The Western Stone Forts Project

The Western Stone Forts Project was initiated to study a distinctive group of large stone forts located along the western seaboard of Ireland. The majority of these forts are concentrated on the Aran Islands County Galway, in the Burren Co. Clare and on the Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas Co. Kerry. Excavations associated with the project were…

---

Bone needle from Dun Aonghasa, type 1: boat-shaped needle, find no. 2272.

Creator: The Discovery Programme

Identifier: WSFP_V03_FIG_2272

Type: Image

Format: L.109mm; W.8mm; T.4.5mm

Incomplete. Very tip of one end is missing. The shank is finely made. Curved profile. Oval in section at centre and for one half, but tapering to a circular section for the other half. Tapers from 8mm by 4.5mm to 2mm in diameter at the blunt tip. Central groove in both surfaces and a perforation. Extensive patches of polish remaining, but the surfaces are worn. A short longitudinal groove tapering to a point either side of the perforation in both surfaces of the needle. On the outer surface, it starts just above the perforation and fades out along the oval-section half; 23mm long by 5mm wide. Groove in the inner surface tapers from either side of the perforation to a point, and is 8mm long by W.5mm wide. Slot-type perforation is 6mm by 5mm.

---