How ancient Sandel settlement gave us a glimpse back in time

QUESTION What is the oldest Irish prehistoric settlement? Did archaeologists find anything?

THE oldest prehistoric settlement found in Ireland was at Mount Sandel, near Coleraine, Co. Derry. It was in existence from 7900BC to 7600BC, or around 10,000 years ago. Lots of small fragments were found that enabled archaeologists to build up a very comprehensive picture of what day-to-day life was like in the settlement.

A small band of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers had chosen the site on a high ridge overlooking the River Bann in present-day Co. Derry. In a clearing in the forest, they built ten tent-like structures. Wooden posts in the shape of bent saplings were driven into the ground in circular fashion and hides and thatch were used to cover the posts and form primitive houses.

Most of the huts were six metres across, each with an internal hearth that was used for cooking and to provide heat, while one structure was half the size, just three metres across.

These Mesolithic people had chosen a good spot for their settlement, as the forests were full of wild pigs and the adjacent river had plenty of fish.

This prehistoric settlement was rediscovered in the 1970s during excavations carried out by Dr Peter Woodman, an archaeologist from University College Cork. He and his team didn’t find much left on the site, except for a lot of pits, the holes left by the support posts for the primitive dwellings, and the hearths within those structures.

The UCC team also found plenty of evidence of what these primitive settlers had eaten. About 80% of the bones found came from fish and it became clear the prehistoric settlers had a strong taste for salmon and trout, and also ate eels, bass and flounder. Evidence of wooden racks, on which fish were dried or smoked, were also found.

About 15% of the bones found were from mammals, mainly wild boar and pigs, while about 5% of the bones came from birds.

Wild plants were also eaten, with hazelnuts being particularly prolific. After these had been harvested in the autumn, they were then cured, so that they would keep for up to 12 months, providing a ready source of protein, fats and vitamins. The team from UCC also found lots of evidence that the prehistoric settlers used wooden and stone tools. The wooden tools had small flint blades inserted along the length of the wooden handles, to form a cutting blade. If the flints were placed at the end of wooden tools, these could then be used as harpoons or spears to catch fish. The settlers also used polished stone axes, which were used both for carpentry and clearing forests.

In 2013, the UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology made a replica of one of the dwelling houses at Mount Sandel, a circular structure with a diameter of six metres that enabled archaeologists to see how these Mesolithic settlers lived. The replica house on UCD’s campus at Belfield was left to deteriorate, so the archaeologists could see how long this type of building lasted.

You can also see reconstructed Mesolithic huts at the Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig, Co. Wexford. With presentday archaeological techniques, it’s amazing just how much of the prehistoric lifestyle from the Mesolithic era was reconstructed. The Mount Sandel site yielded a vast amount of clues as to how our ancestors lived, the best part of 10,000 years ago.