Green Heritage Relict Plants and Medieval Women

Dig into the Story of Relict Plants and Women & Gender in Medieval Ireland in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 27 with Dr Karen Dempsey

Green Heritage Relict Plants and Medieval Women

Dig into the Story of Relict Plants and Women & Gender in Medieval Ireland in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 27 with Dr Karen Dempsey

When we visit medieval castles, we inevitably focus on the grandeur and romance of the ruins of the stone fortresses, but stories bloom in quiet corners. In this fascinating discussion with Dr Karen Dempsey, we discuss green heritage, relict plants, and women in medieval Ireland.

In this episode of the Amplify Archaeology Podcast, Neil had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Karen Dempsey, a researcher with the Department of Archaeology at NUIG. Karen has been carrying fascinating research with the project ‘Sowing Seeds of Interdisciplinary Work’. The project, funded by the Castle Studies Trust, was a multidisciplinary way of looking at life at medieval castles by studying ‘relict plants’. These plants are the descendants of those introduced by the people who built and lived in the castles. They provide insights into so many aspects of medieval life, including diet, medicine, fashion and belief.

Four geographically diverse but culturally similar medieval castles were selected for botanical surveys: Adare. Co. Limerick, Castleroche, Co. Louth, Carbury, Co. Kildare and Castlecarra, Co. Mayo. Together with detailed analysis of archaeological, historical and architectural details of these castles, the study of the botany has enriched our understanding of the ‘green’ lives of people in the past but also showcased the life of castles – as medieval residences but also as romantic ruins in later landscapes.

This is a fascinating discussion that digs into the results of the project and the chat ranges from castles and conquests, women and gender to gardening, colonialism, spirituality and nature. I hope you enjoy the episode!

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

Title: Green Heritage, Relict Plants, and Medieval Women

Duration: 53 mins.

Summary:
In this fascinating discussion with Dr Karen Dempsey, we discuss green heritage, relict plants, and women in medieval Ireland.

Green Heritage, Relict Plants and Medieval Women – Key Discussion Points

• What drew Karen to study the medieval period? – 1 min 01 secs
• What are relict plants? – 3 min 06 secs
• Apart from food, what else were plants used for in medieval Ireland? – 4 min 35 secs
• Did the use of plants change after the arrival of the Normans? Can plants be colonial? – 6 min 49 secs
• The Relict Plants Projects – 8 min 25 secs
• Results at Castleroche – 12 min 50 secs
• Results at Adare Castle – 17 min 24 secs
• Results at Castle Carra – 20 min 07 secs
• Results at Carbury Castle – 22 min 43 secs
• The importance of hedgerows and ‘green heritage’ – 25 mins 29 secs
• Gardening, Meaning and Living Heritage – 26 min 12 secs
• Does the type of plant we choose to grow say something about society, today and in the past? – 30 min 26 secs
• Plants and spirituality – 34 mins 15 secs
• Women and medieval Ireland – 40 min 28 secs
• Medieval women in the historical record – 45 mins 20 secs
• Where can people learn more about the project – 46 min 57 secs

Show notes and links to further information

• You can discover more about the Sowing Seeds Project