21/12/2025
We’re taking inspiration from the wonderful article ‘Reading the urns: Solar powered pottery in Irish prehistory’ by Mary Cahill in the latest issue of Archaeology Ireland, and the timely arrival of the Winter Solstice to examine the artwork of three of our J.B. Collection Inishowen pots.
Cahill (2025, 30) refers to viewing the artwork from a vertical position mouth open, or base up, to ‘see the full picture’ of the solar motif expression that was so delicately and uniquely inscribed by our prehistoric ancestors, and we couldn’t agree more!
We were delighted to see the original Bohillion Upper bowl illustrated and highlighted in the article and are excited to share some artwork photos of our J.B. Collection pots to celebrate the Winter Solstice.
The Bohillion Upper bowl (J.B. Pot 18) was found in the Burt area of Co. Donegal with another bowl (J.B. Pot 17) at either end of a short cist, paved with a single slab, and roofed with a single capstone. The cremated remains of an adult and a juvenile were buried in the cist together with the bowls and have been radiocarbon dated to over 4,200 years ago (Cahill and Sikora 2011, Vol 1, 116-120).
It’s also worth sharing images of a miniature vessel example from Inishowen with incredible solar motif expression. The original was found at a flat cemetery in Drung, Malin that comprised three short cists, containing the skeletal remains of a male, female and foetus/new-born infant respectively. The male was accompanied by the vessel, whilst the female was buried with a bronze awl and a piece of rock crystal (Waddell, 1990, 72-73; Rynne, 1963, 169-179). Radiocarbon dates from the female are dated to over 3,600 years ago and the evidence suggests that she was aged between 21-25 years old (Brindley, 156). It is likely from the excavated evidence that construction of each of the three cist burials occurred together or within short intervals of each other.
The movement of the sun for prehistoric people was carefully observed so that life, and its bounties, could be celebrated, and with death it was rejoiced by rebirth to the otherworld. The solar symbolism in these funerary vessels speaks to this ritualistic observation in the most amazing way.
We hope you enjoy, happy solstice!
References:
Brindley, A. L. 2007, The Dating of Food Vessels and Urns in Ireland. Bronze Age Studies 7. Department of Archaeology, National University of Ireland, Galway, 156.
Cahill, M. 2025. Reading the urns: Solar powered pottery in Irish prehistory. Archaeology Ireland, Vol. 39, No. 4, Issue No. 154, 30-37.
Cahill, M. and Sikora, M. (eds.) 2011. Breaking ground, finding graves – reports on the excavations of burials by the National Museum of Ireland, 1927-2006. Vol. 1, 116-120. Wordwell.
Rynne E. 1963. Bronze Age burials at Drung, County Donegal. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 93, 169-79.
Waddell, J. 1990 The Bronze Age Burials of Ireland. Galway University Press, 72-73.
