Project Background

Carved Stone Monuments

Carved stone monuments are among our most tangible links to the distant past. From the La Tène-decorated examples of the Late Iron Age (AD 1–400), to the cross-slabs and high crosses of the early medieval period (AD 400–1200), people in late prehistoric and early historic Ireland used stone carving to express their values and identities as skilled craftspeople and as members of kin-groups and wider communities. Stone was carved to preserve the memory of revered ancestors and deceased loved ones, to assert ownership of tracts of land, and to serve as focal points for communal rituals and devotions. These monuments have huge potential to enhance our understanding and enjoyment of Ireland’s past and its links to the wider world, for some designs indicate connections across Europe and as far afield as the Middle East.

The Digital Atlas

Compared to most facets of the Irish archaeological record, their unique combination of durability, variety and fine-grained chronology makes carved stones ripe for spatial analysis. Yet, to date, that potential remains unrealised. By far the most important records of carved stones on the island are those of the National Monuments Service of Ireland (NMS) and the Historic Environment Division of Northern Ireland (HED). Working in partnership with NMS and HED staff, this project will integrate and enrich these records, drawing upon recent in-depth research to add new layers of standardised data in ArcGIS. The Digital Atlas of Early Irish Carved Stone (DAEICS) will allow researchers to visualise and analyse the most important variables in form, design, resource investment, and chronology as never before. DAEICS will be a powerful new tool to tackle an array of pressing research questions relating to craft, religion, identities, territories, monastic networks, and social power.

Case Studies and Community Archaeology

Rather than an exhaustive, stand-alone survey, data-entry is tailored specifically for fine-grained spatial analysis of the entire corpus. DAEICS therefore complements the work of the NMS, HED, and projects on specific regions and monument types, such as the Og(h)am project, and will be a critical enabler of targeted research. We will showcase the potential of DAEICS by using it to inform and enable case studies of internationally important collections centred on Armagh, Clonmacnoise, and Iveragh. Through training in digital recording techniques, citizen scientists are being empowered to make an enduring contribution to the study and conservation of carved stone monuments in these study areas.