Description

What can Archaeology tell us about the modern history of Ireland? This timely volume addresses that question by providing an overview of the post-medieval archaeology of Ireland and establishing a framework for its interpretation.

The first half of the volume contextualises the development of post-medieval archaeology through individual chapters on the historiofraphy and archaeology of the Munster and Ulster Plantations, on urban archaeology in seven major settlements, and on the role of archaeology in furthering our understanding of rural, maritime and riverine landscapes.

The second half of the volumehighlights subfields within post-medieval archaeology including industrial and maritime archaeology, and then focuses upon the study of specific classes of material culture and archaeological data. This includes comestic architecture, churches, gardens, as well as ceramics, glass, coins, tobacco pipes, textiles and firearms.

The twenty eight chapters in the volume constitute revised and updated versions of papers presented at the inaugural conference of the Irish Post-Medieval Archaeology Group (IPMAG), held in Belfast in 2001, and designed as a forum for outlining the past, present and future of Irish post-medieval archaeology.