Emily Murray

The Food Economies of Atlantic Island Monasteries: The Documentary and Archaeo-Environmental Evidence

Abstract Much of our knowledge of Early Medieval monastic economies is based on contemporary documentary sources. Until recently, this literary record has had little in the way of useful archaeo-environmental data to support it. This paper examines the unusually rich environmental remains recovered from the excavations at two early island monasteries – Iona, in the Inner Hebrides, and Illaunloughan, Co. Kerry. The assemblages present a key opportunity to compare and contrast the literary accounts of the monastic diet with the physical evidence, and offer new insights into the economy of early monasteries. We conclude that the archaeological record indicates a much wider food base than previously documented, demonstrating the importance of integrating both strands of evidence.