20 Apr Finds From the Edge of the World
Julie Franklin‘s report on the finds assemblage from excavations at the island monastery and world heritage site of Skellig Michael, Co. Kerry has recently been published. Julie tendered for the work from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, beating a number of other specialists to win the project, and travelled to Dublin to study the finds in November 2010. Most of the finds related to the early medieval monastery, the most common finds being simple carved stone crosses, probably used as grave markers. Other highlights included some decorative dress pins, an unusual stone dish and a bone gaming piece. A later lighthouse on the island meant some modern finds including a World War I period Italian bayonet. The monograph publication is freely available online at World Heritage Ireland.