Archaeology

Medieval rural settlement research in Ireland may be a young discipline but it is a vibrant one. The dynamics of inter-cultural development between colonizer and the indigenous Irish remains a principal theme in current research. There is active study of landscapes where archaeologists, historians, historical geographers, and environmental historians increasingly work together, creating that most healthy framework of interdisciplinary study. It is from within such a methodological paradigm that researchers are beginning to touch on the ‘total economy’. This will lead in time to the more complex and ultimately rewarding observations of human dynamic across Ireland’s medieval countryside and its developing urban landscapes. Ireland’s rich archaeological record combined with the application of complex data analysis presents a model for other areas that share a relatively modest corpus of contemporary written sources.

The paper takes a look beyond the traditional approach to studying medieval barns in England, by thinking less of them as banks of structural detail and more as buildings in a landscape setting that played a role in reinforcing seigneurial authority in a rural context. The paper draws on archaeological remains, manorial accounts and contemporary literature.

The paper presents an update (2009) on the use of plough pebbles in Ireland; small stones fitted to the base of timber ploughs to act as an anti-wear device that would slow down the deterioration of the timber frame where it came into contact with the soil. In Ireland, plough pebbles remain a thirteenth-century phenomenon and consequently are a key indicator of dating when found in context.

A review (2011), based on archaeological evidence, that seeks to understand the primary motive factors behind subtle changes noticeable in the principal technologies developed in the early medieval period to make and process food in Ireland.

Excavation within the Cistercian Abbey of Bective, Co. Meath, recovered 67 plough pebbles, some of which come from a sealed and burned 13th-century context, suggesting that the pebbles in this instance are all that remains of the plough the used them.

Many enterprises have launched initiatives and benefited from improving their position as stewards of the environment. Strategies that help determine where to focus investments and resources in order to improve the environment are also becoming more common. Not surprisingly, methodologies designed to reduce waste are well suited to help companies that have environmental impact objectives such as reducing their carbon footprint and conserving natural resources. Green Sigmae, developed by IBM, is one such methodology that enables transformation for environmental stewardship by applying a proven process, robust analysis tools, and effective technology solutions. It utilizes aspects of the traditional Lean and Six Sigmae methodologies while providing the necessary tools to identify, implement, and sustain improvements that have a positive impact on the environment. The Green Sigma methodology is explained and then applied to a manufacturing and warehouse facility in an actual case study. By following the five steps of Green Sigma, applying robust analysis tools, and creating a management dashboard system, an energy savings of at least 20% was identified and achieved.