A recent excavation in County Wicklow has unearthed a significant hilltop settlement that may alter our understanding of early urban development in Ireland. Dr. Dirk Brandherm, part of the research team, states that this find could challenge the prevailing theory that the Vikings established the first towns on the island.
Located in the Baltinglass Hillfort Cluster in the Wicklow Mountains, the newly identified settlement, known as Brusselstown Ring, includes over 600 suspected houses, marking it as the largest nucleated settlement discovered in prehistoric Britain and Ireland to date. Archaeologists believe the site dates back to approximately 1200 BC, during the Late Bronze Age.
Significance of the Brusselstown Ring
The findings, which were published in the journal Antiquity, highlight the exceptional size and complexity of the settlement. Researchers noted:
“Given its exceptional size, density of occupation and architectural complexity, Brusselstown Ring represents a unique case within both the Baltinglass hillfort cluster and more widely within the Atlantic Archipelago.”
Dr. Brandherm, a reader in prehistoric archaeology at Queen’s University Belfast, emphasizes the significance of the large number of roundhouses clustered together. Previously, it was believed that Bronze Age settlements consisted mainly of small hamlets, with no evidence of towns or villages. The discovery at Brusselstown Ring suggests a more complex social structure and challenges existing narratives surrounding early settlement patterns in Ireland.
Excavation details and future research
Between August 23 and September 4, a dedicated team, including PhD researcher Cherie Edwards and research fellow Dr. Linda Boutoille, conducted excavations at the site. They unearthed various house platforms, which varied in size from four to twelve meters in diameter. Dr. Brandherm noted, “But the fact that we do have different sizes, it begs the question if there is some social differentiation sitting behind that.”
In addition to the houses, archaeologists discovered a stone-lined chamber believed to be a water cistern, which could represent a first for Ireland if it dates back to the same period as the roundhouses. This chamber demonstrates the advanced architectural understanding present during the Late Bronze Age.
Future examinations at Brusselstown Ring will aim to confirm the dating of the cistern, investigate the structural features of the roundhouses, and further understand the settlement’s chronology.
Previously, the largest cluster of ancient settlements was found at Mullaghfarna in County Sligo, containing about 150 houses from the middle Stone Age. The findings at Brusselstown Ring could redefine our knowledge of prehistoric settlement in Ireland and its implications for understanding the region’s history.