The Economy of the Ringfort and Contemporary Settlement in Early Medieval Ireland

With a definite economic focus, this work utilises a broad spectrum of information, including structural, artefactual, environmental, technological and documentary to examine the economy of early medieval Ireland and the domestic life of the non-elite population. Evidence from ringforts forms the basis of the study, but is supplemented with material from other settlement forms such as crannogs and monasteries where appropriate. Cover Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgements AUTHOR’S NOTE List of Figures List of Tables Chapter I Introduction Chapter II Documentary Evidence Chapter III Crop Cultivation Chapter IV Animal Husbandry Chapter V Non-Agricultural Resource Exploitation Chapter VI Craft Production: Stone Chapter VII Craft Production: Wood Chapter VIII Craft Production: Clay Chapter IX Craft Production: Skeletal Material Chapter X Craft Production: Textiles and Leather Chapter XI Craft Production: Iron Chapter XII Craft Production: Vitreous Material Chapter XIII Craft Production: Non-Ferrous Metals Chapter XIV Transport, Trade and Exchange Chapter XV Development of Economic Model Chapter XVI Application of Economic Model Chapter XVII The economy of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Britain Chapter XVIII Conclusion Appendix 1: Excavated Early Medieval Sites Appendix 2: Technical Processes Appendix 3: M.V. DUIGNAN’S EXCAVATIONS AT THE RINGFORT OF RATHGURREEN, COUNTY GALWAY, 1948 - 1949 BIBLIOGRAPHY Michelle Comber. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 311-335).