Archaeological test excavations at Brusselstown Ring in County Wicklow, one of the largest hillforts in Ireland, have revealed a high likelihood that this was the most densely populated prehistoric settlement site in Ireland and Britain.

Four archaeologists who surveyed Brusselstown identified over six hundred ‘microtopographical anomalies’ within the two giant enclosures on the hill (enclosing an area spanning 41.19 hectares (101.8 acres) which they think likely represent the footprints of prehistoric roundhouses.

The findings have been presented in a new paper published by the journal Antiquity this week.

Their test excavations on just four of the 607 anomalies revealed evidence of prehistoric occupation, and radiocarbon dates situate this settlement activity in the Late Bronze Age, between 1210 and 780 BC.

Brusselstown Ring is one of 13 large hilltop enclosures spanning a ‘necklace’ of hills in the south-western edge of Wicklow Mountains range. This complex is often referred to by archaeologists as ‘Ireland’s Hillfort Capital’. These structures were built from the early Neolithic (c. 3700BC) to the Late Bronze Age (c. 800BC).

While other clusters of prehistoric roundhouses have been found in Ireland – for instance at Turlough Hill, County Clare, and Mullaghfarna, County Sligo – these had 140 to 150 houses. Brusselstown is unprecedented in both Ireland and Britain in that it looks to have had several multiples of that settlement density, representing the ‘largest prehistoric nucleated settlement by far in Ireland and Britain’, the new paper says.

What we are looking at is a Bronze Age ‘town’ – a large, enclosed habitation site on a hilltop (1,346ft above sea level) where people lived around 3,000 years ago.

Archaeologists also uncovered evidence of what they call a Bronze Age ‘cistern’ – a stone-built structure designed to contain water from a nearby stream running into the structure, akin to a prehistoric water reservoir.

In the latest Mythical Ireland Podcast, I examine and discuss the fascinating findings in relation to Brusselstown Ring, and why the publication of the new paper is such an exciting revelation about ancient Ireland.

To listen to the podcast, subscribe as a Mythical Ireland Patron at the Bronze Age level ($10/month) or higher. Patrons at the Bronze Age level have access to all previous podcasts in addition to much more, including exclusive videos, articles, photos and news updates.

If you do not wish to become a monthly patron, you can still access the new podcast (which runs to 49 minutes) by making a one-off contribution of $10 (or the equivalent in your own currency).

I hope to feature one or several of the authors of the paper in a future Mythical Ireland Podcast.