Early Agriculture and Environmental Archaeology Research Group
Mission
To prompt and develop research, via environmental archaeological and related techniques, into the development of agriculture in Ireland from its beginnings and, in addition, to explore the impact of farming on past landscapes.
People
RG Director – Mick Monk
Affiliated staff – Colin Rynne, Barra Ó Donnbháin, Ron Pinhasi
Outside researchers – Margaret McCarthy, Meriel McClatchie, Eileen Reilly, Susan Lyons. The Archaeobotanists of Ireland Work Group.
Clusters within the group:
(i) Archaeobotanical studies – macro-plant remains research with particular reference to the development of crop husbandry in Ireland in a European context.
(ii) Archaeozoological studies – faunal remains research with reference to the development of the husbandry of animals in Ireland in a European context.
(iii) Palaeodietary and palaeonutrional studies. The focus would be the development of the Irish diet – focusing on the change and evolution of a diet based on hunter/gatherer food sources to that deriving entirely from crop and animal husbandry (this cluster will link across to the Bioarchaeology research group)
(iv) Agricultural landscapes and hinterland studies with particular reference to Ireland. The aim will be to explore the pattern of agricultural landscape development in Ireland in its European context with particular reference to the Medieval period.
(v) Agricultural technological studies. The focus in this cluster will be the exploration of the development of agricultural technology in Ireland in its European context (with Colin Rynne).
(vi) Palaeoenvironmental studies. The focus will be the exploration of the changes in the human habitat (via the proxy records of pollen, tree ring studies, tephra chronological indicators, diatoms, insect studies etc) developing both from natural and cultural events and processes.
(vii) Landscape and Environmental management studies. Drawing on insights gained from ‘time depth’ evidence of extant relic landscapes and the palaeoenvironmental record the aim of research in this cluster will be to inform policy and strategies for future landscape management. A flexible balance would be sort between the demands of present day economic strategies and the necessity of maintaining and curating features of past landscapes that have provided localities and regions with their distinct identity and character. This particular cluster will network with Geography our partner in the school.
