The creation of an ancient medieval roundhouse on UCD’s campus has gotten a lot of attention within the archaeological world.
The medieval build mimics life in the Middle Ages, the roof being thatched out of straw and oat on land near Roebuck’s Castle on UCD grounds. The project became reality thanks to the collaborative work of students and staff, making it one of the few facilities of its kind worldwide.
Aidan O’ Sullivan, a professor of Archaeology involved with the exciting initiative, explains that the structure is the second one to be built by UCD’s Centre for Experimental Archaeology. A previous build, comprised out of heather, was sadly burnt down in an alleged arson attack in 2019.
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Aidan told Dublin Live: “It was very disappointing because we thought the structure was going to stand for 10 years. These structures are entirely organic so it was burnt down in 15 minutes. All the artefacts inside were completely destroyed- the pottery exploded into fragments. We then decided to rebuild a new one.”
The college remains hopeful for this new research opportunity despite the previous setback. The new build, which represents an old archaeological site in Co Antrim, will allow both undergraduate and graduate students to learn about the past in innovative ways.
Aidan explains archaeological students spent in the previously destroyed build for three days, applying skills that would have been used in the Middle Ages in day to day life. There will likely be similar opportunities for students in the new roundhouse.
He adds: “We’re putting in beds, fireplace, equipment, the cauldrons for cooking, the ceramics, the various tools. We’ll be trying out light and smoke experiments to test the living conditions again to see if it behaves in a different way to our previous one. We’re moving towards a better understanding of what daily living conditions were like during this time.”
The project has already gained traction thanks to social media. UCD Archaeology is followed by an impressive 20,000 people worldwide across different platforms, all scattered across the globe. The exploration of the roundhouse will eventually be opened up to people outside of UCD- Aidan explains the university will operate tours, mainly for schools and groups, on their own schedule in the future.
The educational opportunities for the project are also invaluable, particularly after the pandemic. Aidan says that many archaeological students would have missed out on practical hands on experience during the lockdowns.
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He adds: “They will learn how to smelt iron- young students, mostly in their 20s, who have never been close to a fire before. Students are learning to use all their senses. They aren’t sitting in a lecture hearing a professor talk about a PowerPoint. They’re actually experiencing and investigating material culture with their hands, learning from each other.”
The medieval build will be completed in the coming weeks. Further information is available on UCD Archaeology’s Twitter.
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