Archaeology at Special Collections & Archives
Exhibition curated and blog post written by Jack Tubman
A selection of materials relating to the study of archaeology across the island of Ireland is now on display on the first floor of the McClay Library. This exhibition showcases a small but representative sample of archaeological holdings preserved within Special Collections and Archives.
Periodical and Journal collections such as Archaeology Ireland and the Ulster Journal of Archaeology are collated at Special Collections and afford key insight as to the most pressing and developing issues within the discipline, at present and over time.
The collection also includes a wide range of archaeological surveys. These function as detailed records of archaeological discovery within specific geographical areas and represent a valuable resource to both researchers and casual readers alike. Currently on display are surveys of County Down, Rathlin Island, and Strangford Lough.
In addition to geographically focused studies, surveys may also explore archaeological landscapes across particular time periods, providing readers with a broader temporal perspective.
Complimenting these overview works are numerous site-specific studies, which offer detailed analysis of individual locations of archaeological significance.
Finally, the collection is strengthened by an extensive range of published books covering all periods of archaeological significance across the island of Ireland – from prehistory and the Early Christian Iron Age, to the industrial archaeology of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries (and everything in between).
Special Collections is pleased to curate these materials, all of which may be consulted in the Reading Room.