Ulster J Archaeol 40

From written sources the important pre-1100 ecclesiastical buildings in Ireland emerge as the wooden church (dairthech), the stone church (damliac) and the bell tower (cloicthech). The origins and date of introduction of these types are discussed. Stone bell towers (perhaps preceded by wooden towers) were introduced by 900, inspired by Continental stair turrets. Stone church building had appeared by 8th century but wood was commonly used to 12th. The origins of one- and two-cell plans are seen in Anglo-Saxon England. A pictorial reconstruction of the timber church at Kildare is offered, based on Cogitosus's 7th century description, drawing on far-flung parallels for the liturgical arrangements. A H

J 838455. A partial section across a waterlogged hollow showed it was an artificially constructed flat-bottomed basin measuring about 25m across and up to 4m below ground level. Finds included fragments of moulds for bronze leaf-shaped swords, an unusual collection of animal bones, and a portion of human skull. 14C dates in the 1st millennium bc were obtained, and the best available parallels are the Celtic ritual shafts of similar date. Appendices deal with the bones, petrology of a sherd, and palaeoecology.