- This event has passed.
‘Idols and unclean things’: a one-day conference and photographic exhibition on the Gortnacrannagh figure and its context
August 20, 2022
Free
Rathcroghan Visitor Centre, in association with Roscommon County Council, Roscommon NRDO, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Archaeological Management Solutions, is delighted to be able to host a special one-day archaeology conference and photographic exhibition, exploring the Gortnacrannagh figure and its context, on August 20th 2022.
An exciting archaeological discovery was announced in autumn of 2021, with the discovery of an eight-foot-tall wooden figure in reclaimed wetlands to the north-east of Tulsk village, Co. Roscommon. This Iron Age artefact was uncovered by archaeologists from Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) during work on the N5 Road Project.
The Gortnacrannagh Idol, as the find was dubbed, is a 1,600-year-old wooden sculpture, cut from the split trunk of an oak tree. It is thought to have been deliberately deposited in the wetlands. In addition to the idol, researchers discovered animal remains and a dagger, suggesting that the site may have been used for animal sacrifice for the worship of a pre-Christian deity of late-Iron Age Ireland.
This fascinating discovery will now be the subject of a one-day conference in autumn 2022, designed to glean insights into the artefact itself, as well as its wider significance. This conference will be blended event, due to a limited capacity for in-person attendance, therefore the event will be simultaneously streamed online via a platform to be confirmed in due course.
The keynote lecture, and launch of the replica Gortnacrannagh figure, will be delivered by Dr. Melanie Giles, University of Manchester, alongside a series of talks provided by Dr. Katharina Becker (UCC), Dr. Eve Campbell (AMS), Dr. Daniel Curley (RVC), Dr. Ben Geary (UCC), Cathy Moore (Archaeological and Built Heritage) and Dr. Ros Ó Maoldúin (AMS).
This is a free event, but as places are limited, booking is essential.
Tickets can be booked on eventbrite by following the link