| Irish Archaeology |
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INTRODUCTION |
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In terms of public awareness of Ireland's past, archaeology has long played second fiddle to history, yet while history exists largely only in the form of books and manuscripts archaeology is all round us, from the National Museum and famous locations such as Tara, Glendalough or the Ceide Fields to the tens of thousands of sites scattered through the countryside such as ringforts and fulachta fiadh, and the remnants of Gaelic, Viking, Norman, and even Victorian presence which have shaped our towns and cities. There's a lot more to archaeology in Ireland than postcards of the Tara brooch or Newgrange. Ongoing surveys and excavations continue to reveal hitherto unguessed facets of Ireland's past, and increasingly so as the construction of new housing, roads, and pipelines, and the working of Ireland's peat bogs by Bord na Mona combine with powerful legislation and ever better applications of technology and archaeological theory. Note, too, should be made of the contributions of Ireland's many amateur archaeology enthusiasts and the journals their societies produce. Each week, it seems, brings news of a newly-discovered bronze age settlement, medieval watermill or ogam stone. And yet it seems that many peoples' knowledge of archaeology reaches only so far as a visit to the National Museum and watching the odd episode of Timeteam on TV. It is to fill this gap that the clutch of discussion groups listed below have been created, giving the Irish public access to information, advice, and debate with those directly involved in archaeology day-to-day. They also, of course, allow those experts to make contact with each other, share ideas, discuss theories and disseminate data. Periodically, notification of conferences, job vacancies, scholarships and new publications also appear, and those wishing to post relevant advertisements are free to do so. All discussions are fully moderated, so no junk mail, offensive material or off-topic postings appear, making them clear, focussed forums for those with a real interest in learning and sharing. THE 'IRISH ARCHAEOLOGY' DISCUSSION GROUP The 'Irish Archaeology' discussion group was founded in July 2000. After a slow, faltering start discussion began to pick up. It was perhaps the lack until that time of opportunities to discuss Ireland's archaeology in a serious way online which left early members floundering for direction. That feeling soon departed, however. The group have since dealt with topics as diverse as methods of determining dwelling design from the layout of post-holes, to discussions of the pros and cons of different dating methods, and more, including an increasing number of archaeological vacancy, scholarship, course and conference advertisements. The group are presently engaged in an intermittent reading and discussion of Herity & Eogan's 'Ireland in Prehistory'. Current membership stands at over 220. To join the discussion group, simply click the link below to create an auto-addressed email, and press 'Send'. You will shortly receive via email a confirmation request to which you must reply. Within minutes your membership will be logged and you can begin interacting with other group members online. New members are encouraged to send an initial message to the group introducing themselves, and mentioning their areas of interest in Ireland's archaeology. Members and non-members alike can freely access the group's archives. These help give a feel for the type of topics discussed for those considering subscribing, and help new members catch up on past debates. To view or search the archives, just click on the link below. RELATED
DISCUSSION GROUP HOMEPAGES
LINKS
DOCUMENTS & DATABASES
Page last updated 26 September 2001 |
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