Five awesome artefacts found beneath Dublin's new hotel

Brought to you by Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin

Hyatt Centric Hotel is opening in The Liberties, Dublin 8, this September and they have uncovered some awesome artefacts.

The Liberties is an area that’s continually changing, but it’s rare that a new business respects the history of a location like Ireland's first Hyatt.

Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin was built in a one acre site, on Dean St opposite St. Patrick's Cathedral. The overall cost of the building was up to €50 million.

During its construction, there were months of delays, as a team of archaeologists uncovered historic artefacts from as early as the 11th century!

The Hyatt team decided to embrace these artefacts and the history they represent by embedding them throughout the hotel in unique ways, but you’ll have to wait until its grand opening in September to see what they’ve done.

For now take a look at some of the interesting finds from the excavation:

Medieval Viking Village

Back in Medieval times, a tributary of the River Poddle ran through the Liberties. And if you’ve ever researched that period in history, you’ll know that direct river access was the most desirable feature a home could have. Therefore, it’s no surprise that ancient homes were unearthed here, in fact a total of nine buildings.

They were post and wattle buildings with gardens and cobblestones. In five of them people lived, while the others were outhouses likely housing animals.

Odin’s Slate

Another cool artefact is a piece of ancient graffiti that was found at the site, which sounds very different to any spray paint in Dublin these days. It depicts a figure on a horse with a shield, sword and two birds present.

Apparently, it’s a drawing of Odin, Norse God of poetry and music. According to mythology, he relied upon two ravens, who kept him informed of all that was happening in the world. One of his powers was superhuman durability, which might explain how the artefact has withstood the effects of time?

Bowl and Spoon

A 900-year-old wooden bowl and spoon were two more items found in this historic spot. Aside from the obvious wear and tear, they are very similar to the ones you probably used this morning! Except I doubt they were used for cornflakes or anything similar.

Horse’s Head

Have you ever heard of the ancient Irish tradition involving a horse’s head? No, it has nothing to do with that scene in the Godfather...

Basically, back in the 17th century it was customary for a horse skull to be buried in the foundations of a home when it was under construction. It was thought to bring luck and prosperity, and to add to the acoustics of a room.

One was found in the foundations of a 17th century house. Maybe we should all check what’s beneath our homes?

Dutch Tile

The distinctive blue and white patterns of dutch tiles are familiar from bathrooms across the world. Several ornate preserved ones were uncovered beneath the Hyatt Centric.

The Delft style was influenced by huge shipments of Chinese pottery brought to Amsterdam in the 17th century. Local potters attempted to replicate the style, a practice which was continued in Ireland in the 18th century.

Hyatt Centric Hotels can be found in 20 different cities across the world, including New York, San Diego, Madrid and Tokyo.

Amongst the state-of-the-art facilities at the Hyatt are locally-inspired food, salon-grade blow-dryers and lobby iPads offering neighbourhood tips and info. Sounds just a bit more high tech than the artefacts found below doesn't it?

Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin, opening in September 2019, is adjacent to many of Dublin’s most popular attractions. The modern 234 room hotel is designed for the savvy explorer, promising that while guests may arrive as strangers, they will leave as locals. To find out more about the archaeological findings and book your first stay go to hyattdublinstories.ie.

Brought to you by Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin