‘It’s incredibly rare’ – 2,000-year-old fig discovered at excavation site in north Dublin

A charred fragment of fig fruit was uncovered during an excavation on a headland in Drumanagh, between Loughshinney and Rush, where there was once an important trading post with the Roman Empire.

The Drumanagh promontory fort is a nationally important Iron Age archaeological site and consists of a headland covering approximately 46 acres, defended by a series of earthworks.

The excavations, which have been ongoing for a number of years during the summer months, are being led by Christine Baker, Heritage Officer/Archaeologist at Fingal County Council.

Her team has uncovered extensive evidence of craft and domestic activities, including metal and ceramic objects that originated in Roman Spain, Gaul, and Britain, as well as items reflecting locally based activities.

It is a community excavation, with locals from Rush working alongside professionals. Through their work, they have been able to uncover a clear picture of what people were eating at different times and places.

Analysis by Associate Professor Meriel McClatchie at UCD has also revealed that the fig survived due to being burnt, which allowed for its preservation.

"In archaeology, the most common preservation method is charring, which gives us a glimpse into what people were eating thousands of years ago," she said.

"This brings it back almost 2,000 years, which is just amazing.

"Discoveries like this have been made in the past, but usually, we only find the seed. In my whole career of roughly 30 years, I've never seen a whole fruit discovered like this.

"We usually find tiny, little fragmentary remains, so finding a whole, intact fruit is completely unusual and incredibly rare.

"Fruits like figs and almonds are typically associated with the Roman Empire, but to find them here, in Ireland, from the Iron Age, is a huge revelation.

"This find is one of the most exciting we've had in recent years. It really shows the extent of trade and communication between people during that period," she added.

At its peak, the Roman Empire controlled vast territories across Europe, western Asia, and north Africa. Trade networks introduced new foods such as herbs, spices, almonds, and fruits like grapes, dates and figs.

Ms Baker said the work she and her team have been doing has revealed "more of the story" of those living and working at Drumanagh.

"This is super, super rare, and there's a lot more we've discovered, such as sherds of amphorae and jewellery only found in Rome and Britain – discoveries that are unparalleled in Ireland," she said.

"When you finish digging, that's not the end of the discovery. Post-excavation is a really important part of studying what you've found," she added.

The Roman amphora is from the Roman province of Baeticia, southern Spain (where Malaga/Cordoba are now) and is a type that was used for transporting olive oil around the Roman empire.

The results of the post-excavation analysis will be shared with the public on Saturday, November 16, at the Millbank Theatre in Rush, where a list of speakers will discuss some of the discoveries.