Kerri Cleary | University College Dublin (original) (raw)
Book chapters by Kerri Cleary
The Megalithic Art of the Passage Tombs at Knowth, County Meath, 2022
Excavations at Knowth 6: The Passage Tomb Archaeology of the Great Mound at Knowth. Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 2017
The 60 AMS 14C determinations on cremated and non-burnt human bone presented here have provided a... more The 60 AMS 14C determinations on cremated and non-burnt human bone presented here have provided a robust chronological framework for the interpretation of the main use phase at Knowth. This large series was seen as necessary to overcome the problem presented by the late fourth-millennium BC calibration plateau. To a large extent this strategy has been successful, but as is usually the case with modelling, there is not necessarily a single, clear-cut answer to questions of chronology, and much still depends on archaeological interpretation. Although the use of individual tombs is more variable, largely because of smaller sample sizes, overall modelling of funerary activity at Knowth consistently places the main phase of use as lasting between 100 and 300 years, maximum, in the period 3200–2900 BC (in a statement that now appears prescient, George Eogan (1991, 112) more than two decades ago suggested a date range of 3200–3000 cal. BC for the main phase of passage tomb construction and use at Knowth).
Celtic from the West 3: Atlantic Europe in the Metal Ages: questions of shared language, 2016
Archaeological Networks: Excavations on six gas pipelines in County Cork, 2015
Exploring Prehistoric Identity in Europe. Our construct or theirs?, 2014
Archaeological Excavations at Tullahedy, Co. Tipperary: Neolithic Settlement in North Munster, 2011
Archaeological Excavations at Tullahedy, Co. Tipperary: Neolithic Settlement in North Munster, 2011
Excavations at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary by Martin Doody, 2007
Excavations at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary by Martin Doody, 2007
Papers by Kerri Cleary
Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, 2021
Kerri Cleary, Ed Lyne and John Olney begin by detailing an important cluster of pits in the townl... more Kerri Cleary, Ed Lyne and John Olney begin by detailing an important cluster of pits in the townland of Kilcolman that suggest Neolithic farmers were occupying the area sometime between c. 3650–3350 BC. This included leaving behind charred hazelnuts, a rubbing/hammer stone, two sherds of carinated bowl pottery and a stone bead. Just over 300 m to the north-east of this site, additional prehistoric occupation was evidenced by a burnt mound (also known as fulacht fia) dated to the Middle Bronze Age.
This is followed by a summary of the excavations undertaken at a multivallate ringfort (RMP KE047-054) known as Lissaniska (Lios an Uisce—fort of the water). This work focused on the northern portion of the enclosing elements (ditches and banks), revealing evidence for water management practices and several well-preserved wood vessels, as well as evidence for likely flax retting within the inner ditch. Radiocarbon dating suggests the site was established by the late seventh or early eighth century AD and continued in use potentially until the eleventh century.
Additional sites detailed in the article include late medieval charcoal-production pits in the townlands of Kilderry South and Knockagarrane and features relating to the 17th/18th-century occupation of Kilcoleman Demesne, including the remains of a small cottage and landscaped features.
Exploring Celtic Origins, 2019
European Journal of Archaeology, 2018
This article examines the evidence for fragmentation practices on Middle–Late Bronze Age (c. 1600... more This article examines the evidence for fragmentation practices on Middle–Late Bronze Age (c. 1600–700 BC) settlement sites in Ireland by looking at two kinds of material: human remains, both burnt and non-burnt, and quern stones. It highlights evidence for the manipulation of non-burnt skulls through ‘de-facing’ and the potential retention of cranial and other fragments for ‘burial’ in settlements. It also explores the more difficult task of determining whether incomplete skeletal representation in cremated remains can be interpreted as deliberate fragmentation, and how the context of deposition must be considered. Human agency in relation to the fragmentation patterns of querns is also examined to understand whether the act of breaking these objects was intentional or unintended and if depositing them was symbolic or simply fortuitous. By discussing this evidence, I hope to contribute to the argument that the funerary and settlement spheres in later prehistoric Ireland were becoming increasingly intertwined.
Cleary, Kerri; Frolík, Jan; Krekovic, Eduard; Parga-Dans, Eva; Procopiou, Elena S. 2014. Responding to the Financial Crisis in Five European Countries: People, Roles, Reactions and Initiatives in Archaeology. En Archaeologies, 10(3): 211-231. , 2014
[EN] The recent global financial crisis has resulted in different reactions at different times ac... more [EN] The recent global financial crisis has resulted in different reactions at different times across various European countries. Archaeology represents a microcosm of this diversity and how the profession has responded forms part of the Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe project. In many countries the falling number of archaeologists in employment reflects the impact of a decreased construction industry and government austerity measures, while in others an increasing number of archaeologists, many newly qualified, are facing uncertain job security and turning to commercial archaeology in the hope of better future employment opportunities. By using data from Ireland, Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Cyprus we get a cross-section of how European archaeology has been impacted upon but also how it has reacted.
[ES] La reciente crisis financiera mundial ha dado lugar a diferentes reacciones en diferentes momentos en varios países europeos. La arqueología representa un microcosmos de esta diversidad y cómo la profesión ha respondido forma parte del proyecto Descubriendo a los Arqueólogos de Europa. En muchos países, el número decreciente de arqueólogos con empleo refleja el impacto de una industria de la construcción reducida y de las medidas de austeridad del gobierno, mientras que en otros, un creciente número de arqueólogos, muchos recién titulados, se enfrentan a una seguridad laboral incierta y están recurriendo a la arqueología comercial con la esperanza de obtener mejores oportunidades de empleo futuras. Mediante la utilización de datos de Irlanda, España, República Checa, Eslovaquia y Chipre, obtenemos un corte transversal de cómo la arqueología europea se ha visto impactada y de cómo ha reaccionado.
[FR] La récente crise financière mondiale a entraîné des réactions différentes à des moments différents dans les différents pays européens. L’archéologie représente un microcosme de cette diversité et la façon dont la profession a réagi fait partie intégrante du projet Archéologie en Europe. Dans de nombreux pays, la réduction du nombre d’archéologues sur le marché de l’emploi reflète l’incidence d’une diminution de l’industrie de la construction et des mesures d’austérité des gouvernements, tandis que dans d’autres, un nombre croissant d’archéologues, beaucoup nouvellement qualifiés, se heurtent à l’insécurité de l’emploi et se tournent vers l’archéologie commerciale dans l’espoir de trouver de meilleures opportunités d’emplois futures. En utilisant des données de l’Irlande, d’Espagne, de République tchèque, de Slovaquie et de Chypre, nous obtenons un échantillon représentatif de la façon dont l’archéologie européenne a été touchée et comment elle a réagi.
Archaeology Ireland, 2006
The Journal of Irish Archaeology, 2005
Books by Kerri Cleary
Edited volume of 11 papers, Oxbow Books, 2021
Despite notable explorations of past dynamics, much of the archaeological literature on mobility ... more Despite notable explorations of past dynamics, much of the archaeological literature on mobility remains dominated by accounts of earlier prehistoric gatherer-hunters, or the long-distance exchange of materials. Refinements of scientific dating techniques, isotope, trace element and aDNA analyses, in conjunction with phenomenological investigation, computer-aided landscape modelling and GIS-style approaches to large data sets, allow us to follow the movement of people, animals and objects in the past with greater precision and conviction. One route into exploring mobility in the past may be through exploring the movements and biographies of artefacts. Challenges lie not only in tracing the origins and final destinations of objects but in the less tangible ‘in between’ journeys and the hands they passed through. Biographical approaches to artefacts include the recognition that culture contact and hybridity affect material culture in meaningful ways. Furthermore, discrete and bounded ‘sites’ still dominate archaeological inquiry, leaving the spaces and connectivities between features and settlements unmapped. These are linked to an under-explored middle-spectrum of mobility, a range nestled between everyday movements and one-off ambitious voyages. We wish to explore how these travels involved entangled meshworks of people, animals, objects, knowledge sets and identities. By crossing and re-crossing cultural, contextual and tenurial boundaries, such journeys could create diasporic and novel communities, ideas and materialities.
Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 2017
This volume presents the archaeological evidence for the achievements of the passage tomb builder... more This volume presents the archaeological evidence for the achievements of the passage tomb builders who constructed and used the Great Mound (Tomb 1) at Knowth over a period of at least three centuries, c. 3200–2900 BC. The monuments at Knowth represent not just local expressions of ideas and ritual practices spread over extensive geographical areas of western and northern Europe, but also some of the most impressive architectural and engineering developments. Knowth is a multi-period and multi-functional archaeological complex, but the specific focus of this, the sixth volume in the series of publications presenting the research from the excavations at the site, is the construction and use of Tomb 1 during the Neolithic, including its relationship with the surrounding landscape from which raw materials were drawn and other monuments with comparable architecture, artefacts and shared mortuary practices.
Open access to this volume: https://repository.dri.ie/catalog/s178j1735
The Collins Press, Cork, 2015
The 2006 Association of Young Irish Archaeologists conference was a huge success, with a wide ran... more The 2006 Association of Young Irish Archaeologists conference was a huge success, with a wide range of topics presented to a very high standard. It was deemed essential, therefore, to publish the proceedings and continue the good reputation of the AYIA. Although the level of activity within the association has fluctuated since its' founding in Belfast in 1968, the annual conference remains the associations' main event, hosted in rotation by the various student societies. The AYIA is a platform through which people can offer their views and open the floor to discussion. It can often be the first opportunity for people to present their research in public and with the reputation of a friendly atmosphere there can be no better place to take this first step.
Reports by Kerri Cleary
The Megalithic Art of the Passage Tombs at Knowth, County Meath, 2022
Excavations at Knowth 6: The Passage Tomb Archaeology of the Great Mound at Knowth. Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 2017
The 60 AMS 14C determinations on cremated and non-burnt human bone presented here have provided a... more The 60 AMS 14C determinations on cremated and non-burnt human bone presented here have provided a robust chronological framework for the interpretation of the main use phase at Knowth. This large series was seen as necessary to overcome the problem presented by the late fourth-millennium BC calibration plateau. To a large extent this strategy has been successful, but as is usually the case with modelling, there is not necessarily a single, clear-cut answer to questions of chronology, and much still depends on archaeological interpretation. Although the use of individual tombs is more variable, largely because of smaller sample sizes, overall modelling of funerary activity at Knowth consistently places the main phase of use as lasting between 100 and 300 years, maximum, in the period 3200–2900 BC (in a statement that now appears prescient, George Eogan (1991, 112) more than two decades ago suggested a date range of 3200–3000 cal. BC for the main phase of passage tomb construction and use at Knowth).
Celtic from the West 3: Atlantic Europe in the Metal Ages: questions of shared language, 2016
Archaeological Networks: Excavations on six gas pipelines in County Cork, 2015
Exploring Prehistoric Identity in Europe. Our construct or theirs?, 2014
Archaeological Excavations at Tullahedy, Co. Tipperary: Neolithic Settlement in North Munster, 2011
Archaeological Excavations at Tullahedy, Co. Tipperary: Neolithic Settlement in North Munster, 2011
Excavations at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary by Martin Doody, 2007
Excavations at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary by Martin Doody, 2007
Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, 2021
Kerri Cleary, Ed Lyne and John Olney begin by detailing an important cluster of pits in the townl... more Kerri Cleary, Ed Lyne and John Olney begin by detailing an important cluster of pits in the townland of Kilcolman that suggest Neolithic farmers were occupying the area sometime between c. 3650–3350 BC. This included leaving behind charred hazelnuts, a rubbing/hammer stone, two sherds of carinated bowl pottery and a stone bead. Just over 300 m to the north-east of this site, additional prehistoric occupation was evidenced by a burnt mound (also known as fulacht fia) dated to the Middle Bronze Age.
This is followed by a summary of the excavations undertaken at a multivallate ringfort (RMP KE047-054) known as Lissaniska (Lios an Uisce—fort of the water). This work focused on the northern portion of the enclosing elements (ditches and banks), revealing evidence for water management practices and several well-preserved wood vessels, as well as evidence for likely flax retting within the inner ditch. Radiocarbon dating suggests the site was established by the late seventh or early eighth century AD and continued in use potentially until the eleventh century.
Additional sites detailed in the article include late medieval charcoal-production pits in the townlands of Kilderry South and Knockagarrane and features relating to the 17th/18th-century occupation of Kilcoleman Demesne, including the remains of a small cottage and landscaped features.
Exploring Celtic Origins, 2019
European Journal of Archaeology, 2018
This article examines the evidence for fragmentation practices on Middle–Late Bronze Age (c. 1600... more This article examines the evidence for fragmentation practices on Middle–Late Bronze Age (c. 1600–700 BC) settlement sites in Ireland by looking at two kinds of material: human remains, both burnt and non-burnt, and quern stones. It highlights evidence for the manipulation of non-burnt skulls through ‘de-facing’ and the potential retention of cranial and other fragments for ‘burial’ in settlements. It also explores the more difficult task of determining whether incomplete skeletal representation in cremated remains can be interpreted as deliberate fragmentation, and how the context of deposition must be considered. Human agency in relation to the fragmentation patterns of querns is also examined to understand whether the act of breaking these objects was intentional or unintended and if depositing them was symbolic or simply fortuitous. By discussing this evidence, I hope to contribute to the argument that the funerary and settlement spheres in later prehistoric Ireland were becoming increasingly intertwined.
Cleary, Kerri; Frolík, Jan; Krekovic, Eduard; Parga-Dans, Eva; Procopiou, Elena S. 2014. Responding to the Financial Crisis in Five European Countries: People, Roles, Reactions and Initiatives in Archaeology. En Archaeologies, 10(3): 211-231. , 2014
[EN] The recent global financial crisis has resulted in different reactions at different times ac... more [EN] The recent global financial crisis has resulted in different reactions at different times across various European countries. Archaeology represents a microcosm of this diversity and how the profession has responded forms part of the Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe project. In many countries the falling number of archaeologists in employment reflects the impact of a decreased construction industry and government austerity measures, while in others an increasing number of archaeologists, many newly qualified, are facing uncertain job security and turning to commercial archaeology in the hope of better future employment opportunities. By using data from Ireland, Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Cyprus we get a cross-section of how European archaeology has been impacted upon but also how it has reacted.
[ES] La reciente crisis financiera mundial ha dado lugar a diferentes reacciones en diferentes momentos en varios países europeos. La arqueología representa un microcosmos de esta diversidad y cómo la profesión ha respondido forma parte del proyecto Descubriendo a los Arqueólogos de Europa. En muchos países, el número decreciente de arqueólogos con empleo refleja el impacto de una industria de la construcción reducida y de las medidas de austeridad del gobierno, mientras que en otros, un creciente número de arqueólogos, muchos recién titulados, se enfrentan a una seguridad laboral incierta y están recurriendo a la arqueología comercial con la esperanza de obtener mejores oportunidades de empleo futuras. Mediante la utilización de datos de Irlanda, España, República Checa, Eslovaquia y Chipre, obtenemos un corte transversal de cómo la arqueología europea se ha visto impactada y de cómo ha reaccionado.
[FR] La récente crise financière mondiale a entraîné des réactions différentes à des moments différents dans les différents pays européens. L’archéologie représente un microcosme de cette diversité et la façon dont la profession a réagi fait partie intégrante du projet Archéologie en Europe. Dans de nombreux pays, la réduction du nombre d’archéologues sur le marché de l’emploi reflète l’incidence d’une diminution de l’industrie de la construction et des mesures d’austérité des gouvernements, tandis que dans d’autres, un nombre croissant d’archéologues, beaucoup nouvellement qualifiés, se heurtent à l’insécurité de l’emploi et se tournent vers l’archéologie commerciale dans l’espoir de trouver de meilleures opportunités d’emplois futures. En utilisant des données de l’Irlande, d’Espagne, de République tchèque, de Slovaquie et de Chypre, nous obtenons un échantillon représentatif de la façon dont l’archéologie européenne a été touchée et comment elle a réagi.
Archaeology Ireland, 2006
The Journal of Irish Archaeology, 2005
Edited volume of 11 papers, Oxbow Books, 2021
Despite notable explorations of past dynamics, much of the archaeological literature on mobility ... more Despite notable explorations of past dynamics, much of the archaeological literature on mobility remains dominated by accounts of earlier prehistoric gatherer-hunters, or the long-distance exchange of materials. Refinements of scientific dating techniques, isotope, trace element and aDNA analyses, in conjunction with phenomenological investigation, computer-aided landscape modelling and GIS-style approaches to large data sets, allow us to follow the movement of people, animals and objects in the past with greater precision and conviction. One route into exploring mobility in the past may be through exploring the movements and biographies of artefacts. Challenges lie not only in tracing the origins and final destinations of objects but in the less tangible ‘in between’ journeys and the hands they passed through. Biographical approaches to artefacts include the recognition that culture contact and hybridity affect material culture in meaningful ways. Furthermore, discrete and bounded ‘sites’ still dominate archaeological inquiry, leaving the spaces and connectivities between features and settlements unmapped. These are linked to an under-explored middle-spectrum of mobility, a range nestled between everyday movements and one-off ambitious voyages. We wish to explore how these travels involved entangled meshworks of people, animals, objects, knowledge sets and identities. By crossing and re-crossing cultural, contextual and tenurial boundaries, such journeys could create diasporic and novel communities, ideas and materialities.
Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 2017
This volume presents the archaeological evidence for the achievements of the passage tomb builder... more This volume presents the archaeological evidence for the achievements of the passage tomb builders who constructed and used the Great Mound (Tomb 1) at Knowth over a period of at least three centuries, c. 3200–2900 BC. The monuments at Knowth represent not just local expressions of ideas and ritual practices spread over extensive geographical areas of western and northern Europe, but also some of the most impressive architectural and engineering developments. Knowth is a multi-period and multi-functional archaeological complex, but the specific focus of this, the sixth volume in the series of publications presenting the research from the excavations at the site, is the construction and use of Tomb 1 during the Neolithic, including its relationship with the surrounding landscape from which raw materials were drawn and other monuments with comparable architecture, artefacts and shared mortuary practices.
Open access to this volume: https://repository.dri.ie/catalog/s178j1735
The Collins Press, Cork, 2015
The 2006 Association of Young Irish Archaeologists conference was a huge success, with a wide ran... more The 2006 Association of Young Irish Archaeologists conference was a huge success, with a wide range of topics presented to a very high standard. It was deemed essential, therefore, to publish the proceedings and continue the good reputation of the AYIA. Although the level of activity within the association has fluctuated since its' founding in Belfast in 1968, the annual conference remains the associations' main event, hosted in rotation by the various student societies. The AYIA is a platform through which people can offer their views and open the floor to discussion. It can often be the first opportunity for people to present their research in public and with the reputation of a friendly atmosphere there can be no better place to take this first step.
by Heleen van Londen, Joao Tereso, Rocío Varela-Pousa, Danica Staššíková-Štukovská, Andris Sne, Marjo Schlaman, Karin Scharringhausen, Eva Parga-Dans, Ain Mäesalu, Michaela Mácalová, Gavin MacGregor, Andrew Lawler, Katheriin Liibert, Tina Kompare, Nele Kangert, Jan Frolík, Mariana Diniz, Cláudia Costa, Kerri Cleary, Efthymia Alphas, Vesna Pintarič Kocuvan, Irena Lazar, Kenneth Aitchison, Tine Schenck, Katharina Möller, and Raimund Karl
Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked toget... more Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked together in the Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe 2014 project to gain insight into the profile of the archaeological profession and labour market in those countries. The results can be compared with those of a predecessor Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe project, undertaken in 2006-08,
Employment. Across the 21 participating states, it is calculated that a total of over €1 billion is spent on professional archaeology every year, with the majority of that expenditure being on the salary costs of the estimated 24,740 people who work as archaeologists in these countries. This group of professionals represents 0.006% of the combined total workforces of those states. In many states, the absolute numbers employed in archaeology has fallen significantly over the previous six years. It is estimated that approximately 33,000 archaeologists now work across Europe as a whole.
Growth of the sector. Across Europe, organisations employing archaeologists have typically become smaller over the five years prior to this project, and employers are very cautious about predicting future growth.
Nature of the workforce. A slight majority (50.3% to 49.7%) of archaeologists are women. The proportion of women in the workforce has increased over the six years since 2006-08 from 45.9%. On average, European archaeologists are 40 years old. Very few European archaeologists are disabled – 1.1% of the total number of workers for whom data were available, a reduction from 1.5% in 2006-08.
Countries of Origin. 94% of archaeologists work in their own countries of origin, 5% are from other EU states and 1% from elsewhere in the world. Overall, this shows a slight decline in sectoral transnational mobility, as in 2006-08 more archaeologists were working away from their countries of origin.
Qualifications. In every participating state, it is normal for people working in archaeology to hold a degree – on aggregate, 94% of European archaeologists are graduates and the majority (69%) are postgraduates. 90% of archaeologists gained their highest qualifications in the countries in which they now work, with 9% obtaining those qualifications elsewhere in Europe (and 1% elsewhere in the world). When compared with the figures from 2006-08, this shows that archaeologists are increasingly educationally mobile.
Salaries. In twelve of the 21 participating states, archaeologists were paid less than the national average for all workers. An average figure of €24,901 was calculated as the mean salary earned by an archaeologist, but this is relatively meaningless as average salaries vary enormously between counties, with Danish archaeologists earning on average nine times the amount earned by their peers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Nature of the work. 78% of the archaeologists for whom data were available worked full-time and 22% part-time. This is a marked change from 2006-08, when the percentages were 86% full-time and 14% part-time. 63% of archaeologists held permanent contracts at the time of the research, while the remaining 37% of workers had time-limited contracts.
Structures. As was identified in the predecessor project in 2006-08, archaeological practice in the participating states is organised on different models, with varying levels of commercial activity balanced against state agency engagement. This is often linked to the funding basis of archaeological practice (variation both on the basis of funding from the state or from private sector industries, and on whether delivery is achieved by the state or by the private sector). Different states define who can be considered to be an archaeologist in different ways. Vocational education and training (VET) in the sector is almost universally delivered by universities through academic degree programmes.
Skills and Training Needs. Issues relating to specific training needs were assessed in each participating country, but, as in 2006-08, because of the variety of ways in which these questions were asked by the project partners (in order to accommodate the differing structures and approaches to archaeological work in each participating state), the information obtained cannot be usefully compared transnationally.
Trends and developments. In comparison with the predecessor work undertaken in 2006-08, the main ways that the sector has changed are that the number of jobs has decreased and the proportion of women working in the sector has increased. Furthermore, jobs are more likely to be part-time and for shorter contractual periods; archaeologists are more highly qualified, but are less well-paid in comparison with other sectors.
by Heleen van Londen, Rocío Varela-Pousa, Tine Schenck, Eva Parga-Dans, Andrew Lawler, Kerri Cleary, Irena Lazar, Raimund Karl, Cláudia Costa, Karin Scharringhausen, Marjo Schlaman, Ain Mäesalu, Katheriin Liibert, Katharina Möller, Nathalie Vossen, and Alessandro Pintucci
Culture Programme European Commission, 2012
Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked toget... more Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked together in the Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe 2014 project to gain insight into the profile of the archaeological profession and labour market in those countries. The results can be compared with those of a predecessor Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe project, undertaken in 2006-08.
