James O’Driscoll
@jodarchaeology.bsky.social
Lecture in geospatial archaeology at the University of Glasgow, interested in landscape archaeology, GIS, remote sensing, hillforts, causewayed enclosures and anything big on top of a hill
Looking at the chronically understudied Irish cursus today and spotted some nice unrecorded features in Lugnagun cursus, Co. Wicklow that might show internal divisions similar to some British sites! Haven't seen those on an Irish cursus before, but then again, not sure anyone has ever looked!
June 12, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Looking at the chronically understudied Irish cursus today and spotted some nice unrecorded features in Lugnagun cursus, Co. Wicklow that might show internal divisions similar to some British sites! Haven't seen those on an Irish cursus before, but then again, not sure anyone has ever looked!
With fieldwork season just about to start, and because I am too cheap buy one, I decided to make my own large sieve! Here is a first attempt - lots of blood, sweat and tears gone into this (mostly blood, I should not be left near sharp things)
June 5, 2025 at 12:40 PM
With fieldwork season just about to start, and because I am too cheap buy one, I decided to make my own large sieve! Here is a first attempt - lots of blood, sweat and tears gone into this (mostly blood, I should not be left near sharp things)
There has been much debate as to whether Burnswark hillfort in S. Scotland was the site of a Roman siege, or was a long abandoned fort re-used by the Romans as a training camp. Excavation in in the 60's recovered lots of Roman ballistics and even a Roman sword! #HillfortsWednesday
May 21, 2025 at 11:28 AM
There has been much debate as to whether Burnswark hillfort in S. Scotland was the site of a Roman siege, or was a long abandoned fort re-used by the Romans as a training camp. Excavation in in the 60's recovered lots of Roman ballistics and even a Roman sword! #HillfortsWednesday
The stone-built enclosure on the elongated summit of Turlough Hill, Co. Clare, Ireland, has long been identified as a hillfort. However, its unusual polygonal shape and the numerous breaks in its bank might suggest it represents a Neolithic causewayed enclosure instead! #HillfortsWednesday
April 23, 2025 at 11:46 AM
The stone-built enclosure on the elongated summit of Turlough Hill, Co. Clare, Ireland, has long been identified as a hillfort. However, its unusual polygonal shape and the numerous breaks in its bank might suggest it represents a Neolithic causewayed enclosure instead! #HillfortsWednesday
Freestone Hill, Co. Kilkenny, was the first hillfort to be excavated in Ireland. It's complex history includes a large Bronze Age cairn with cremations and inhumations, a Late Iron Age enclosure with rare Roman artefacts, and a large hillfort surrounding dozens of house platforms #HillfortsWednesday
April 16, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Freestone Hill, Co. Kilkenny, was the first hillfort to be excavated in Ireland. It's complex history includes a large Bronze Age cairn with cremations and inhumations, a Late Iron Age enclosure with rare Roman artefacts, and a large hillfort surrounding dozens of house platforms #HillfortsWednesday
You know when you are a sad human being when you get excited about a delivery of red survey pegs!
March 31, 2025 at 9:59 AM
You know when you are a sad human being when you get excited about a delivery of red survey pegs!
The large 7.6ha hillfort of Mam Tor in England comprises a bank-ditch-counterscarp enclosure with the inner bank originally forming a box rampart. The ramparts surround a large settlement, which excavation suggests may have been used in the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age #HillfortsWednesday
March 19, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The large 7.6ha hillfort of Mam Tor in England comprises a bank-ditch-counterscarp enclosure with the inner bank originally forming a box rampart. The ramparts surround a large settlement, which excavation suggests may have been used in the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age #HillfortsWednesday
The complex earthworks at Woden Law, Scottish Borders, were once interpreted as a Roman siege of an indigenous site. However, it is more likely the earthworks comprise a complex, multiphase hillfort which survey suggests had a lot more internal settlement than previously recorded #HillfortsWednesday
March 12, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The complex earthworks at Woden Law, Scottish Borders, were once interpreted as a Roman siege of an indigenous site. However, it is more likely the earthworks comprise a complex, multiphase hillfort which survey suggests had a lot more internal settlement than previously recorded #HillfortsWednesday
The 18 hectare Eildon Hill overlooks the important Roman Fort of Newstead. It has multiple phases of ramparts set around a dense settlement, some of which have produced Bronze Age and Roman Iron Age dates and artefacts. Was this an active indigenous town when the Romans invaded!? #HillfortsWednesday
February 26, 2025 at 10:54 AM
The 18 hectare Eildon Hill overlooks the important Roman Fort of Newstead. It has multiple phases of ramparts set around a dense settlement, some of which have produced Bronze Age and Roman Iron Age dates and artefacts. Was this an active indigenous town when the Romans invaded!? #HillfortsWednesday
This looks so like the Late Iron Age coastal promontory fort at Drumanagh in Ireland!
February 19, 2025 at 11:47 AM
This looks so like the Late Iron Age coastal promontory fort at Drumanagh in Ireland!
The massive 28 hectare hillfort of Hod Hill, Dorset, had a large internal settlement, some of which survives in unploughed areas of the interior. Excavations by Richmond identified 17 Roman ballista bolts associated with 3 houses, & interpreted this as evidence for an attack! #HillfortsWednesday
February 19, 2025 at 7:27 AM
The massive 28 hectare hillfort of Hod Hill, Dorset, had a large internal settlement, some of which survives in unploughed areas of the interior. Excavations by Richmond identified 17 Roman ballista bolts associated with 3 houses, & interpreted this as evidence for an attack! #HillfortsWednesday
Over 400 house platforms are densely packed within the interior of the incredible Hambledon Hill in Dorset - a massive 28 hectare hillfort with monstrous banks that tower above the exterior. Aerial photos in the heatwave of 2022 even shows the remains of a Neolithic enclosure! #HillfortsWednesday
February 12, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Over 400 house platforms are densely packed within the interior of the incredible Hambledon Hill in Dorset - a massive 28 hectare hillfort with monstrous banks that tower above the exterior. Aerial photos in the heatwave of 2022 even shows the remains of a Neolithic enclosure! #HillfortsWednesday
The large, 7.7 hectare hillfort of Walls Hill sits a few kilometres to the south-west of Glasgow City. The site utilises a flay natural plateau, augmenting it natural steep slopes with earth banks which are particularly visible to the north. #HillfortsWednesday
January 29, 2025 at 5:18 PM
The large, 7.7 hectare hillfort of Walls Hill sits a few kilometres to the south-west of Glasgow City. The site utilises a flay natural plateau, augmenting it natural steep slopes with earth banks which are particularly visible to the north. #HillfortsWednesday
A complex of enclosures on the summit of Bonchester Hill in Roxburghshire, Scotland, the largest of which was excavated by Peggy Piggott in 1950. Recent dating of archival material places its construction and occupation in the Middle Iron Age, around 400-200 BC. #HillfortsWednesday
January 15, 2025 at 11:11 AM
A complex of enclosures on the summit of Bonchester Hill in Roxburghshire, Scotland, the largest of which was excavated by Peggy Piggott in 1950. Recent dating of archival material places its construction and occupation in the Middle Iron Age, around 400-200 BC. #HillfortsWednesday
Positioned on a low ridge overlooked by higher 100m to the S. The multiphase enclosing elements show up to 6 ramparts on the N, E and W (the most visible sides), with a complex entrance on the E. Strikingly, only 2 of these ramparts continue on the southern, most hidden side. #HillfortsWednesday
January 8, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Positioned on a low ridge overlooked by higher 100m to the S. The multiphase enclosing elements show up to 6 ramparts on the N, E and W (the most visible sides), with a complex entrance on the E. Strikingly, only 2 of these ramparts continue on the southern, most hidden side. #HillfortsWednesday
The stunning Caherconree hillfort in Co. Kerry is strategically set high up in the Slieve Mish Mts in Co. Kerry, Ireland. Named after the mythical Cú Roí mac Dáire, an ancient king of the province of Munster. #hillfortswednesday
December 4, 2024 at 10:04 AM
The stunning Caherconree hillfort in Co. Kerry is strategically set high up in the Slieve Mish Mts in Co. Kerry, Ireland. Named after the mythical Cú Roí mac Dáire, an ancient king of the province of Munster. #hillfortswednesday
Woden Law in the Scottish Borders. The outworks on this site were originally thought to represent the remains of a Roman siege, but are now considered part of the enclosing works of this complex Iron Age hillfort! More than a dozen roundhouses are recorded within the interior #hillfortswednesday
November 27, 2024 at 4:58 PM
Woden Law in the Scottish Borders. The outworks on this site were originally thought to represent the remains of a Roman siege, but are now considered part of the enclosing works of this complex Iron Age hillfort! More than a dozen roundhouses are recorded within the interior #hillfortswednesday
For all you Baltinglassonians, or anybody around West Wicklow, the official launch of our book on the Prehistoric landscape of Baltinglass will be held on the 10th of December...details below
November 21, 2024 at 7:13 PM
For all you Baltinglassonians, or anybody around West Wicklow, the official launch of our book on the Prehistoric landscape of Baltinglass will be held on the 10th of December...details below
A late #HillfortsWednesday entry. The massive stone rampart at Brusselstown Ring surrounds over 600 house platforms and is attached to the much larger, 131 hectare Spinans Hill 2 enclosure in Eastern Ireland #IrishArchaeology #wicklow
November 20, 2024 at 9:35 PM
A late #HillfortsWednesday entry. The massive stone rampart at Brusselstown Ring surrounds over 600 house platforms and is attached to the much larger, 131 hectare Spinans Hill 2 enclosure in Eastern Ireland #IrishArchaeology #wicklow
Approved 😂 I love the thought process in these pictures
Pic 1: this is not a causewayed enclosure?!
Pic 2: is this really a causewayed enclosure!?
Pic 3: I love causewayed enclosures!!
Pic 1: this is not a causewayed enclosure?!
Pic 2: is this really a causewayed enclosure!?
Pic 3: I love causewayed enclosures!!
November 18, 2024 at 2:38 PM
Approved 😂 I love the thought process in these pictures
Pic 1: this is not a causewayed enclosure?!
Pic 2: is this really a causewayed enclosure!?
Pic 3: I love causewayed enclosures!!
Pic 1: this is not a causewayed enclosure?!
Pic 2: is this really a causewayed enclosure!?
Pic 3: I love causewayed enclosures!!
First post on here has to be for #hillfortsWednesday This is Navan Fort, also known as Emain Macha in early medieval literature. It was the the ancient provincial capital of the Ulster (the northern part of Ireland).
November 13, 2024 at 3:10 PM
First post on here has to be for #hillfortsWednesday This is Navan Fort, also known as Emain Macha in early medieval literature. It was the the ancient provincial capital of the Ulster (the northern part of Ireland).