The skeletal remains of at least five people have been uncovered as part of excavation work outside Trinity College at College Green.
The remains of a single body were first discovered just 1.5 metres below present ground level in front of the main gates of the college on July 16th during Luas works in the area.
However the remains of at least four more bodies were subsequently unearthed when an official archaeological dig began.
Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd., who are conducting the dig, confirmed the new finds in a press release on Thursday last.
The skeletons are suspected to be of medieval origin but may date back to even earlier times.
Their discovery suggests that this part of College Green was once used as a cemetery.
All, excepting one of the individuals, were positioned in north-south facing graves and no grave goods have as yet been found.
According to Rubicon Heritage Site Director Nikolah Gilligan, who led the excavation, “it is too early to confirm the date of the human remains, though the possibility that they are Viking cannot be discounted, given previously recorded Viking activity in the area.”
Following a visual assessment of the skeletons it is believed that “at least one of the individuals was an adult male, while one of the others was a sub-adult, aged under 18 years at the time of their death.”
More detailed information about these people, the nature of their deaths and the Dublin of their time can be expected pending further analysis of the remains which is also due to be carried out by Rubicon Heritage archaeologists.
