Shocking 2,000-Year-Old Fig Find Opens New Chapter in Ireland’s History

A recent discovery at the Drumanagh promontory fort in North Dublin is reshaping our understanding of Ireland’s Iron Age trade networks. The find—a 2,000-year-old charred fig—is the earliest evidence of exotic fruits in Ireland, suggesting links to the Roman Empire. The fruit, along with other goods, indicates the island’s participation in international trade and its early taste for luxury.

Drumanagh: Ireland’s Iron Age Trade Hub

The Drumanagh promontory fort, a 46-acre site on the windswept cliffs of County Dublin, has long been considered an important Iron Age trading hub. Excavations led by Christine Baker, Fingal County Council’s Heritage Officer, have uncovered extensive evidence of trade and domestic life, including Roman metal and ceramic objects from Spain, Gaul, and Britain, notes the University College Dublin release.

The fort’s strategic coastal location allowed it to serve as a gateway for goods and cultural exchange. Among the findings are remains of spelt wheat, olive oil, and other goods rarely seen in prehistoric Ireland. This suggests that the site wasn’t merely receiving Roman goods but had adopted aspects of Roman culinary and material culture.