The Centre of Maritime archaeology In Northern Ireland has started working on anew project on the major rivers. See below with info and contact details. Also they have form for recording you can download.Hope of use.
"A new research post, tasked with creating a baseline survey of the freshwater archaeology of Northern Ireland, has been set up by the NIEA in conjunction with the CMA. The post, which commenced in December 2008, is hosted by the ESRI at the University of Ulster. Until now, the work of the CMA has largely been restricted to the maritime zone. With the employment of a dedicated person for the freshwater environment, the Centre can now address freshwater inquiries, consultations and immediate threats to the archaeological resource. This initiative marks the first step in undertaking integrated management action to assess and protect the freshwater archaeological resource; thus enabling the NIEA to fulfil the commitments of its mission statement by protecting, conserving and promoting Northern Ireland?s underwater cultural heritage.
In the first phase, this research project will examine the archaeological potential of Northern Ireland?s great rivers ? the Bann, Foyle, Erne, Blackwater and Lagan, and their associated tributaries. An examination of the archaeological potential of Ulster?s lacustrine environment will follow. The research will focus on core themes, such as, riverine crossing points, settlement, rivers as boundaries and defences, the utilisation of rivers for transport and the conscious control of rivers for purposes of navigation, fishing, abstraction and power. Broader research questions associated with the wider river drainage basin or catchment will also be explored.
The archaeological information gathered from research and accompanying programmes of fieldwork will, in the first instance, be collated and presented in a GIS data set. This work will ultimately help the future preservation and conservation of riverine archaeological sites in Northern Ireland and outline fields for future multi-disciplinary research.
For further information contact Rory McNeary (Research Associate in Freshwater Archaeology) at
r.mcneary@ulster.ac.uk
Please use the downloadable Reporting Form to notify us of any archaeological sites or objects you may know of from your local river.
