Values

Archaeology

The description of peatlands as 'living history books' is very apt as they can provide information about past landscapes, climates and cultural activity, and highlight human impact on the local and global environment.

Unlike mineral soils, which only preserve inorganic materials such as stone axes and flints, peatlands have preserved a wealth of organic materials including wooden tools and trackways, clothing and jewellery, plant pollen and even animal and human remains (Table 1). The degree of preservation is influenced by many factors and so can vary greatly between different types of peatland and indeed between sites.

Table 1: Preservation of different materials in wet and dry soils in Europe.(after J.Coles).

Irish bogs have been cut for centuries and the archaeological literature of the last 150 years shows a continuous record of the discoveries made by turf cutters and others working the land. The value of these artefacts recovered from peatlands cannot be over-estimated.

Using pollen deposits in our peatlands, we can trace the arrival of man in Ireland, the clearance of forests and the planting of crops throughout history. Evidence that extinct species such as the Giant Irish Elk once roamed the Irish countryside has been discovered in several bogs.

The archaeological value of peatlands is not just confined to individual artefacts – settlements, patterns of settlements, field enclosures and tombs enable us to reconstruct the prehistoric landscape.