Conflict  Archaeology  &  It’s  Role  in  Understanding  the  

Past

 

Damian  Shiels Rubicon  Heritage  Services  Ltd.

MTSU  Center  for  Historic  Preservation Murfreesboro,  13  November  2014

Overview v  Origins-­‐‑  BaQlefield  Archaeology

v  BaQlefields  as  Landscapes

v  From  BaQlefield  Landscapes  to  Conflict  Landscapes

v  Aughrim  1691

v  Carrickmines  1642

v  Kinsale  1601

v  Knockraha  1919-­‐‑21

LiQle  Bighorn,  Montana  (1876)

BaQlefields  as  Landscapes v  Field  of  BaQle v  Encampments v  Approach  Routes v  Retreat  Routes v  Buildings v  Archaeological  Monuments

 Contemporary  Ford  at  Cloghlea,  Co.  Cork,  which  witnessed  fighting  during  the  Ba;le  of  

Cloghlea,  1643

Mapping  BaQlefields

Ba;lefield  of  Liscarroll,  Co.  Cork  (1642)

From  BaQlefield  to  Conflict

Conflict  Archaeology  

Societal  Responses  

Training  

Sieges  

Inter-­‐personal  violence  

Encampments  

Prehistoric  Warfare  

Aughrim-­‐‑  Revealing  the  Individual

v  12  July  1691,  Co.  Galway

v Godart  de  Ginkel  (Williamite)

v  Charles  Chalmont,  Marquis  de  St.  Ruth  (Jacobite)

v Decisive  engagement  of  

Cogadh  an  Dá  Rí    

v  c.  40,000  combatants v  c.  4,000  killed

Aughrim-­‐‑  The  Investigation

v M6  Motorway,  2006

v  Potential  impact  on  baQlefield  periphery

v  Licensed  metal-­‐‑detection  survey  required

v  Retrieval  of  a  small  number  of  military  artefacts

Aughrim-­‐‑  The  Finds

Carrickmines-­‐‑  Revealing  Death

v  Castle  part  of  Pale  Defences

v  Excavation  of  M50  Motorway

v  27  March  1642,  Co.  Dublin

v  Sir  Simon  Harcourt  (Government)

v  ?  (Confederate)

Carrickmines-­‐‑  Revealing  Death

‘[the  soldiers]  brake  in  desperately  into  the  castle  and  they  slew  250  men,  women  and  children’

‘…[the  soldiers]  who,  being  mightily  enraged  with  the  loss  of  their  beloved  Colonel,  entered  with  great  fury  pu;ing  all  to  the  sword,  sparing  neither  Man,  Woman  or  Child…’

Carrickmines-­‐‑  Revealing  Death

Carrickmines-­‐‑  Interpreting  Death

Kinsale-­‐‑  Revealing  History

v Decisive  BaQle  of  the  9  Years  War  (1594-­‐‑1603)

v  Ireland’s  ‘Culloden’,  fought  in  Co.  Cork,  1601

v  English  besiege  Spanish  for  3  months

v Gaelic  Irish  force  routed

v Most  important  Elizabethan  Siege  Site  

Kinsale-­‐‑  Finding  the  Camps

Kinsale-­‐‑  Finding  the  Camps

Kinsale-­‐‑  The  Lord  Deputy’s  Camp

26  October  1601: ‘the  army  dislodged  and  encamped  on  a  hill  called  the  Spi;le,  more  than  a  musket  shot  away  from  the  town  on  the  north’  (CSPI  Ireland,  1601)

Knockraha-­‐‑  Mapping  Irregular  Conflict

v  Irish  War  of  Independence  (1919-­‐‑21)

v  Irregular,  ‘Guerrilla’  Warfare

v  Civilian  participation

v Utilizes  entire  landscape v Unprotected  Heritage

Bomb  Factory  Workers  of  ‘E’  Company,  4th  Ba;alion,  Cork  No.  1  Brigade  IRA,  1921

Dual  Roles-­‐‑  Civilian  &  Military

Revealing  a  Conflict  Landscape

Conflict  Landscape  of  Knockraha,  Co.  Cork  (1919-­‐‑21)

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