Early Neolithic Agriculture in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland: Geoarchaeology of the Céide Fields, Belderrig, and Rathlackan

Erika B. Guttmann-Bond; Jennifer A.J. Dungait,; Alex Brown; Ian D Bull; Richard Evershed

doi:10.3721/037.006.3002

Early Neolithic Agriculture in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland: Geoarchaeology of the Céide Fields, Belderrig, and Rathlackan

Erika B. Guttmann-Bond, Jennifer A.J. Dungait,, Alex Brown, Ian D Bull, Richard Evershed

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Abstract

The Céide Fields, Belderrig, and Rathlackan are extensive early Neolithic field systems in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. The Céide Fields are thought to be the earliest field systems in Europe, and as such they are listed as a potential World Heritage site. For this project, the buried soils of the 3 sites were analyzed in order to determine the nature and extent of the prehistoric land use within the field systems. The aims were twofold: to identify material added as fertilizer, and to determine whether the land was used for pasture or for arable agriculture. Soil phosphates and bile acids from the Neolithic soils indicate low levels of input of herbivore dung, and also some human fecal material in the Céide Fields. The results suggest that the soils may have been fertilized with animal manure.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-32
Number of pages	32
Journal	Journal of the North Atlantic
Volume	30
Early online date	1 May 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3721/037.006.3002
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2016

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This is the author accepted manuscript (AAM). The final published version (version of record) is available online via Eagle Hill Institute at http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.3721/037.006.3002. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
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title = "Early Neolithic Agriculture in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland: Geoarchaeology of the C{\'e}ide Fields, Belderrig, and Rathlackan",

abstract = "The C{\'e}ide Fields, Belderrig, and Rathlackan are extensive early Neolithic field systems in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. The C{\'e}ide Fields are thought to be the earliest field systems in Europe, and as such they are listed as a potential World Heritage site. For this project, the buried soils of the 3 sites were analyzed in order to determine the nature and extent of the prehistoric land use within the field systems. The aims were twofold: to identify material added as fertilizer, and to determine whether the land was used for pasture or for arable agriculture. Soil phosphates and bile acids from the Neolithic soils indicate low levels of input of herbivore dung, and also some human fecal material in the C{\'e}ide Fields. The results suggest that the soils may have been fertilized with animal manure.",

author = "Guttmann-Bond, {Erika B.} and Dungait,, {Jennifer A.J.} and Alex Brown and Bull, {Ian D} and Richard Evershed",

year = "2016",

month = may,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3721/037.006.3002",

language = "English",

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journal = "Journal of the North Atlantic",

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T1 - Early Neolithic Agriculture in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland

T2 - Geoarchaeology of the Céide Fields, Belderrig, and Rathlackan

AU - Guttmann-Bond, Erika B.

AU - Dungait,, Jennifer A.J.

AU - Brown, Alex

AU - Bull, Ian D

AU - Evershed, Richard

PY - 2016/5/1

Y1 - 2016/5/1

N2 - The Céide Fields, Belderrig, and Rathlackan are extensive early Neolithic field systems in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. The Céide Fields are thought to be the earliest field systems in Europe, and as such they are listed as a potential World Heritage site. For this project, the buried soils of the 3 sites were analyzed in order to determine the nature and extent of the prehistoric land use within the field systems. The aims were twofold: to identify material added as fertilizer, and to determine whether the land was used for pasture or for arable agriculture. Soil phosphates and bile acids from the Neolithic soils indicate low levels of input of herbivore dung, and also some human fecal material in the Céide Fields. The results suggest that the soils may have been fertilized with animal manure.

AB - The Céide Fields, Belderrig, and Rathlackan are extensive early Neolithic field systems in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. The Céide Fields are thought to be the earliest field systems in Europe, and as such they are listed as a potential World Heritage site. For this project, the buried soils of the 3 sites were analyzed in order to determine the nature and extent of the prehistoric land use within the field systems. The aims were twofold: to identify material added as fertilizer, and to determine whether the land was used for pasture or for arable agriculture. Soil phosphates and bile acids from the Neolithic soils indicate low levels of input of herbivore dung, and also some human fecal material in the Céide Fields. The results suggest that the soils may have been fertilized with animal manure.

U2 - 10.3721/037.006.3002

DO - 10.3721/037.006.3002

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

VL - 30

SP - 1

EP - 32

JO - Journal of the North Atlantic

JF - Journal of the North Atlantic

SN - 1935-1933

ER -

Early Neolithic Agriculture in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland: Geoarchaeology of the Céide Fields, Belderrig, and Rathlackan

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