiona Watson in this article in the Guardian.
The sad case of the American missionary John Allen Chau who was killed by a tribe on Sentinel Island was reported in the Guardian.
You can find out more about the Conference of Hunting and Gathering Societies from the organisation’s website.
You can find out more on the incredible work by Dr. Ruth Carden and Dr. Marion Dowd, who identified a 12,500+ year old butchered bear patella that had been found in the Alice and Gwendoline Cave in County Clare, in this Irish Times article.
The National Museum website has an image of a flint flake from gravel deposits at Mell, near Drogheda, Louth, is the earliest known artefact found in Ireland. Fashioned elsewhere, it was deposited subsequently by an ice sheet near the Irish coast.
An article on the ‘domesticated’ bear that was found in France can be found here on Academia.edu.
The remarkable discovery of a Mesolithic burial at Hermitage in County Limerick by Dr. Aimée Little is featured in this Irish Times article.
You can find a summary of Prof. Peter Woodman’s excavations at Ferriter’s Cove on the excavations.ie website.
The incredible Clowanstown Fishtraps feature in the 100 Objects series. Their website has a great gallery of images and more information on this wonderful example of the skill and ingenuity of the Mesolithic Dubliners. You can see the trap in the National Museum of Ireland, along with a number of stone tools and other artefacts from the Mesolithic period.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast
During this podcast series we will meet some of Ireland’s archaeologists to discuss the key periods, places and people that tell the story of Ireland, and we’ll gain new insights into the practice and techniques of modern Irish archaeology. This is the second instalment of Amplify Archaeology, our first episode featured the exciting archaeological dig at Glendalough.
The podcast is an Abarta Heritage production. It was recorded on location by Neil Jackman (the interviewer), with Professor Graeme Warren. We are very grateful to Graeme for his generosity with his time and insights. If you enjoyed this podcast I’d be really grateful if you could share it and tell your friends.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast is also available on
Dig into more stories with Amplify Archaeology Podcast
Episode 20 with Cathy Moore & Dr. Ben Gearey
Wetland Archaeology
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 15 with Prof. Muiris O’Sullivan
Newgrange Podcast Miniseries; Part 1
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 7; Lara Cassidy, Robert Hensey et al
Neolithic Mortuary Practice at Carrowkeel
Amplify Archaeology
Please help to Amplify Archaeology by sharing this podcast
The post Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 2 – Mesolithic Ireland appeared first on Abarta Heritage Home.
54 min
August 16, 2018Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 1 – Glendalough
Archaeological Excavations at Glendalough
Join us for a trench-side chat with the crew at Glendalough in the first episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast
Archaeological Excavations at Glendalough
Join us for a trench-side chat with the crew at Glendalough in the first episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast
In the very first episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast we join Professor Graeme Warren, Conor McDermott and the team from UCD School of Archaeology and local volunteers who are carrying out exciting excavations at Glendalough.
Glendalough is one of the most iconic places in Ireland. Saint Kevin is believed to have founded a monastery in this stunningly beautiful valley in County Wicklow some time in the later sixth century. The monastery went on to become a famed centre of learning, and it had a long and illustrious history. Today, thanks to its glorious setting, this site has become one of the most visited heritage sites in Ireland. Kevin and his monastery has been subject to much scholarly discussion, histories, hagiographies, folklore and legend over the years. However, there had been little modern archaeological study carried out until Professor Graeme Warren and Conor McDermott of the UCD School of Archaeology began to carry out a series of investigations, surveys and excavations over the last number of years.
Combining their expertise, with the local community and a variety of land owners and stakeholders, they formed the Glendalough Heritage Forum to help promote the cultural heritage of Glendalough and to increase collaboration between different groups, not least the local community. The Glendalough Heritage Forum community excavations are funded by Wicklow County Council, the Heritage Council and UCD School of Archaeology, with substantial support in kind from National Parks and Wildlife Services and Office of Public Works.
We had the opportunity to join the archaeologists on site, where we had a chat with Graeme, Conor and the team who generously took the time to give us some wonderful insights into the project and the challenges and joys of archaeology.
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST
Title: Archaeological Excavations at Glendalough
Duration: 52 mins.
Summary:
Join us for a trench-side chat with the crew at Glendalough in the first episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast
Episode 1: Excavations at Glendalough
You can find out more about the Glendalough Research Project here.
You can discover the many fascinating features of Glendalough in our Tuatha article here.
You can find more information on the Glendalough Heritage Forum on their website.
For information on Wicklow’s heritage please visit here.
The National Museum of Ireland have a new exhibition on Glendalough, informed by the excavation discoveries. You can hear Matt Seaver and Maeve Sikora of the National Museum discussing the exhibition and curation in Episode 14 of Amplify Archaeology Podcast.
Glendalough is one of Ireland’s most spectacular historic landscapes. You can find out more in Christiaan Corlett’s publication.
For visitor information please visit the OPW website.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast
The podcast is an Abarta Heritage production. It was recorded on site by Neil Jackman (the interviewer), with the assistance of Dr Conor Ryan. We are very grateful to Professor Graeme Warren, Conor McDermott, and all the team at Glendalough for their hospitality and for taking part in this pilot podcast.
Amplify Archaeology Podcast is also available on
Dig into more stories with Amplify Archaeology Podcast
Episode 10 with Cóilín Ó Drisceoil
Excavations at Kilkenny Castle
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 8 with Dr. Patrick Gleeson
Excavations at the Rock of Cashel
Amplify Archaeology
Episode 2 with Prof. Graeme Warren
Mesolithic Ireland
Amplify Archaeology
Please help to Amplify Archaeology by sharing this podcast
The post Amplify Archaeology Podcast – Episode 1 – Glendalough appeared first on Abarta Heritage Home.
52 min