Loughnashade
Loughnashade is a small freshwater lake located near Navan Fort in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is known for its archaeological significance due to the discovery of the Loughnashade Horns in 1794, and for its proximity to the ancient royal site of the Ulster kings.
Geography
Loughnashade lies approximately 550 metres east of Navan Fort. Although the present lake covers just one acre, historical maps and palaeoenvironmental evidence suggest it was once much larger, possibly up to 10 hectares in extent. A pictorial map from 1602 and an Ordnance Survey map from 1835 depict a more expansive lake surrounded by marshland. The site is on private land but can be viewed from the summit of Navan Fort.Archaeology
In 1794, drainage operations uncovered four Iron Age bronze horns in the lakebed of Loughnashade. These instruments, now referred to as the Loughnashade Horns, were discovered along with human remains, including skulls and bones. The context of the find suggests ritual deposition, a practice common across prehistoric Europe involving water bodies as places of ceremonial offering.Only one horn survives and is held in the National Museum of Ireland. The surviving instrument is considered an outstanding example of Iron Age metalworking.