Dr Meriel McClatchie

PhD, Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 2009
MA, Methods and Techniques of Archaeological Practice, University College Cork, 1997
BA (Hons), Archaeology and History, University College Cork, 1995

Member

E-mail: meriel.mcclatchie@gmail.com

Expertise

Biography

My primary research interests are in archaeobotany and the archaeology of north-western Europe. My focus in archaeobotany is the study of non-wood plant macro-remains, such as cereal grains, cereal chaff, fruit stones, nut shell and weed seeds. I have worked on the analysis of plant macro-remains from Ireland for more than 15 years, completing hundreds of analyses for a variety of clients in the private and public sectors. I am particularly interested in the production and consumption of cereal crops, including the social implications of these activities. This interest is reflected in the title of my PhD thesis: “Arable agriculture and social organisation: a study of crops and farming systems in Bronze Age Ireland”, which was funded by the NUI Travelling Studentship in Archaeology. I am also an experienced archaeologist, having directed a number of excavations in Ireland, and have broadened my research interests into the archaeobotany and archaeology of eastern Africa, following fieldwork in Uganda.

In addition to consultancy work, I played a key role in a number of externally funded research projects during recent years. “Cultivating societies: assessing the evidence for agriculture in Neolithic Ireland” examined the nature, timing and extent of the introduction and development of agriculture in Neolithic Ireland. This project was based at Queen’s University Belfast and was funded by the Heritage Council under the INSTAR 2008–2010 programmes. “Food plants in the past: building a reference collection of microscopic food plant remains” established a reference collection of starch granules from native starchy tuberous plants, which it is hoped will enable researchers in Ireland to develop the technique of starch identification in the reconstruction of past dietary preferences. This project was funded by the Heritage Council under the Archaeology Grants Scheme 2008 and the Heritage Research Grants Scheme 2010. The Early Medieval Archaeology Project (EMAP) is an ongoing project based at University College Dublin and Queen’s University Belfast. I was a member of the EMAP project team in 2011, during which time I collated and analysed non-wood plant macro-remains evidence for agricultural activity in early medieval Ireland. This work was funded by the Heritage Council under the INSTAR 2011 programme.

 

Publications

McClatchie, M. & Fuller, D.Q (submitted). Leaving a lasting impression: arable economies and cereal impressions in Africa and Europe. In D.Q Fuller & M.A. Murray (eds) African flora, past cultures and archaeobotany. Left Coast Press. San Francisco.
Fuller, D., Stevens, C. & McClatchie, M. (submitted) Routine activities, tertiary refuse and labor organization: social inferences from everyday archaeobotany. In M. Madella & M. Savard (eds) Ancient Plants and People – Contemporary Trends in Archaeobotany. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.
McClatchie, M. (submitted) Appendix 4: Plant remains. In S. Ó Nuailláin & S. Greene Excavation of the centre-court tomb and underlying house site at Ballyglass, Co. Mayo. Seandálaíocht Monograph 3. UCD School of Archaeology, Dublin.
McClatchie, M. (in press) Cultivating societies: assessing the evidence for cereal remains in Neolithic Ireland. In N. Whitehouse, R. Schulting & M. McClatchie (eds) Living landscapes: exploring Neolithic Ireland and its wider context. Oxbow, Oxford.
McClatchie, M. (2011) Analysis of non-wood plant macro-remains, pp. 161–84. In R.M. Cleary & H. Kelleher, Archaeological excavations at Tullahedy, County Tipperary: Neolithic settlement in North Munster. Collins, Cork.
McClatchie, M. (2011) Cereal production in Co. Kilkenny: a long tradition. Seanda 6, 8–11.
Walsh, F., Lyons, S. & McClatchie, M. (2011) A post-built Early Neolithic house at Kilmainham, Co. Meath. Archaeology Ireland 25(3), 35–7.
McClatchie, M. (2010) Appendix 7: Analysis of non-wood plant macro-remains from Gransha, pp. 140–3. In R.M. Chapple The excavation of an enclosed Middle Bronze Age cemetery at Gransha, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Archaeopress, Oxford.
Whitehouse, N., McClatchie, M., Barratt P., Schulting, R., McLaughlin, R. & Bogaard, A. (2010) INSTAR – Cultivating societies. Archaeology Ireland 24(2), 16–9.
McClatchie, M., Whitehouse, N., Schulting, R., Bogaard, A. & Barratt P. (2009) Cultivating societies: new insights into agriculture in Neolithic Ireland, pp. 1–8. In E. Danaher, J. Eogan & M. Stanley (eds) Dining and dwelling. Archaeology and the National Roads Authority Monograph Series No. 6. National Roads Authority, Dublin.
McClatchie, M. (2008) Appendix A: The archaeobotanical material, pp. 58-62. In R.M. Cleary (ed), Excavation of an early medieval settlement and other sites at Dromthacker, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 108C, 19-64.
McClatchie, M. (2008) Appendix 5: Analysis of non-wood plant macro-remains, 48–51. In R.M. Chapple, The excavation of Early Neolithic and Early Bronze Age sites at Oakgrove, Gransha, County Londonderry. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 67, 22–59.
McClatchie, M. (2008) 2.6.5 Plant remains from site C, pp. 401–3; 2.7.7 Plant remains from site A, pp. ; 473–8; 3.4.2 Plant remains from Conva, pp. 607–14. In M. Doody The Ballyhoura Hills Project. Discovery Programme Monograph 7. Wordwell, Bray.
McClatchie, M. (2008) Appendix VI: Analysis on non-wood plant macro-remains, pp. 155–8. In J. Carroll, F. Ryan & K. Wiggins Archaeological excavations at Glebe South and Darcystown, Balrothery, Co. Dublin, Volume 2: Balrothery excavations. Judith Carroll & Co., Dublin.
McClatchie, M. (2007) The study of plant macro-remains: investigating past societies and landscapes, pp. 195-220. In E. Murphy & N. Whitehouse (eds) Environmental archaeology in Ireland. Oxbow, Oxford.
McClatchie, M. (2007) Appendix 3: The plant remains, 118–26. In R.M. Cleary, Excavation of medieval remains in Boherash townland, Glanworth, Co. Cork. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 112, 87–126.
McClatchie, M. (2007) 5.2: The plant remains, pp. 62-7. In M. Doody Excavations at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary. University College Cork, Cork.