Mount Sandel Settlement – Ireland’s Oldest Known Home
Meta Description: Discover the Mesolithic Mount Sandel Settlement in Northern Ireland — the earliest evidence of human life on the island, dating to 7900 BC.
Introduction
The Mount Sandel Settlement, located along the River Bann in County Londonderry, is the earliest known human habitation site in Ireland. Radiocarbon-dated to around 7900 BC, this Mesolithic site reveals how Ireland’s first settlers lived long before farming or stone monuments shaped the land.
Discovery and Excavation
Archaeologist Dr. Peter Woodman uncovered the site in the 1970s, revealing circular hut foundations, hearths, and large quantities of flint tools and food waste. The Wikipedia page on Mount Sandel provides a thorough summary of these finds and the excavation timeline.
Daily Life in the Mesolithic
People here were hunter-gatherers who fished salmon, gathered hazelnuts, and hunted wild game. Their tools — flint blades, scrapers, and fishing implements — demonstrate impressive survival skills and a deep knowledge of their environment.
Legacy
Mount Sandel changed the understanding of Ireland’s prehistory, proving that human settlement began thousands of years earlier than once believed.