Paper short abstract:

The spectacular summit plateau of Ben Bulben, north Connacht, is intriguingly bereft of visible archaeology, and may have constituted a reserved space in the Neolithic. A recently discovered complex of megalithic monuments and settlement sites on a lower plateau demarcate the restricted high ground.

Paper long abstract:

The striking massif of Ben Bulben is arguably the most spectacular natural feature in north-west Ireland. Yet despite its commanding presence, at the heart of a regional prehistoric landscape which includes the Carrowmore and Carrowkeel megalithic cemeteries, the summit plateau appears intriguingly bereft of archaeology.

On a lower plateau, however, a recently discovered extensive archaeological complex is providing insights into the relationships between people and place spanning millennia. Megalithic monuments and settlement sites ranging in date from the earlier Neolithic to the Bronze Age lie among an extensive grouping of fossil potholes. Two outlying 'sentinel' monuments mark the best routes up to the complex from the deep glacial valleys to the north and south.

My study finds that the architecture and natural features of the lower plateau combine to create a liminal space, demarcating the only boundary of the summit plateau not protected by high cliffs. The setting of the complex isolates it from the valleys and shoreline below: only the higher plateau and the peaks of other mountains are visible. Often shrouded in mist, yet sheltered from the worst of the fierce Atlantic winds, this physical threshold was apt for ceremonies and rituals which may have invoked the forces of the proscribed ground above. Later in prehistory, people carrying out more prosaic seasonal activities in the area nurtured its spiritual associations through the construction of new monuments.

This paper explores the temporal depth of a prehistoric landscape 'hidden' on the most prominent natural feature in the region.