Manx Archaeology
The Isle of Man is rich in archaeological sites and historic landscapes. Since its inception in 1992 the Centre has undertaken a wide range of projects, covering the whole period from the Mesolithic up to the 19th century. Four main types of activity have been undertaken: field survey; keyhole excavations targeted at specific sites and research issues, and larger scale excavations and commercial consultancy contacts. All of them in different ways have contributed to a broader understanding of Manx insularity, identity and human impact. Field surveys Three areas of the island have been surveyed in detail - the Meayll peninsular, upper Glendhoo and the Myroscough monastic estate. These areas all contain heather moorland and derelict field systems abandoned in the last 50 years or so and only a handful of recorded archaeological sites. The surveys and the associated environmental and keyhole sampling that have been carried out have contributed to an understanding of the sequence of human occupation and use of the uplands, and thus, of the unique character of the Manx landscape today. They have also begun to establish the chronology of adaptation of successive Manx ‘natural’ and human populations both to climatic variation and to changing management practises. Keyhole excavation A number of known sites were sampled in order t provide dating and environmental information as part of the research needed for completing Volume 2 - ‘Prehistory’ - of The New History of the Isle of Man. Peter Gelling’s dating and interpretation of the ringfort at Port y Candas was confirmed and the site placed within a secure framework of vegetation history. Re-excavation of the late Neolithic/Bronze Age site at Ballachrinck in the Lhen Trench succeeded in linking the environmental sequence identified by geomorphologists in the basin with the adjacent occupation levels. In addition, very early evidence for the introduction of cereal cultivation - the earliest to date in the British Isles, was recovered. A completely new class of Neolithic site in the uplands - the quartz mound - was explored at Rheast Buigh, Patrick and on the slopes of Slieu Curn Iron Age and Norse period utilisation of the uplands was identified along with attendant field systems. Excavation One of the most important recent tasks carried out within the Centre has been to facilitate the completion of the excavation report of work carried out by the University of Liverpool from 1982-1988. The site provided vital new evidence of Mesolithic, Iron Age and medieval activity on St Patrick’s Isle. The impact of the ‘pagan’ Norse on the existing population was explored through the excavation of a series of richly endowed burials. The Centre’s most significant excavation project in recent years has been at Rushen Abbey. Once the site had been purchased for the nation in 1998 the first task was to explore the site as thoroughly as possible and to expose the ground plan of the core of the abbey as it was at the Dissolution in 1540 [Interim report]. This was achieved just in time for the site to be opened to the public in April 2000. Subsequently the Centre has been investigating the early history of the site as represented by an early Medieval cemetery at some distance to the south of the Savignac abbey which may be related to an pre-existing monastic presence at Rushen. The site is key to the understanding of political and religious change in the 11th to 13th centuries, to the Isle of Man as focal point for the Kingdom of the Isles, and, through the study of the monastic estate at Myroscough, to the impact of economic, social and climatic change during the Middle Ages. The Centre for Manx Studies offers consultancy archaeology services to government departments, lead contractors and developers involved in infrastructure and building construction works. Staff are experienced in all phases of the development process, from tender preparation through desktop study, fieldwalking, test pitting and trial trenching, area excavation and watching brief. Specialist expertise is available in such areas as environmental archaeology; GIS; prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval archaeology; database development and manipulation. Past experience has included the IRIS Project, landfill site assessments, the new hospital, the prison, the airport and housing estate watching briefs on the Isle of Man, while further afield staff have undertaken assessments for developments such as the Centre Parcs site at Whinfell, Cumbria, a hydro-electric scheme at Inverbroom, near Ullapool and the Arundel bypass. A significant feature of this work is that, deriving from a research base the product of many of these external contract are fed, not only to the contractor as the best possible advice, but also into the Centre’s own research agendas. For example, work in the Central Valley for Iris allowed the vegetation history of a region of the Island to be studied for the first time. Work on a proposed rubbish tip at Kerrowdhoo Bride greatly assisted in clarifying issues about sea-level change, the origin and settlement of the Ayres and the impact of recent land-use and political change on the area. As members of the Institute of Field Archaeologists, staff are committed to the pursuit of best practice and the maintenance of high standards of output. We believe our long record of service to the Manx community, since 1992, is a reflection of our success.
Publications
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