Life, death and environment at Lagore Crannog: Parasites, land-use and a royal residence in later prehistoric and early medieval Ireland

Abstract

Lagore, Co. Meath, has long been a type-site for artificial lake dwellings known as crannogs since excavation in the 1930s by the Harvard Expedition. Renowned for rich finds and documented as the seat of the kings of Southern Brega (8th and 10th centuries AD), alongside the high-status and royal functions of the site, it is now widely recognised that Lagore had a long history of activity stretching back into later prehistory with evidence of deposition of human and animal remains, and metalwork of the Bronze and Iron Ages, and early medieval period. Nonetheless, a poor stratigraphic and archival record has engendered much debate about the timings and tempos of its origins, and the longer-term settlement history of the lough. This paper utilises multi-proxy analysis (Palynology, Geochemistry, Loss-on-Ignition (LOI), Colour, Fourier-transform-infrared-spectroscopy (FTIR) and Attenuated-total-reflectance (ATR)) to provide a deeper chronological understanding of land-use and occupation at Lagore. The most significant findings include the likelihood of local settlement (strong farming and parasite signals) well before the main phases of crannog construction, from at least ∼470 BC; a significant lull in population during the early-mid 5th century AD; a gradual economic recovery from ∼AD 555–620, which coincides with the main phase of crannog construction (based on geochemical and other lithological results); and a slightly later transition into a Royal residence from AD 620, marked by both intensification and diversification of agriculture (wheat/oats, rye, flax and cannabis) and a potential ironworking signal.