22TRA120 The Archaeology of the Killaclohane Portal Tombs

Date:                  Wednesday, 2nd February
Time:                  10 am - 30 minutes
Venue:               Online via Zoom
Presenter:        Dr Michael Connolly (County Archaeologist, Kerry County Council)
Suitable for:     Post Primary schools
Strands:            The job of an archaeologist and Settlement in Ireland: Ancient Ireland
Strand unit:     Neolithic Ireland: The First Farmers

Killaclohane Portal Tombs near Milltown in mid Kerry are the oldest man-made structures in the county dating to c. 3800 BC. One of the tombs underwent a major excavation and restoration programme and the artefacts found have been subject to scientific analysis. The tomb and its objects offer us a glimpse into the life and death of Kerry’s first farmers.

The webinar is presented by Dr. Michael Connolly, County Archaeologist with Kerry County Council. Michael was the lead archaeologist on the Killaclohane Portal Tomb project and his presentation will take you through the different steps of the excavation, describing the tools and techniques used. From high-tech geophysical surveying and radio carbon dating to mundane trowelling and soil-sieving, all of which played a role in piecing together the story of the 6,000 year old Neolithic tombs.