Papers by Bridget Brennan
The dead serve as a constant reminder of our mortality. The corpse exists in a transitional state... more The dead serve as a constant reminder of our mortality. The corpse exists in a transitional state between personhood and objecthood. Human remains are the ultimate vestiges of a loved one, friend, or neighbour, contrasting sharply with an object that incites horror and revulsion.
The cadaver acts as a reminder of the impermanence of human existence and the imperative to address our deep fears around the awareness of our own mortality. Mythical, religious, and folkloric accounts have developed over millennia to elucidate the fate of individuals post-mortem and the rationale behind it. Religious narratives regarding death and the afterlife serve as a power and control mechanism that can either mitigate or evoke further anxiety over our own mortality.
The combination of cold, anaerobic, anti bacterial and acidic conditions in the peat bogs of Nort... more The combination of cold, anaerobic, anti bacterial and acidic conditions in the peat bogs of North West Europe has produced a peculiar assortment of perfectly preserved human remains collectively known as the bog bodies. Human beings have been deposited in these wetland areas since the Mesolithic up until the post medieval period and there are multifarious theories regarding the possible reasons for their deposition. This study gives an overview of six theories one of which conjectures that the bog people were shamans. This final theory is tested, examined and evaluated in more detail in order to identify the possible influence of shamanic practice in bog body deposition.
The combination of cold, anaerobic, anti bacterial and acidic conditions in the peat bogs of Nort... more The combination of cold, anaerobic, anti bacterial and acidic conditions in the peat bogs of North West Europe has produced a peculiar assortment of perfectly preserved human remains collectively known as the bog bodies. Human beings have been deposited in these wetland areas since the Mesolithic up until the post medieval period and there are multifarious theories regarding the possible reasons for their deposition. This study gives an overview of six theories one of which conjectures that the bog people were shamans. This final theory is tested, examined and evaluated in more detail in order to identify the possible influence of shamanic practice in bog body deposition.
Kilbarron Church is a small ruinous edifice in the townland of Kilbarron approximately four kilom... more Kilbarron Church is a small ruinous edifice in the townland of Kilbarron approximately four kilometres north west of Ballyshannon, County Donegal. It has been variously dated from the 14th to the 16th century and it thought to have been built by the O'Clearys who were historians to the O'Donnells. The church may have been built as a re-dedication to St Barron as it is situated on the site where an earlier 6th century church may have stood. It is also situated within an area that would have been a politically contested landscape as far back as the Neolithic, considering its strategic position as a fording point and a boundary between the west and north west of Ireland.
Anthropophagy is a controversial subject among anthropologists, ethnographers and archaeologists.... more Anthropophagy is a controversial subject among anthropologists, ethnographers and archaeologists. For many years it has been at the centre of heated debate with regard to the extent of its existence both archaeologically and ethnographically. In more recent times biological, anthropological and archaeological evidence appears to be supporting the idea that anthropophagy was very much a part of the human experience throughout antiquity and remained so up until at least the middle of the 20th century.
The craft of woodturning dates back to Ancient Egypt and in particular Rameses III who is known t... more The craft of woodturning dates back to Ancient Egypt and in particular Rameses III who is known to have invested heavily in specialist carpenters. It was brought to Europe from the Middle East by the ancient Greeks around the 7th century BC. Archaeological evidence for the craft in Ireland and Britain dates to the second century BC. The woodturners skills were an essential part of the material culture of both rural and urban communities up until the early 20th century. The importation of cheaper metal and earthenware goods from abroad lead to its decline in the 1930's.
Drafts by Bridget Brennan
Lady of the Sands, 2014
Ballyshannon District Museum Project. An overview of excavations of a Bronze Age Burial Cairn co... more Ballyshannon District Museum Project. An overview of excavations of a Bronze Age Burial Cairn containing Early Medieval inhumantions at Ballymacward , County Donegal 1997-1998. Excavation directed by Dr Elizabeth O'Brien.
Thesis Chapters by Bridget Brennan
Masters by Research Thesis, 2024
This master's research project will comprise an extensive study of the medieval cemetery excavate... more This master's research project will comprise an extensive study of the medieval cemetery excavated at Kilteasheen, Knockvicar, County Roscommon, between 2005 and 2009.
The research will focus on various aspects, including the politico-religious
history of the site, demographics, paleopathology, ethnicity, kinship and funerary rituals. The study will analyse 800 years of funeral activity from AD 600 to 1400 and compare the findings with contemporary Irish cemeteries.
To elaborate further, this analysis will look into the cultural significance and surrounding factors of unusual cases of mortuary treatment at Kilteasheen, such as the interment of two young men with stones in their mouths.
The study will incorporate comparable instances of deviant burials from Ireland and Europe. The research will investigate the influence of religion, culture and folklore in burial rituals, yielding valuable insight into the possible motivations of those who veered from traditional burial practices.
The goal of this thesis is to make a significant contribution to the Kilteasheen Archaeological Project and facilitate its journey to full publication. The research will produce several academic papers suitable for inclusion in peer-reviewed journals, helping to disseminate the findings to a wider audience in the field of archaeology.
Overall, the analysis will offer a deeper understanding of the complexity of burial rituals and cultural beliefs in Medieval Ireland.
Uploads
Papers by Bridget Brennan
The cadaver acts as a reminder of the impermanence of human existence and the imperative to address our deep fears around the awareness of our own mortality. Mythical, religious, and folkloric accounts have developed over millennia to elucidate the fate of individuals post-mortem and the rationale behind it. Religious narratives regarding death and the afterlife serve as a power and control mechanism that can either mitigate or evoke further anxiety over our own mortality.
Drafts by Bridget Brennan
Thesis Chapters by Bridget Brennan
The research will focus on various aspects, including the politico-religious
history of the site, demographics, paleopathology, ethnicity, kinship and funerary rituals. The study will analyse 800 years of funeral activity from AD 600 to 1400 and compare the findings with contemporary Irish cemeteries.
To elaborate further, this analysis will look into the cultural significance and surrounding factors of unusual cases of mortuary treatment at Kilteasheen, such as the interment of two young men with stones in their mouths.
The study will incorporate comparable instances of deviant burials from Ireland and Europe. The research will investigate the influence of religion, culture and folklore in burial rituals, yielding valuable insight into the possible motivations of those who veered from traditional burial practices.
The goal of this thesis is to make a significant contribution to the Kilteasheen Archaeological Project and facilitate its journey to full publication. The research will produce several academic papers suitable for inclusion in peer-reviewed journals, helping to disseminate the findings to a wider audience in the field of archaeology.
Overall, the analysis will offer a deeper understanding of the complexity of burial rituals and cultural beliefs in Medieval Ireland.
The cadaver acts as a reminder of the impermanence of human existence and the imperative to address our deep fears around the awareness of our own mortality. Mythical, religious, and folkloric accounts have developed over millennia to elucidate the fate of individuals post-mortem and the rationale behind it. Religious narratives regarding death and the afterlife serve as a power and control mechanism that can either mitigate or evoke further anxiety over our own mortality.
The research will focus on various aspects, including the politico-religious
history of the site, demographics, paleopathology, ethnicity, kinship and funerary rituals. The study will analyse 800 years of funeral activity from AD 600 to 1400 and compare the findings with contemporary Irish cemeteries.
To elaborate further, this analysis will look into the cultural significance and surrounding factors of unusual cases of mortuary treatment at Kilteasheen, such as the interment of two young men with stones in their mouths.
The study will incorporate comparable instances of deviant burials from Ireland and Europe. The research will investigate the influence of religion, culture and folklore in burial rituals, yielding valuable insight into the possible motivations of those who veered from traditional burial practices.
The goal of this thesis is to make a significant contribution to the Kilteasheen Archaeological Project and facilitate its journey to full publication. The research will produce several academic papers suitable for inclusion in peer-reviewed journals, helping to disseminate the findings to a wider audience in the field of archaeology.
Overall, the analysis will offer a deeper understanding of the complexity of burial rituals and cultural beliefs in Medieval Ireland.