The remains of six men discovered beneath Nancy Spain’s bar in Cork, Ireland, likely died violently between 1447 and 1636.
Cork City CouncilThe men appear to have died during a troubled period in Irish story .
For years , young citizenry flocked to Nancy Spain ’s pub in Cork , Ireland , at 48 Barrack Street , to drink and enjoy music . But the whole metre , they were dancing atop finger cymbals . When the gin mill was demolished in 2021 , archeologists come across centuries - old skeletons of six men who ’d met “ violent ” ends as long as 500 years ago .
“ It was very exciting to notice the bones , ” David Murphy , a senior archaeologist with John Cronin and Associates who first spotted the ivory , assure theIrish Examiner . “ It does n’t bechance every day and you want to verify you stick to the right subprogram . ”
Cork City CouncilThe men appear to have died during a turbulent period in Irish history.
Murphy and other archaeologist first come across the remains during the destruction of the pothouse in October 2021 . When they spotted the skeletons , they notified the authorisation . But it quickly became clear-cut that the man bury beneath Nancy Spain ’s prevention had died a farseeing time ago .
“ The orbit is part of what was the suburban area of medieval Cork and so is in a zone of archaeological potential , ” Murphy tell theIrish Examiner .
According toThe Journal , radiocarbon dating revealed that the humanity had died between 1447 and 1636 . They were all between 18 and 25 at the time of their death , and it appeared that they ’d each met “ a tearing and gruesome ending . ”
John Cronin & AssociatesThe burial site where archeologists dug up the skeletons.
John Cronin & AssociatesThe burial site where archaeologist dug up the skeletons .
The bodies , osteo - archeologist Niamh Daly tell apart theIrish Examiner , were not put to pillow in “ a reverential manner . ” Rather , then man were bound and then dumped into a mass grave , where they were buried “ head to toe . ”
“ In fact , it was discernible that all four individuals were buried in a fashion which suggest that the hand and/or wrists were bound behind the backs , ” Daly enjoin , “ and it is likely that the feet and/or mortise joint were also bound . ”
TwitterNancy Spain’s bar shortly after it closed, and before archeologists found skeletons buried beneath it.
However , archeologist are n’t entirely sure how the men died . TheIrish Examinernotes that the men appeared to have been goodly — by from some brass on their teeth — at the prison term of their death .
Indeed , the team did n’t find grounds of trauma to their bones , suggesting that the men were not hanged , shot with pointer , butchered with axes , knives , or swords , or shot with a gun .
So how did the men die — and why ? The archaeologists have some theory . According toThe Journal , a number of historic events take place in Ireland between 1447 and 1636 that could explain their gruesome deaths .
TwitterNancy Spain ’s bar shortly after it closed , and before archeologists find underframe bury beneath it .
The Journalwrites that they could have perished during the First Desmond Rebellion ( 1569 – 1573 ) , the Second Desmond Rebellion ( 1579 – 1583 ) , the Nine Years War ( 1593 – 1603 ) , or during a insurrection in Cork in 1603 following the demise of Queen Elizabeth I.
“ It is hoped that ongoing post - excavation oeuvre will provide great clarity and accuracy on [ the ] burial date of the revealed individuals , ” the Cork City Council state in a statement , as reported byThe Journal . Then , it might be easier to align the men ’s death with any of the historical events that swept Cork over the centuries .
But the skeletons of the six man were n’t the only matter that archaeologists found under Nancy Spain ’s pub .
accord to theIrish ExaminerandThe Journal , they also found evidence of a large ditch that dates back to the 11th or twelfth century , a time period when the descendants of autochthonal Irish people and Vikings start developing Cork . City archeologist Ciara Brett call the discovery “ extremely pregnant . ”
“ This area organize part of the suburbs of the medieval metropolis and is therefore of important diachronic and archaeologic significance , ” she tell theIrish Examiner . “ The ditch , which is exceptionally heavy in size , was not known about prior to excavation . ”
Murphy added that the ditch could volunteer Modern clew about the early development of Cork itself .
“ The presence of this defensive ditch characteristic , some 300 [ meters ] upslope and to the southwest of the accepted area of colony , may indicate that the settlement was more extensive than previously suppose , ” he said , noting that it could have also been purely justificative in nature and set apart from the original settlement .
As for the body find under Nancy Spain ’s gin mill ? Archaeologists say that the investigating is on-going and that they desire to learn more about the living and deaths of the military man buried there .
“ The story wo n’t terminate here , ” Daly order theIrish Examiner . “ With advance in technology , the bones may be subject to further study and analysis using Modern technique in the future , and who lie with what those test may chance on . ”
After reading about the physical structure found under an Irish pub , look through thesephotos of the “ Troubles”in Ireland . Or , see how archeologists find oneself an “ exceptionally high ” number ofdecapitated Roman - era skeletons in England .
