What, when, where and why? Understanding the origins of bog butter in Ireland

Bog butter is among the most common finds recovered from Irish peatlands, although, to date, the assemblage has remained poorly understood. While bog butter has attracted sporadic interest and ad hoc curation since the seventeenth century, the resulting studies have been limited in scale, typically centred on individual specimens or small sample groups. This research represents the first systematic study of the entire known Irish bog butter assemblage. It provides an authoritative account of the scale and character of the assemblage, in addition to analysing under-researched aspects of the phenomenon, such as its spatial distribution. Through extensive archival research and the construction of a bespoke database, this project has recorded more than 700 examples of Irish bog butter representing an increase of 46% on previous estimates. Through the use of radiocarbon dating and organic residue analyses, this research has established the chronology and chemical composition of bog butter from Northern Ireland. Finally, through geospatial analyses, this research has analysed the spatial distribution of Irish bog butter and examined, for the first time, how this distribution changes through time. It has also explored the spatial relationships between bog butter and other archaeological material recovered from Irish peatlands, producing a better understanding of the wider context of the bog butter assemblage and its interpretation. This research has revolutionised our understanding of bog butter in Ireland, effectively doubling our knowledge about the assemblage, in addition to demonstrating its significance in the Irish archaeological record and its potential to inform us about the past.