Archaeologists Discover Largest Cluster of Prehistoric Houses

Archaeologists in Co Wicklow have uncovered what may be the largest cluster of prehistoric houses ever found in Britain and Ireland. This discovery significantly surpasses the previous record held by the Mullaghfarna site in County Sligo, which contained over 150 houses from the middle Stone Age and later Bronze Age periods. The newly identified settlement, located in the Baltinglass hillfort cluster, includes evidence of more than 600 houses dating back to the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age, specifically from 3700 to 800 BC.

The Baltinglass hillfort cluster comprises up to 13 large enclosures situated across a series of hills at the southwestern edge of the Wicklow Mountains. Researchers from Cambridge University assert that the area shows signs of continuous use and monumental construction from the Early Neolithic through to the Bronze Age. Within this expansive site is the Brusselstown Ring, distinguished by its two widely spaced ramparts that encircle the enclosure.

Recent airborne surveys have indicated that the Brusselstown Ring may have had over 600 house platforms, with 98 located within the inner enclosure and the remaining 509 positioned between the inner and outer ramparts. This makes it the largest clustered hillfort settlement discovered in both prehistoric Ireland and Britain to date.

Cherie Edwards, an author of the study published in the journal Antiquity, noted that “this site – along with a small number of other nucleated settlements situated on hilltops – appears to have emerged around 1200 BC.” The findings suggest that urban development in northern Europe occurred nearly 500 years earlier than previously believed.

Excavation efforts have focused on house platforms of varying sizes, ranging from six to twelve metres in diameter. Dr. Edwards explained that the positioning of excavation trenches aimed to determine potential correlations between house size and indicators of social differentiation. The settlement is clearly dated to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, between 1193 and 410 BC, and is characterized by a high density of dwellings.

In addition to the house platforms, archaeologists unearthed a unique structure near one of the trenches. This feature has a flat interior outlined by large stones, and earlier surveys suggest it may have functioned as a water cistern. Scientists believe this could represent the first water cistern of its kind found within an Irish hillfort, adding further significance to the site.

The discoveries at the Baltinglass hillfort cluster not only challenge previous understandings of prehistoric settlement patterns in Ireland and Britain but also highlight the region’s rich archaeological heritage. As research continues, experts look forward to uncovering more insights into the lives of those who inhabited this remarkable site thousands of years ago.