18/08/2026
A series of archaeological excavations at Ferriter's Cove on the shores of the Di**le Peninsula, County Kerry took place from 1983–1995, and uncovered a story from 8,000 years ago. The digs found evidence of generations of hunter gatherers, who returned to this shoreline seasonally over centuries, leaving behind evidence of their campsites, fishing and hunting activities.
Along with being a detailed study of Mesolithic Ireland, Ferriter's Cove was seen as a crucially important site, as amongst the butchered bones were those of a domesticated cow. Dating to around 4500–4200 BC, this was seen as providing the earliest evidence of hunter gatherer interaction with farmers at a crucial transitional period between the Mesolithic and Neolithic.
However a new study by Dr Martin Moucheron, together with colleagues and collaborators from UCD School of Archaeology, University College Cork and CNRS, have re-examined the evidence using modern scientific techniques such as Mass Spectrometry. This new analysis has revealed that rather than cattle remains, the bones were those of a bear and wild pig.
As the paper states, 'These results have a significant impact on our understanding of the Mesolithic–Neolithic ‘transition’ both in Ireland and in Western Europe more broadly since, as things stand, there is now no evidence of contact between Ireland and its Neolithic neighbours before 4000 BC.'
It's important to say that this reexamination shouldn't be taken as criticism of previous work. Instead, this is another good example of one of the most important parts of archaeological research – that the careful recording of sites and long term storage of excavated remains and archives creates the opportunity to re-examine and reinterpret sites as new technology becomes available – just like the recent projects reexamining remains from passage tombs like Carrowkeel and Newgrange.
Our understanding of the past should never become static and fossilised, new technologies and techniques, together with discoveries on other sites, can give us new lenses to look back with a clearer picture.
You can read the article for free in the latest paper by The Prehistoric Society:
https://www.prehistoricsociety.org/publications/past/113
Though as someone who loves to walk the shores of the Di**le Peninsula, it's all the more exciting to think I might be following in the paw prints of bears!
