Conor has been a lecturer in archaeology in Dundalk Institute of Technology since 2002. He has also been carrying out landscape-based archaeological fieldwork in the Brú na Bóinne area since the late 1990s. He was a contributor in the preparation of the Brú na Bóinne WHS Research Framework for the Heritage Council. He was a member of the Royal Irish Academy Committee for Archaeology 2008-2014 and is now a member of the Royal Irish Academy Committee for Historical Studies. He is also a member of Council of the County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society.
This report presents an analysis of the lithic assemblage recovered during the excavation of the ... more This report presents an analysis of the lithic assemblage recovered during the excavation of the Site M secular cemetery at Knowth, Co. Meath. Although the main activity investigated during the excavation dated to the Early Medieval period, a significant number of chipped stone artefacts were recovered which were clearly manufactured in prehistoric times and probably represent a residual element within the Early Medieval contexts. A medieval plough-pebble, probably dating to the twelfth or thirteenth century is also noted.
The Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend in the Boyne ( Bru na Boinne ) is one of only two archaeo... more The Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend in the Boyne ( Bru na Boinne ) is one of only two archaeological World Heritage Sites within Ireland and arguably Ireland's best known archaeological landscape. Most widely known for its three large passage tomb cemeteries (Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth) and its abundant megalithic artwork. As part of an ongoing research programme within the WHS, a comprehensive GIS was constructed, incorporating lidar data, multiple vintages of vertical aerial photography, geological information, archaeological site data and latterly WorldView 2 8-band satellite imagery. These datasets have been subject to systematic survey using a variety of visualisation techniques (SkyView Factor, multi-direction hillshades; solar insolation modelling; LRM) and vegetation indices (NDVI; Tasseled Cap). Selected low profile sites, identified through lidar survey, have also been subject to geophysical investigation. These research efforts have yielded significant numbers of...
Historically for site discovery and delimitation aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, has been... more Historically for site discovery and delimitation aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, has been used in the Bru na Boinne World Heritage Site, an internationally significant archaeological landscape known for its many Neolithic passage tombs and other monuments. The landscape is largely composed of the floodplain and terraces of the River Boyne which are farmed in a combination of pasture crops and tillage for cereals. In the case of Rosnaree, the site was first identified as a large, dense scatter of worked lithics (chipped stone artefacts, primarily flint) in the NE corner of a tillage field (Fig 1A). The lithics suggested intensive activity, possibly involving residential settlement, broadly dating to the Neolithic (4,000-2,500 cal BC). There was no evidence for the site from legacy aerial photography or in a more recent LiDAR survey. Multi-method geophysical and topographical survey (Fig 1B to H) funded by the Heritage Council has revealed the presence of the enclosure which h...
This article presents the successful application of several geophysical methods in archaeological... more This article presents the successful application of several geophysical methods in archaeological prospection with integration of LiDAR data and examination of historical documents. The locality of interest is situated in an urban area of Bratislava city on the Danube River where no previous archaeological research has been undertaken. It comprises the oldest public park in Central Europe which is surrounded by a fortification system dating to the Napoleonic siege of Pressburg (Bratislava) in 1809. Urban areas are often challenging for conducting archaeo-geophysical investigation due to limited access and existing obstacles of modern origin. For the purposes of this investigation shallow geophysical survey methods were applied including magnetometry, ground penetrating radar (GPR), 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and electrical resistance survey. Magnetometry was used to obtain a general view of the survey areas and to help to target the following surveys. ERT and GPR were used to explore detected features in more detail and obtain information about their shape and depth. The results of the survey show the importance of the combined approach using multiple geophysical methods while also highlighting their benefits and limitations. The survey was successful in investigating the basic elements of the fortification system which includes a rampart, a ditch and a bastion. The results have revealed information about the current state of the ramparts as well as their original construction. Also, the previously unrecorded remains of a bastion were identified along with previous phases of the fortification. The results obtained reveal the archaeological potential of this historical locality and help to better understand its extension, which is essential for its future protection and development.
This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has s... more This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has seen Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) funding from 2008 to 2010. The overarching aims of the project are to produce an integrated, comprehensive landscape archaeological model of the evolution of the Boyne catchment, and so develop an environmentally-contextualised understanding of a key part of Ireland's archaeological heritage.
This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has s... more This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has seen Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) funding from 2008 to 2010. The overarching aims of the project are to produce an integrated, comprehensive landscape archaeological model of the evolution of the Boyne catchment, and so develop an environmentally-contextualised understanding of a key part of Ireland's archaeological heritage.
The Oldbridge estate on the southern bank of the River Boyne, a core part of the battlefield of t... more The Oldbridge estate on the southern bank of the River Boyne, a core part of the battlefield of the Battle of the Boyne, was acquired by the state in 2000. To provide baseline data for the management and presentation of the site, Duchas The Heritage Sen/ice commissioned a team from the Department of Archaeology, UCD, to undertake a pilot survey of the estate with a particular focus on the archaeology of the battle. Here Gabriel Cooney,Emmet Byrnes, Conor Brady (Department of Humanities, Dundalk Institute of Technology) and Aidan O'Sullivan present the approach that was used in the survey and some of the main results.
The presented paper is a project update of integrated research to evaluate the potential for deve... more The presented paper is a project update of integrated research to evaluate the potential for developing engineered geothermal systems (EGS) in Alberta, Canada. This process balances both locating the highest concentrations of the resource and assessing where there is a demand for those resources. In the context of the geothermal exploration being undertaken by Helmholtz Alberta Initiative (HAI), this requires that heat sources for heavy oil and bitumen production are found close to the deposits. In the passed year, 25 2D seismic lines in different locations of Northern Alberta were reprocessed and interpreted. Reference and Horizon maps were produced in Athabasca area and it would be developed by adding and processing more data sets. This work is innovative as we are developing the first geological model of the area that integrates seismic data, all data prior to this has been developed on the basis of well logs.
Historically aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, have been used to identify and map new sites... more Historically aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, have been used to identify and map new sites in the Bru na Boinne World Heritage Site (WHS), an internationally significant archaeological landscape known for its Neolithic passage tombs, other monuments and megalithic art. The landscape is largely composed of the floodplain and terraces of the River Boyne which are farmed in a combination of pasture and tillage crops. The INSTAR (Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research) Boyne Landscapes Project is a response to some of the key issues to be addressed in the research strategy published in the Bru na Boinne WHS Research Framework (Smyth, 2009). Key issues to be addressed where geophysical survey can be of assistance include: • Reconstruction and modelling the palaeoenvironment and landscape development • Establishing the nature and extent of later prehistoric activity • Understanding the structural sequence and phasing of the passage tombs • Investigating the sequence of mo...
This poster presents ongoing investigation into the archaeological potential of airborne and terr... more This poster presents ongoing investigation into the archaeological potential of airborne and terrestrial remote sensing data from the Boyne Valley, eastern Ireland. The dataset being investigated (Tellus Border Project) was collected during low-level (59m agl) surveys for regional environmental mapping purposes completed in 2012. Magnetic, electromagnetic and radioelement data were recorded and defined background geo-environmental values for rock, soil and water. The combination of sensors provides geophysical and geochemical parameters used to define regional soil/land types or zones. These zones are examined for possible correlations with ‘archaeological zones’ or zones of archaeological potential. Comparative legacy remote sensing, geological and archaeological datasets include multi-spectral imagery, aerial photography, LiDAR, ground geophysics, geological and soils data and monument locations. Based on the current results the next step will focus on more detailed studies in the...
This report details the first phase of archaeological and geophysical survey at the Hill of Slane... more This report details the first phase of archaeological and geophysical survey at the Hill of Slane Co. Meath. The work represents the first systematic survey of the complex in modern times and was undertaken in 2011/12 and uses new remote sensing technologies like LiDAR, Worldview 2 multispectral satellite imagery, aerial photography and archaeological geophusics. Specific aims of the project and the fieldwork were to explore the evidence for features of a possible prehistoric date in the complex, to identify evidence of features remaining from the historically attested monastic foundation at the site, to explore evidenece of the Anglo-Norman occupation of the site and to identify features associated with the later development of the site related to the standing structures visible there today.
This report presents an analysis of the lithic assemblage recovered during the excavation of the ... more This report presents an analysis of the lithic assemblage recovered during the excavation of the Site M secular cemetery at Knowth, Co. Meath. Although the main activity investigated during the excavation dated to the Early Medieval period, a significant number of chipped stone artefacts were recovered which were clearly manufactured in prehistoric times and probably represent a residual element within the Early Medieval contexts. A medieval plough-pebble, probably dating to the twelfth or thirteenth century is also noted.
The Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend in the Boyne ( Bru na Boinne ) is one of only two archaeo... more The Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend in the Boyne ( Bru na Boinne ) is one of only two archaeological World Heritage Sites within Ireland and arguably Ireland's best known archaeological landscape. Most widely known for its three large passage tomb cemeteries (Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth) and its abundant megalithic artwork. As part of an ongoing research programme within the WHS, a comprehensive GIS was constructed, incorporating lidar data, multiple vintages of vertical aerial photography, geological information, archaeological site data and latterly WorldView 2 8-band satellite imagery. These datasets have been subject to systematic survey using a variety of visualisation techniques (SkyView Factor, multi-direction hillshades; solar insolation modelling; LRM) and vegetation indices (NDVI; Tasseled Cap). Selected low profile sites, identified through lidar survey, have also been subject to geophysical investigation. These research efforts have yielded significant numbers of...
Historically for site discovery and delimitation aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, has been... more Historically for site discovery and delimitation aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, has been used in the Bru na Boinne World Heritage Site, an internationally significant archaeological landscape known for its many Neolithic passage tombs and other monuments. The landscape is largely composed of the floodplain and terraces of the River Boyne which are farmed in a combination of pasture crops and tillage for cereals. In the case of Rosnaree, the site was first identified as a large, dense scatter of worked lithics (chipped stone artefacts, primarily flint) in the NE corner of a tillage field (Fig 1A). The lithics suggested intensive activity, possibly involving residential settlement, broadly dating to the Neolithic (4,000-2,500 cal BC). There was no evidence for the site from legacy aerial photography or in a more recent LiDAR survey. Multi-method geophysical and topographical survey (Fig 1B to H) funded by the Heritage Council has revealed the presence of the enclosure which h...
This article presents the successful application of several geophysical methods in archaeological... more This article presents the successful application of several geophysical methods in archaeological prospection with integration of LiDAR data and examination of historical documents. The locality of interest is situated in an urban area of Bratislava city on the Danube River where no previous archaeological research has been undertaken. It comprises the oldest public park in Central Europe which is surrounded by a fortification system dating to the Napoleonic siege of Pressburg (Bratislava) in 1809. Urban areas are often challenging for conducting archaeo-geophysical investigation due to limited access and existing obstacles of modern origin. For the purposes of this investigation shallow geophysical survey methods were applied including magnetometry, ground penetrating radar (GPR), 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and electrical resistance survey. Magnetometry was used to obtain a general view of the survey areas and to help to target the following surveys. ERT and GPR were used to explore detected features in more detail and obtain information about their shape and depth. The results of the survey show the importance of the combined approach using multiple geophysical methods while also highlighting their benefits and limitations. The survey was successful in investigating the basic elements of the fortification system which includes a rampart, a ditch and a bastion. The results have revealed information about the current state of the ramparts as well as their original construction. Also, the previously unrecorded remains of a bastion were identified along with previous phases of the fortification. The results obtained reveal the archaeological potential of this historical locality and help to better understand its extension, which is essential for its future protection and development.
This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has s... more This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has seen Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) funding from 2008 to 2010. The overarching aims of the project are to produce an integrated, comprehensive landscape archaeological model of the evolution of the Boyne catchment, and so develop an environmentally-contextualised understanding of a key part of Ireland's archaeological heritage.
This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has s... more This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has seen Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) funding from 2008 to 2010. The overarching aims of the project are to produce an integrated, comprehensive landscape archaeological model of the evolution of the Boyne catchment, and so develop an environmentally-contextualised understanding of a key part of Ireland's archaeological heritage.
The Oldbridge estate on the southern bank of the River Boyne, a core part of the battlefield of t... more The Oldbridge estate on the southern bank of the River Boyne, a core part of the battlefield of the Battle of the Boyne, was acquired by the state in 2000. To provide baseline data for the management and presentation of the site, Duchas The Heritage Sen/ice commissioned a team from the Department of Archaeology, UCD, to undertake a pilot survey of the estate with a particular focus on the archaeology of the battle. Here Gabriel Cooney,Emmet Byrnes, Conor Brady (Department of Humanities, Dundalk Institute of Technology) and Aidan O'Sullivan present the approach that was used in the survey and some of the main results.
The presented paper is a project update of integrated research to evaluate the potential for deve... more The presented paper is a project update of integrated research to evaluate the potential for developing engineered geothermal systems (EGS) in Alberta, Canada. This process balances both locating the highest concentrations of the resource and assessing where there is a demand for those resources. In the context of the geothermal exploration being undertaken by Helmholtz Alberta Initiative (HAI), this requires that heat sources for heavy oil and bitumen production are found close to the deposits. In the passed year, 25 2D seismic lines in different locations of Northern Alberta were reprocessed and interpreted. Reference and Horizon maps were produced in Athabasca area and it would be developed by adding and processing more data sets. This work is innovative as we are developing the first geological model of the area that integrates seismic data, all data prior to this has been developed on the basis of well logs.
Historically aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, have been used to identify and map new sites... more Historically aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, have been used to identify and map new sites in the Bru na Boinne World Heritage Site (WHS), an internationally significant archaeological landscape known for its Neolithic passage tombs, other monuments and megalithic art. The landscape is largely composed of the floodplain and terraces of the River Boyne which are farmed in a combination of pasture and tillage crops. The INSTAR (Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research) Boyne Landscapes Project is a response to some of the key issues to be addressed in the research strategy published in the Bru na Boinne WHS Research Framework (Smyth, 2009). Key issues to be addressed where geophysical survey can be of assistance include: • Reconstruction and modelling the palaeoenvironment and landscape development • Establishing the nature and extent of later prehistoric activity • Understanding the structural sequence and phasing of the passage tombs • Investigating the sequence of mo...
This poster presents ongoing investigation into the archaeological potential of airborne and terr... more This poster presents ongoing investigation into the archaeological potential of airborne and terrestrial remote sensing data from the Boyne Valley, eastern Ireland. The dataset being investigated (Tellus Border Project) was collected during low-level (59m agl) surveys for regional environmental mapping purposes completed in 2012. Magnetic, electromagnetic and radioelement data were recorded and defined background geo-environmental values for rock, soil and water. The combination of sensors provides geophysical and geochemical parameters used to define regional soil/land types or zones. These zones are examined for possible correlations with ‘archaeological zones’ or zones of archaeological potential. Comparative legacy remote sensing, geological and archaeological datasets include multi-spectral imagery, aerial photography, LiDAR, ground geophysics, geological and soils data and monument locations. Based on the current results the next step will focus on more detailed studies in the...
This report details the first phase of archaeological and geophysical survey at the Hill of Slane... more This report details the first phase of archaeological and geophysical survey at the Hill of Slane Co. Meath. The work represents the first systematic survey of the complex in modern times and was undertaken in 2011/12 and uses new remote sensing technologies like LiDAR, Worldview 2 multispectral satellite imagery, aerial photography and archaeological geophusics. Specific aims of the project and the fieldwork were to explore the evidence for features of a possible prehistoric date in the complex, to identify evidence of features remaining from the historically attested monastic foundation at the site, to explore evidenece of the Anglo-Norman occupation of the site and to identify features associated with the later development of the site related to the standing structures visible there today.
This poster presents comparative results from the first use of the Geophysical Exploration Equipm... more This poster presents comparative results from the first use of the Geophysical Exploration Equipment Platform (GEEP) in Ireland in carrying out a multi-sensor survey in the vicinity of a possible Neolithic passage tomb known as Site E in the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site.
Brú na Bóinne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been an important ritual, social and economic centre for thousands of years. Much research has been undertaken in the area, including large-scale excavations at the Neolithic passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. However we still lack an in-depth understanding of the site’s broad range of archaeological monuments, and the landscape and communities that shaped them.
To date there has been no systematic large-scale use of ground geophysical techniques although a number of successful spatially discrete geophysical surveys have been carried out. The landscape has many large, open fields under pasture or tillage suitable for systematic large-scale ground geophysical survey. Such a survey, integrated with the interpretation of other available remote sensing data is an obvious next step in the investigation of this internationally important landscape.
The evaluation was successful and the results from the GEEP dataset will be presented with a comparative study of data collected by traditional hand-carried magnetic gradiometry, earth resistance and magnetic susceptibility surveys.
Results from the first use of the Geophysical Exploration Equipment Platform (GEEP) in Ireland in... more Results from the first use of the Geophysical Exploration Equipment Platform (GEEP) in Ireland in carrying out a multi-sensor survey in the vicinity of a possible Neolithic passage tomb known as Site E in the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site. Brú na Bóinne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been an important ritual, social and economic centre for thousands of years. Much research has been undertaken in the area, including large-scale excavations at the Neolithic passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. However we still lack an in-depth understanding of the site’s broad range of archaeological monuments, and the landscape and communities that shaped them. To date there has been no systematic large-scale use of ground geophysical techniques although a number of successful spatially discrete geophysical surveys have been carried out. The landscape has many large, open fields under pasture or tillage suitable for systematic large-scale ground geophysical survey. Such a survey, integrated with the interpretation of other available remote sensing data is an obvious next step in the investigation of this internationally important landscape. The evaluation was successful and the results from the GEEP dataset will be presented with a comparative study of data collected by traditional hand-carried magnetic gradiometry, earth resistance and magnetic susceptibility surveys.
Historically aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, have been used to identify and map new sites... more Historically aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, have been used to identify and map new sites in the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site (WHS), an internationally significant archaeological landscape known for its Neolithic passage tombs, other monuments and megalithic art. The landscape is largely composed of the floodplain and terraces of the River Boyne which are farmed in a combination of pasture and tillage crops. The INSTAR (Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research) Boyne Landscapes Project is a response to some of the key issues to be addressed in the research strategy published in the Brú na Bóinne WHS Research Framework (Smyth, 2009). Key issues to be addressed where geophysical survey can be of assistance include:
• Reconstruction and modelling the palaeoenvironment and landscape development
• Establishing the nature and extent of later prehistoric activity
• Understanding the structural sequence and phasing of the passage tombs
• Investigating the sequence of monuments between Newgrange Passage Tomb and the River Boyne
• Integrating monuments and landscapes
• Understanding land-use change
• Investigating the archaeology of the River Boyne
The project is developing an integrated and comprehensive landscape archaeological model for the Boyne Valley, with a focus on linking changing land use and environment to the known landscape of ancient monuments and settlement. The project has aimed to collate all available landscape and environmental data into a GIS database for modelling purposes, and to use this database to identify zones of likely change in the natural and cultural landscapes. Ground-truthing of specific zones of the river system against the model developed from the GIS database is being carried out, and then integrated into the GIS, providing a comprehensive dataset for and model of landscape and river history in the Boyne Valley.
Ground-truthing involves a combination geophysical survey and coring to obtain material for sedimentological and geochemical analysis and for radiocarbon dating. Surveyed zones include previously identified sites as well as areas with high archaeological potential based on landscape analysis using LiDAR. The preliminary results from low topographic profile site LP1 identified during the current project using LiDAR are presented here. LP1 is located on the north bank of the River Boyne on the first terrace above the floodplain. The feature has a diameter of approximately 100m and lies close to a standing stone (Site D). The site was initially investigated by magnetic gradiometry on a 1m x 0.25m grid.
The gradiometry results partially map the northern part of LP1 where there appear to be two parallel curving ditches with the southerly ditch forming part of LP1. The remaining part of the topographic anomaly does not have a strong magnetic expression. This may be due to the nature of the sediments on the lower part of the sloping terrace and/or agricultural activity. There are two previously unrecognised features at the south and at the east of the survey area. The southern feature is
presently interpreted as a sinuous ditch. The eastern feature is a circular ditch some 15m in diameter possibly enclosed by a ring of pits giving an overall diameter of some 30m.
In order to investigate the sediments and the sub-surface structure of LP1 an N-S ERT transect was carried out using a Wenner array with 2m electrode or ‘a’ spacing.
There is an approx. 10m height variation between the lower ground in the south and the higher ground in the north of the pseudosection. There are two main features seen in the pseudosection with a higher resistivity ‘lens’ lying in the lower ground and low resistivity material forming the higher ground. There is an intermittent, thin lower resistivity veneer of variable thickness lying on the ‘lens’. The ‘lens’ could be comprised of sands and gravels which have been laid down by the river in a bowl or hollow which itself has been exploited to form an enclosure. The features in the ERT section provide targets to be investigated by coring in order to investigate the relationship between LP1 and the riverine landscape.
The poster presents results from a series of sites currently being investigated in the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site.
Bibliography
Smyth, J. (2009). Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site Research Framework. The Heritage Council : Kilkenny.
This poster presents details of the units delivered as part of an international field school in p... more This poster presents details of the units delivered as part of an international field school in practical and applied methods of archaeological survey. The field course was undertaken as part of the Hill of SLane Archaeological Project (HoSAP). Nineteen students from eleven different countries participated in the week-long field school which took place between 8th and 13th April 2012. Techniques taught on the course included basic grid layout and recording using a total station, surface artefact survey. Geophysical techniques covered included magnetic gradiometry, earth resistance, magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity tomography and ground penetrating radar. Other techniques taught during the course included kite aerial photography and terrestrial laser scanning. Off-site data processing sessions were held on each evening of the course and a number of follow-up online sessions were also held some time after the event. Feedback from students was very positive and the work undertaken contributed to the aims of the HoSAP, particularly in demonstrating the existence of archaeological material indicative of activity outside the core area of the hilltop from at least prehistoric times.
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Historically aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, h... more To view this item please click URL above.
Historically aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, have been used to identify and map new sites in the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site (WHS), an internationally significant archaeological landscape known for its Neolithic passage tombs, other monuments and megalithic art.
Recent analysis of LiDAR data from the Brú na Bóinne WHS undertaken as part of the INSTAR (Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research) Boyne Valley Landscapes Project, which directly addresses a number of the knowledge gaps identified in the Brú na Bóinne WHS Research Framework (Smyth et al. 2009), has revealed a host of new monuments in this important archaeological landscape. This poster presents some of the results of a programme of ground truthing of a small sample of sites: Site W in Monknewtown - a previously recorded monument - and two sites first identified on the LiDAR data (LP1 in Newgrange townland and LP2 in Dowth townland). Ground-truthing involves a combination geophysical survey and coring to obtain material for sedimentological and geochemical analysis and for radiocarbon dating.
Aerial Archaeology Research Group annual conference, 26-28 September 2013, Amersfoort, Netherlands., 2013
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The Tellus Border Project is a collaboration between t... more To view this item please click URL above.
The Tellus Border Project is a collaboration between the Geological Survey of Ireland and the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. It involved collection of a low-level airborne geophysical dataset. It is a regional environmental survey of the border counties to gather geophysical data to help with detailed mapping and characterization of geology, soil and water. The aircraft carries caesium vapour sensors, electromagnetic sensors as well as a gamma-ray spectrometer. Part of their study area takes in part of the Brú na Bóinne WHS and the data from a separate terrestrially based survey geophysical involving the use of similar caesium vapour magnetic sensors but at a different scale are being used to assess the archaeological potential of the Tellus datasets.
The dataset being investigated (Tellus Border Project) was collected during low-level (59m agl) surveys for regional environmental mapping purposes completed in 2012. Magnetic, electromagnetic and radioelement data were recorded and defined background geo-environmental values for rock, soil and water. The combination of sensors provides geophysical and geochemical parameters used to define regional soil/land types or zones. These zones are examined for possible correlations with ‘archaeological zones’ or zones of archaeological potential. Comparative legacy remote sensing, geological and archaeological datasets include multi-spectral imagery, aerial photography, LiDAR, ground geophysics, geological and soils data and monument locations. Based on the current results the next step will focus on more detailed studies in the Boyne Valley. This work partly addresses (at a landscape scale) issues discussed by David Jordan at AARG 2012 – “A Geoarchaeologist’s View of Aerial Archaeology”
FRANK VERMEULEN & CRISTINA CORSI (EDS.) NON-DESTRUCTIVE APPROACHES TO COMPLEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN EUROPE: A ROUND-UP. Radio-Past Colloquium, Ghent, 15-17 January 2013, 15-17 January 2013, University of Ghent., 2013
Newgrange Passage Tomb is 76m in diameter and 12m high. A single 19m inner passage leads to a cha... more Newgrange Passage Tomb is 76m in diameter and 12m high. A single 19m inner passage leads to a chamber some 6m in diameter and height. The possibility of further chambers existing has been the subject of interest since the partial excavation completed in 1975. Multiple passageways and chambers exist at nearby tombs at Knowth and Dowth - could there be hidden chambers at Newgrange that could be detected using geophysical methods?
We present the results from a multi-method geophysical survey. The principal method used was microgravity which has found hidden cavities in the Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt. The method has also been used to detect the presence of medieval crypts but there has been little research in the use of microgravity in the detection of chambers in mounds due to their generally small dimensions. The situation in mounds at Brú na Bóinne is different. The major chambers have quite large dimensions, thus enhancing the detection capability of microgravity. A computer simulation to predict the gravity anomaly over the Newgrange chamber was carried out. This showed that the calculated effect on gravity of the chamber volume together with its depth within the mound would produce a measurable negative gravity anomaly.
The key objective of the survey was to investigate the potential of the microgravity method in the initial detection of the known chamber and subsequently in searching for possible hidden chambers. The processing and interpretation of the microgravity survey was informed by ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, multi-frequency electromagnetic and earth resistance results.
Initial gravity measurements were made over and in the vicinity of the known chamber. The position of each measurement point was precisely determined using a combination of differential GPS and laser tachymetry methods. Strong winds at the time of survey required windshields to be used to protect the instruments from gusts and each measurement was verified by repeat readings. The average error from repeated and independently controlled measurement points was +/-15 microGals. This is relatively high but acceptable in the case of this survey.
Data were processed to remove the effects of elevation, tidal variation, topography, latitude, and instrument drift. Topography corrections were made using LiDAR data. The output was a gravity anomaly map draped on a 3-D model made from the LiDAR data which presents the properties and geometry of sub-surface inhomogeneities. The map shows a well developed negative anomaly over the centre of the chamber. The size of the anomaly at its centre is several times larger than the precision of the instrument and also the average error of the instruments.
Further gravity measurements were made on the mound and in the chamber in order to seek further anomalies and refine the gravity model of the known chamber. The results confirm the measured gravity anomaly is significantly larger than the computed anomaly based on laser tachymetry measurements of the spaceform of the chamber. This leads us to believe there is an unknown feature or structure of low density associated with the known chamber.
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This report details the first season of excavation in s... more To view this item please click URL above. This report details the first season of excavation in summer 2010 of the site of a Neolithic lithic scatter and early medieval enclosure at Rossnaree in the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site in Co. Meath. It was first discovered as a dense scatter of lithic (chipped stone) material on the surface of a tilled field close to the River Boyne, NGR 299200 273150, at the point where the famous ‘Bend of the Boyne’ begins . This was subsequently investigated using various geophysical techniques at which time it became apparent that there was a substantial multivallate enclosure at the site. This enclosure was reported to the Archaeological Survey of Ireland and an RMP number was subsequently issued (ME019-080---).
Following on from previous phases of research, Phase 3 of the Boyne Valley Landscapes Project was... more Following on from previous phases of research, Phase 3 of the Boyne Valley Landscapes Project was designed to build upon the geomorphic and palaeoenvironmental framework presented in Phases 1 and 2 of the project, linking the physical environment with the archaeological domain. In particular, Phase 3 has focused on the area of the World Heritage Site at Brú na Bóinne, with the following specific aims and objectives:
This report details the second season of archaeological excavation at the Rossnaree Neolithic lit... more This report details the second season of archaeological excavation at the Rossnaree Neolithic lithic scatter and early medieval enclosure site. The site under investigation was first discovered as a dense scatter of lithic (chipped stone) material on the surface of a tilled field close to the River Boyne, NGR 299200 273150, at the point where the famous ‘Bend of the Boyne’ begins. This was subsequently investigated using various geophysical techniques at which time it became apparent that there was a substantial multivallate enclosure at the site. This enclosure was reported to the Archaeological Survey of Ireland and an RMP number was subsequently issued (ME019-080---).
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The Hill of Slane Archaeological Project (HoSAP) was s... more To view this item please click URL above.
The Hill of Slane Archaeological Project (HoSAP) was set up in 2010 as a way of exploring the archaeology, history and cultural heritage of this important but somewhat overlooked archaeological complex. The hilltop is the location of a number of important stone ruins, ecclesiastical in nature while is also the site of a significant motte castle as well as a possible prehistoric barrow. This preliminary report details the second phase of archaeological survey work which includes topographic survey, LiDAR analysis and geophysical survey. The main aims are firstly to gather data on the nature of the surviving monuments and secondly to identify low relief or subsurface traces related to these and other features in the complex
This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has s... more This report details the third phase of research of the Boyne Valley Landscape Project which has seen Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) funding from 2008 to 2010. The overarching aims of the project are to produce an integrated, comprehensive landscape archaeological model of the evolution of the Boyne catchment, and so develop an environmentally-contextualised understanding of a key part of Ireland's archaeological heritage.
The Bend of the Boyne, or Brú na Bóinne, has been an important ritual, social and economic centre... more The Bend of the Boyne, or Brú na Bóinne, has been an important ritual, social and economic centre for thousands of years. Internationally renowned for its elaborate Neolithic passage tombs, and containing the largest assemblage of megalithic art in Europe, its universal value was recognised in 1993 when it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS), only one of three on the island of Ireland. The Heritage Council, in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has published a research framework for Brú na Bóinne re-assessing key priorities and looking at where future research should be directed.
Newgrange Passage Tomb is 76m in diameter and 12m high. A single 19m inner passage leads to a cha... more Newgrange Passage Tomb is 76m in diameter and 12m high. A single 19m inner passage leads to a chamber some 6m in diameter and height. The possibility of further chambers existing has been the subject of interest since the partial excavation completed in 1975. Multiple passageways and chambers exist at nearby tombs at Knowth and Dowth – could there be hidden chambers at Newgrange that could be detected using geophysical methods? We present the results from a multi-method geophysical survey. The key objective of the survey was to investigate the potential of the microgravity method in the initial detection of the known chamber and subsequently in searching for possible hidden chambers. The processing and interpretation of the microgravity survey was informed by ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, multi-frequency electromagnetic and earth resistance results.
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Papers by Conor Brady
Brú na Bóinne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been an important ritual, social and economic centre for thousands of years. Much research has been undertaken in the area, including large-scale excavations at the Neolithic passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. However we still lack an in-depth understanding of the site’s broad range of archaeological monuments, and the landscape and communities that shaped them.
To date there has been no systematic large-scale use of ground geophysical techniques although a number of successful spatially discrete geophysical surveys have been carried out. The landscape has many large, open fields under pasture or tillage suitable for systematic large-scale ground geophysical survey. Such a survey, integrated with the interpretation of other available remote sensing data is an obvious next step in the investigation of this internationally important landscape.
The evaluation was successful and the results from the GEEP dataset will be presented with a comparative study of data collected by traditional hand-carried magnetic gradiometry, earth resistance and magnetic susceptibility surveys.
• Reconstruction and modelling the palaeoenvironment and landscape development
• Establishing the nature and extent of later prehistoric activity
• Understanding the structural sequence and phasing of the passage tombs
• Investigating the sequence of monuments between Newgrange Passage Tomb and the River Boyne
• Integrating monuments and landscapes
• Understanding land-use change
• Investigating the archaeology of the River Boyne
The project is developing an integrated and comprehensive landscape archaeological model for the Boyne Valley, with a focus on linking changing land use and environment to the known landscape of ancient monuments and settlement. The project has aimed to collate all available landscape and environmental data into a GIS database for modelling purposes, and to use this database to identify zones of likely change in the natural and cultural landscapes. Ground-truthing of specific zones of the river system against the model developed from the GIS database is being carried out, and then integrated into the GIS, providing a comprehensive dataset for and model of landscape and river history in the Boyne Valley.
Ground-truthing involves a combination geophysical survey and coring to obtain material for sedimentological and geochemical analysis and for radiocarbon dating. Surveyed zones include previously identified sites as well as areas with high archaeological potential based on landscape analysis using LiDAR. The preliminary results from low topographic profile site LP1 identified during the current project using LiDAR are presented here. LP1 is located on the north bank of the River Boyne on the first terrace above the floodplain. The feature has a diameter of approximately 100m and lies close to a standing stone (Site D). The site was initially investigated by magnetic gradiometry on a 1m x 0.25m grid.
The gradiometry results partially map the northern part of LP1 where there appear to be two parallel curving ditches with the southerly ditch forming part of LP1. The remaining part of the topographic anomaly does not have a strong magnetic expression. This may be due to the nature of the sediments on the lower part of the sloping terrace and/or agricultural activity. There are two previously unrecognised features at the south and at the east of the survey area. The southern feature is
presently interpreted as a sinuous ditch. The eastern feature is a circular ditch some 15m in diameter possibly enclosed by a ring of pits giving an overall diameter of some 30m.
In order to investigate the sediments and the sub-surface structure of LP1 an N-S ERT transect was carried out using a Wenner array with 2m electrode or ‘a’ spacing.
There is an approx. 10m height variation between the lower ground in the south and the higher ground in the north of the pseudosection. There are two main features seen in the pseudosection with a higher resistivity ‘lens’ lying in the lower ground and low resistivity material forming the higher ground. There is an intermittent, thin lower resistivity veneer of variable thickness lying on the ‘lens’. The ‘lens’ could be comprised of sands and gravels which have been laid down by the river in a bowl or hollow which itself has been exploited to form an enclosure. The features in the ERT section provide targets to be investigated by coring in order to investigate the relationship between LP1 and the riverine landscape.
The poster presents results from a series of sites currently being investigated in the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site.
Bibliography
Smyth, J. (2009). Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site Research Framework. The Heritage Council : Kilkenny.
Historically aerial photography, and latterly LiDAR, have been used to identify and map new sites in the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site (WHS), an internationally significant archaeological landscape known for its Neolithic passage tombs, other monuments and megalithic art.
Recent analysis of LiDAR data from the Brú na Bóinne WHS undertaken as part of the INSTAR (Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research) Boyne Valley Landscapes Project, which directly addresses a number of the knowledge gaps identified in the Brú na Bóinne WHS Research Framework (Smyth et al. 2009), has revealed a host of new monuments in this important archaeological landscape. This poster presents some of the results of a programme of ground truthing of a small sample of sites: Site W in Monknewtown - a previously recorded monument - and two sites first identified on the LiDAR data (LP1 in Newgrange townland and LP2 in Dowth townland). Ground-truthing involves a combination geophysical survey and coring to obtain material for sedimentological and geochemical analysis and for radiocarbon dating.
The Tellus Border Project is a collaboration between the Geological Survey of Ireland and the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. It involved collection of a low-level airborne geophysical dataset. It is a regional environmental survey of the border counties to gather geophysical data to help with detailed mapping and characterization of geology, soil and water. The aircraft carries caesium vapour sensors, electromagnetic sensors as well as a gamma-ray spectrometer. Part of their study area takes in part of the Brú na Bóinne WHS and the data from a separate terrestrially based survey geophysical involving the use of similar caesium vapour magnetic sensors but at a different scale are being used to assess the archaeological potential of the Tellus datasets.
The dataset being investigated (Tellus Border Project) was collected during low-level (59m agl) surveys for regional environmental mapping purposes completed in 2012. Magnetic, electromagnetic and radioelement data were recorded and defined background geo-environmental values for rock, soil and water. The combination of sensors provides geophysical and geochemical parameters used to define regional soil/land types or zones. These zones are examined for possible correlations with ‘archaeological zones’ or zones of archaeological potential. Comparative legacy remote sensing, geological and archaeological datasets include multi-spectral imagery, aerial photography, LiDAR, ground geophysics, geological and soils data and monument locations. Based on the current results the next step will focus on more detailed studies in the Boyne Valley. This work partly addresses (at a landscape scale) issues discussed by David Jordan at AARG 2012 – “A Geoarchaeologist’s View of Aerial Archaeology”
We present the results from a multi-method geophysical survey. The principal method used was microgravity which has found hidden cavities in the Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt. The method has also been used to detect the presence of medieval crypts but there has been little research in the use of microgravity in the detection of chambers in mounds due to their generally small dimensions. The situation in mounds at Brú na Bóinne is different. The major chambers have quite large dimensions, thus enhancing the detection capability of microgravity. A computer simulation to predict the gravity anomaly over the Newgrange chamber was carried out. This showed that the calculated effect on gravity of the chamber volume together with its depth within the mound would produce a measurable negative gravity anomaly.
The key objective of the survey was to investigate the potential of the microgravity method in the initial detection of the known chamber and subsequently in searching for possible hidden chambers. The processing and interpretation of the microgravity survey was informed by ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, multi-frequency electromagnetic and earth resistance results.
Initial gravity measurements were made over and in the vicinity of the known chamber. The position of each measurement point was precisely determined using a combination of differential GPS and laser tachymetry methods. Strong winds at the time of survey required windshields to be used to protect the instruments from gusts and each measurement was verified by repeat readings. The average error from repeated and independently controlled measurement points was +/-15 microGals. This is relatively high but acceptable in the case of this survey.
Data were processed to remove the effects of elevation, tidal variation, topography, latitude, and instrument drift. Topography corrections were made using LiDAR data. The output was a gravity anomaly map draped on a 3-D model made from the LiDAR data which presents the properties and geometry of sub-surface inhomogeneities. The map shows a well developed negative anomaly over the centre of the chamber. The size of the anomaly at its centre is several times larger than the precision of the instrument and also the average error of the instruments.
Further gravity measurements were made on the mound and in the chamber in order to seek further anomalies and refine the gravity model of the known chamber. The results confirm the measured gravity anomaly is significantly larger than the computed anomaly based on laser tachymetry measurements of the spaceform of the chamber. This leads us to believe there is an unknown feature or structure of low density associated with the known chamber.
This report details the first season of excavation in summer 2010 of the site of a Neolithic lithic scatter and early medieval enclosure at Rossnaree in the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site in Co. Meath. It was first discovered as a dense scatter of lithic (chipped stone) material on the surface of a tilled field close to the River Boyne, NGR 299200 273150, at the point where the famous ‘Bend of the Boyne’ begins . This was subsequently investigated using various geophysical techniques at which time it became apparent that there was a substantial multivallate enclosure at the site. This enclosure was reported to the Archaeological Survey of Ireland and an RMP number was subsequently issued (ME019-080---).
The Hill of Slane Archaeological Project (HoSAP) was set up in 2010 as a way of exploring the archaeology, history and cultural heritage of this important but somewhat overlooked archaeological complex. The hilltop is the location of a number of important stone ruins, ecclesiastical in nature while is also the site of a significant motte castle as well as a possible prehistoric barrow. This preliminary report details the second phase of archaeological survey work which includes topographic survey, LiDAR analysis and geophysical survey. The main aims are firstly to gather data on the nature of the surviving monuments and secondly to identify low relief or subsurface traces related to these and other features in the complex
The key objective of the survey was to investigate the potential of the microgravity method in the initial
detection of the known chamber and subsequently in searching for possible hidden chambers. The processing and interpretation of the microgravity survey was informed by ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, multi-frequency electromagnetic and earth resistance results.