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Hut Site, Ross Island Mine Camp
The Bronze Age work camp at Ross Island provides an insight into
daily life in an early copper mine. The foundation traces of huts used
by the miners have been identified, consisting of circular and
sub-rectangular settings of stake-holes where walls once stood.
Excavation here revealed animal bones, mostly of cattle and pig with
some sheep, discarded by the miners after their meals. A small quantity
of worked bone was found, as were flint artifacts including arrowheads
and scrapers. Sherds of small pottery vessels used as drinking cups by
the miners were also recovered.
The main activity in the settlement was the concentration and
smelting of copper ore. The evidence suggests a work camp used
intermittently by the miners and supported by larger external
settlements. It is not certain whether the operations here were
organised on a seasonal basis or involved a longer commitment by
full-time miners. The animal bones point to an agricultural base behind
this mining, however the location of these parent settlements remains
unknown. Several ancient metal finds from Killarney point to a
significant Early Bronze Age settlement in the area.