The Iron Age, Roman Iron Age and Early Medieval Irish Sea Zone

A number of related investigations examine the communities around the Irish Sea in the period from the late Bronze Age through to the Vikings.

About the Project

Through regional survey, geophysical prospection and selective site excavation, we can examine the following in Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man:

Chronology
Settlement
Social structure
Interconnections.

Aspects of the research programme

‌Methods

Innovative methods include:

• On-site building reconstruction of roundhouses at Castell Henllys
• Artefact biography for Viking finds
• AMS radiocarbon dating.

These methods give us new insights into the past and transform site detail and regional chronologies.

Findings

The environmental data recovered from excavation has greatly increased our understanding of the economy in cultures which have a limited surviving artefactual record.