Excavations at Knowth: Historical Knowth and Its Hinterland (Royal Irish Academy Monographs in Archaeology,) [Hardcover]

William Jenkins (Editor), Catherine Swift (Editor), Gillian Kenny (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2008 | ISBN-10: 190489030X | ISBN-13: 978-1904890300

The studies that constitute this fourth volume in the "Excavations at Knowth" series of monographs evaluate the historical role of Knowth and Brugh na Boinne from the earliest references to the region in the seventh and eight centuries down to the present. The first chapter, by Catherine Swift and Francis John Byrne, deals with the earliest history of Knowth, from which it is clear that Knowth was an important place within the kingdom of North Brega, and indeed became the royal residence of the kings of that region. A significant part of this chapter is the comprehensive set of pedigress of the kings of Brega extending from the seventh to the twelfth century. Chapter I also considers the ogham and vernacular inscriptions found in the Knowth passage tombs - five scholastic oghams and sixteen personal names in the vernacular style.In Chapter II, Gillian Kenny focuses on the Medieval period. She begins with the demise of the old Brega kingship and its replacement by a new ritual and political structure following the arrival of the Cistercians in the area in 1142 and the establishment of the monastery at Mellifont. Knowth and the surrounding area were incorporated into the Cistercian land holdings in 1157; this resulted in transformation of agricultural practices and reforms of land-holding structure. The occupation of the area by the Anglo-Normans, under Hugh de Lacy, shortly afterwards brought more extensive changes and a new pattern of settlement. The Reformation led to the demise of that pattern of settlement and its associated religious practice, and with Mellifont's dissolution in 1539 its properties, including Knowth, were disposed of.In Chapter III, William Jenkins points out that the emergence of the Protestant landed gentry coincided with these changes. The Dowth area, however, remained in the hands of the old Anglo-Norman Netterville family. A consolidation of the landed gentry in the Brugh na Boinne area took place in the eighteenth century, alongside a phase of economic development that saw the construction of roads and a canal in the Knowth-Newgrange area. Jenkins examines the changes in the settlement, landscape and society of the area through the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including the acquisition by the Irish state of the large mound at Knowth, the programmes of excavation and conservation at the site and development of Brugh na Boinne as a place of mass tourism.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Royal Irish Academy (October 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 190489030X
• ISBN-13: 978-1904890300
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,387,758 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)