Travel in time, at The Outlet?!

No need for H.G Wells' time machine or a clapped-out Delorean here!

NAC in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Archaeology Forum (NIAF) have put up an exhibition of our archaeological discoveries during excavations of the A1 dualling scheme from Loughbrickand to Beechhill at The Outlet shopping centre in Banbridge, Co. Down.

The exhibition showcases some of the best finds from our archaeological investigations, from nearly complete funeral urns to arrowheads and polished stone axes. This display will run up to the up to the launch of NIAF run Archaeological Road Show, this Road Show will visit a number of major shopping centres in Northern Ireland.

The Road Show has been set up to try and show off Northern Ireland's archaeological heritage in a way that relates to all aspects of peoples daily lives and show how archaeology can be used as a tool to promote culture, the arts, tourism, leisure and community relations. The Road Show will provide a valuable resource for local communities showing the abundance of archaeology around them and highlighting public involvement with sites as well as raising awareness of the threat to our our heritage.

The exhibition is on display now at The Outlet now, so come along and have a look.

New Article! Tales of Hoffmann: Results of Archaeological Investigations at Annadale and Castle Espie.

NAC are proud to announce another published article, this time in the IHAI Conference Proceedings for the 15th of November 2008, the publication is titled "Archaeology of Irish Industry" and chronicles recent excavations within that dicipline.

Our article is entitled "Tales of Hoffmann: Results of Archaeological Investigations at Annadale and Castle Espie"and was written by our Company Director Stephen Gilmore.

This article is an archaeological investigation into two brickworks, Castle Espie in Co Down and Annadale brickworks situated along the River Lagan in Belfast city. It also discusses the function the kilns that were at the heart of these works and the economical hardships of this industry.

Copies of this article are available from the IHAI, if you are interested you can get one here.

Loughbrickland Coffee Table Book.

Nac are pleased to announce the lauch of a new publication based upon our excavations along the A1 at Loughbrickland.

This coffee table book is a followup to our BAR on the Loughbrickland site published earlier this year and is intended to give more of an overview of the site, focusing more on the results of the excavation than the process leading to those results.

This book was written by Angela Porter and published by the DRD Roads Service. The majority of illustrations and cover design were created by our in house illustrator Stephanie Godden.

We're in the news again!

East Belfast graveyard

A regeneration project has uncovered a nineteenth century graveyard where thousands of people may be buried. Human remains underneath a church car park are being exhumed.

Chris Page has been to the site and spoke to Gary Mason, the Methodist Minister at the East Belfast Mission, and the Archaeological Site Director of the dig, Colin Dunlop.

The video footage of this article is available on the BBC Newsline website here, enjoy!

N.A.C in the news!

The results of a significant archaeological dig have been unveiled in County Down.

Neolithic and Bronze Age remains were found at Loughbrickland when work began on new roads four years ago.

They included evidence of three Neolithic houses dating back over 6,000 year and a Bronze Age burial site.

Information boards have now been erected at the site. It is not yet known where the artefacts will be stored on a permanent basis.

Speaking about the finds, Education Minister Catriona Ruane, on behalf of Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy, said: "The display of these information boards marks the completion of the archaeological works associated with the A1 Loughbrickland to Beech Hill dual carriageway scheme.

This exerpt was from the BBC news website, for the rest of the article you can visit their website here.

New Article in Archaeology Ireland

Our article "Trouble And Trade In Antrim Town'' has been published in the summer 2009 issue of Archaeology Ireland. This article by site directors Jonathan Barkley and Gavin Donaghy details their recent archaeological investigation of the old Antrim Courthouse and highlights the toubled past of this building through the analysis of a cannon ball and a William and Mary halfpenny found during the excavation. Archaeology Ireland can be puchased from a number of large newsagents as well as from their website here.

New Childrens Book!

NAC are proud to announce the upcomming release of a new archaeological book aimed at children. This book was produced by the Roads Service, Jacobs and NAC and is due to be launched on the 17th of June.

The book tells the story of neolithic to bronze age settlement and burials through the eyes of three guides, Archie the Archaeologist, Niall Ithic and Bron Sage. The aim of this publication is to educate children about the day to day life of our ancient ancestors through the medium of archaeology and storytelling.

This book will be released through the Roads Service and more information about the publication will be available here after its release.

Ulster Archaeological Society events for 2009.

Mon 27th of April: Paul Masser, Headland Archaeology
The Archaeology of the Dungannon - Ballygawley Roadworks.

8th to 10th of May: County Field Trip: Co. Longford*

Mon 11th May: Paula Rymer, 14 Chrono: QUB Carbon Dating Department
AMS Carbon Dating at Queen’s, Why size matters.

23rd to 30th of May: Field Trip, Normandy*

Mon 8th of June: Field Trip (evening) Carrickfergus*

Sat 20th of June: Field Trip Rathlin*

Sat 8th of August: Field Trip National Museum Dublin*

Mon 24th August: Field Trip (evening) *

Mon 28th of Sept: Martin Keery, Gahan and Long Ltd.
The Excavation of Former Glassworks Site Sirroco works Belfast.

Mon 26th of Oct: Frazer Hunter, National Museums of Scotland.
The Romans in Scotland, Latest work.

Thurs 22nd of Oct: Annual Dinner *

Mon 16th Nov: Jonathan Bell, Rundale in the Glens of Antrim, Findings from The Glens of Antrim Historical Society’s Clachan Project,

Mon 7th of Dec: Chris Hunt, Queens University, Belfast.
50,000 years in the Rain Forest of Borneo.

Mon 25th of Jan 2010: Annual General meeting at 7:45pm*

* details will be announced through the newsletter and at the lectures.

If you are interested in any of these informative evenings and outings, please contact the Ulster Archaeological Society through their website here, or alternatively through there email address here.

BAR Published

NAC would also like to announce the recent launch of our first BAR. This publication is based upon the the Archaeological Investigations along the A1 Dualling Scheme, Loughbrickland to Beech Hill, Co. Down, N. Ireland (2005).

At the Loughbrickland site we uncovered the remains of three Neolithic houses and two Late Bronze Age barrow cemeteries, the cremated remains of 22 men, women and children were recovered from the cemeteries. Artefacts uncovered during the excavation include complete pottery bowls, polished stone axes and flint arrowheads. We also found evidence of what these prehistoric people would have eaten, in the form of pig bones, apple seeds, and carbonised grain.

If you would like more information on this publication, or are interested in purchasing it please follow this link. Alternatively you could visit us at our website here.

Article in Current Archaeology.

NAC are pleased to announce that our article "Excavating the slums of Belfast'' has been published in issue 229 of Current Archaeology. This article by site director Colin Dunlop details the archaeological investigation carried out at St Annes Square, Belfast, in the summer of 2007 as well as the history of this "depraved" area of the city. If you are interested in learning more about this article please follow this link for more information.