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Jonny Geber

<p>Jonny Geber MA, MA MIAI</p>

Jonny Geber MA, MA MIAI

Qualifications

MA (Archaeology), MA (Archaeoosteology)

PhD research student

Email: jgeber01@qub.ac.uk

Address

School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology (GAP)
Queen's University Belfast
Belfast BT7 1NN
Northern Ireland

Telephone

+44 (0)28 9097 5140

Current Research: Past Cultural Change

They died in the Great Irish Famine. Biocultural and palaeopathological study of mass burials from Kilkenny Union Workhouse

The recent development at the former workhouse in Kilkenny City has revealed 63 mass burial pits which contained the skeletal remains of a minimum of 970 individuals. The remains are of workhouse inmates who died during some of the worst years of the Great Irish Famine (1845-52). Although these skeletons represent the tragic and inevitable end for many people during the catastrophe that was the Famine, the bones have the potential to offer a unique insight in understanding how the calamity struck the lowest levels of society and what the conditions in the workhouse were like.

The remains constitute the largest nineteenth-century skeletal population ever to have been archaeologically excavated in Ireland. The date and context of the burials to within the period of the Great Irish Famine, makes this assemblage of particular significance. The skeletal remains provide a unique insight into the life and living conditions of workhouse inmates, who represent a social class which was largely ignored and very poorly treated in nineteenth-century society.

Archaeological research of historical periods has often given a contrasting conclusion compared with the written records, and the archaeology of the Great Famine in Ireland has just recently been considered. This research is primarily focusing on the human experience of the Great Irish Famine, through an osteoarchaeological and palaeopathological perspective within a multidisciplinary approach, and will yield new information pertaining to this massive national and social catastrophe in the relatively recent history of Ireland.

The research will focus around three themes: the biocultural aspect of this mid-nineteenth century population; the stresses of the Famine as illustrated by mortality, deprivation and poor health amongst the workhouse inmates; and the management of the famine crisis by the Kilkenny workhouse as indicated from the archaeological record in combination with osteoarchaeological analysis and archival records and other sources such as folklore and art.

Publications:

Geber, J. 2003. Fragment och tolkning. En osteologisk studie av kremationer från förromersk järnålder på Seltorp 1:1, Vist socken, Östergötland, Benbiten 16, 4-5

Geber, J. 2004. En allvarlig knäfraktur hos en man under tidig medeltid på Irland, Benbiten 17, 11-12

Geber, J. 2006. Appendix 2. Summary Report on Osteological Analysis of Burnt Bones from Knockhouse Lower (03E1879), in McQuade, M., ‘Archaeological Excavations of Pre-historic Settlement Sites at Knockhouse Lower and Carrickphierish Co. Waterford’, Decies 62, 40

Geber, J. 2007. An early medieval population in Swords, Co. Dublin, Paleopathology Association Irish Section News 10, 3-6

Geber, J. & Boston, C. 2007. The human remains, in Timby, J., Brown, R., Hardy, A., Leech, C., Poole, C. & Webley, L., Settlement on the Bedfordshire Claylands. Archaeology along the Great Barford Bypass, pp. 303-328. Bedfordshire Archaeology Monograph 8. Oxford: Oxford Archaeology

Loe, L., Márquez-Grant, N. & Geber, J. 2008. Discussion of the unburnt human bone, in Simmons, A., Márquez-Grant, N. & Loe, L., Life and Death in a Roman City. Excavations of a Roman Cemetery with a Mass Grave at 120-122 London road, Gloucester, pp. 67-72. Oxford Archaeology Monograph 6. Oxford: Oxford Archaeology

Geber, J. 2008. Cremated human bone, in Poole, K & Webley, L., ‘Prehistoric activity at Westwood, Broadstairs’, Cantiana 128, 97-98

Geber, J. 2008. Appendix IV. Osteological report on the animal bones, in Baker, C., ‘Excavations within the Manor of Merrion Castle’, Medieval Dublin VIII (Duffy, S.ed.), pp. 265-272. Dublin: Four Courts Press

O’Donovan, E. & Geber, J. 2009. Archaeological Excavations at Mount Gamble Hill: Stories from the first Christians in Swords, in Baker, C., Axes, Warriors and Windmills. Recent Archaeological Discoveries in North Fingal, pp. 64-74. Dublin: Fingal County Council

Geber, J. 2009. Human skeletal remains, in Baker, C., The Archaeology of Killeen Castle, Co. Meath, pp. 129-130. Dublin: Wordwell

Geber, J. 2009. The faunal remains, in Baker, C., The Archaeology of Killeen Castle, Co. Meath, pp. 131-156. Dublin: Wordwell

Geber, J. 2009. The human remains, McQuade, M., ‘Archaeological Excavations at Meakstown Castle, Finglas’, Medieval Dublin IX (Duffy, S. ed.), p. 122. Dublin: Four Courts Press

Geber, J. 2009. The faunal remains from medieval levels, McQuade, M., ‘Archaeological Excavations at Meakstown Castle, Finglas’, Medieval Dublin IX (Duffy, S. ed.), pp. 122-124. Dublin: Four Courts Press

Geber, J. 2009. The human remains, in McQuade, M., Molloy, B. & Moriarty, C., In the shadow of the Galtees. Archaeological Excavations along the N8 Cashel to Mitchelstown Road Scheme, pp. 209-240. NRA Scheme Monograph 4. Dublin: The National Roads Authority

Geber, J. 2009. The animal bones, in McQuade, M., Molloy, B. & Moriarty, C., In the shadow of the Galtees. Archaeological Excavations along the N8 Cashel to Mitchelstown Road Scheme, pp. 276-286. NRA Scheme Monograph 4. Dublin: The National Roads Authority

Geber, J. & Loe, L. 2009. Human remains, in Powell, K., Laws, G & Brown, L., ‘A Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Enclosure and Iron Age and Romano-British Settlement at Latton Lands, Wiltshire’, Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine 102, 92-97

O'Donovan, E. & Geber, J. 2010. Excavations on Mount Gamble Hill, Swords, Co. Dublin, in Corlett, C. & Potterton, M. (eds.), Death and Burial in Early Medieval Ireland in the light of recent archaeological excavations, pp. 227-238. Research Papers in Irish Archaeology 2. Dublin: Wordwell

Geber, J. 2011. Human remains from Owenbristy, in Delaney, F. & Tierney, J. In the lowlands of South Galway. Archaeological Excavations on the N18 Oranmore to Gort national road scheme, pp. 88-97. NRA Scheme Monograph 7. Dublin: The National Roads Authority

Geber, J. 2012. Burying the Famine dead: Kilkenny Union Workhouse, in Crowley, J. & Smyth, W.J. (eds), Atlas of the Great Irish Famine 1845-52. Cork: University College Cork

Osteological reports available online:

Geber, J. 2006. Osteological analysis of the human remains from Latton Lands, North Wiltshire (appendix), in Powell, K., Laws, G. & Brown, L., A late neolithic/early Bronze age enclosure and Iron Age and Romano-British settlement at Latton Lands, Wiltshire. Oxford: Oxford Archaeology

Geber, 2008. The human bone (appendix), in Burron, A. & Mudd, A., An early Bronze age pit, an Iron Age burial and late Iron Age/early Roman settlement at Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire Excavations 2005. Northampton: Northamptonshire Archaeology

Geber, J. 2010. Animal bone (appendix 2.3), in Delaney, S., Curtain 1 and 2, N18 Gort to Crusheen Road Scheme, Final report. Bray: Irish Archaeological Consultancy

Geber, J. 2010. Animal bone report (appendix 2.4), in Nunan, J., Sranagalloon 2, N18 Gort to Crusheen Road Scheme, Final report. Bray: Irish Archaeological Consultancy

Geber, J. 2010. Human bone report (appendix 2.3), in McNamara, S., Ballyboy 1, N18 Gort to Crusheen Road Scheme, Final report. Bray: Irish Archaeological Consultancy

Geber, J. 2010, Human bone report (appendix 2.3), in McNamara, S., Ballyboy 2, N18 Gort to Crusheen Road Scheme, Final report. Bray: Irish Archaeological Consultancy

Geber, J. 2010. Human bone report (appendix 2.3), in Nunan, J., Sranagalloon 2, N18 Gort to Crusheen Road Scheme, Final report. Bray: Irish Archaeological Consultancy

Geber, J. 2010. Human bones (appendix 6), in Delaney, F., Hegarty, F. & McQueen, A., Final archaeological excavation report. Moyveela 3, Co. Galway. Clachán. Cork & Galway: Eachtra Archaeological Projects

Geber, J. 2010. Osteological report (appendix 6), in Lehane, J. & Delaney, F, Final archaeological excavation report. Owenbristy, Co. Galway. Cashel & Burial Ground. Cork & Galway: Eachtra Archaeological Projects

Conference presentations:

  • "They died in the Great Irish Famine: the osteoarchaeology of the Kilkenny workhouse famine burials" (podium presentation, joint paper with Brenda O'Meara), 6th World Archaeological Congress (WAC-6), 3 July 2008, University College Dublin, Dublin.
  • "Bronze Age Life and Death. Evidence from recent excavations in South Tipperary, Limerick, & Cork, Ireland" (contribution author to poster by Melanie McQuade), 6th World Archaeological Congress (WAC-6), 3 July 2008, University College Dublin, Dublin.
  • "Palaeopathology and famine diseases. Potentials and limitations" (podium presentation), Irish Post-Medieval Archaeology Group (IPMAG) 9th Annual Conference, 21 February 2009, Sligo.
  • "The Golden Age? Osteoarchaeological perspectives on early medieval Irish society" (podium presentation), Heritage Council INSTAR Project 'Mapping Death: Peoples, Boundaries and Territories in Ireland, 1st to 8th centuries AD' Conference, 28 November 2009, The Discovery Programme, Dublin.
  • "A palaeopathology of the Great Irish Famine: The Kilkenny Union Workhouse mass burials" (podium presentation), Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) Spring Conference, 1-2 April 2011, The Central Hotel, Dublin.
  • "They died in the Great Irish Famine: A biocultural and palaeopathological study of mass burials from Kilkenny Union Workhouse, Ireland" (poster), American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA) 80th Annual Conference, 13-16 April 2011, The Hilton, Minneapolis and British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO) 13th Annual Conference, 2-4 September 2011, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.
  • "A palaeopathology of the Great Irish Famine: The Kilkenny Union Workhouse mass burials" (podium presentation), Paleopathology Association (PPA) 2011 North American Meeting, 12-13 April 2011, The Hilton, Minneapolis and British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO) 13th Annual Conference, 2-4 September 2011, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. 

Additional research:

Other merits:  

  • Nordplus scholarship recipient for studies in Prehistoric Archaeology at University of Copenhagen, January-July 2000.
  • Best Student Podium Presentation Prize, awarded at the 13th Annual Conference of the British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO), 2-4 September 2011, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.

External Grant Funding:

  • Johan & Jakob Söderbergs Stiftelse (Johan & Jakob Söderberg's Foundation)
  • Wellcome Trust; Research Expense Grant for Self Funded PhD Students in Medical History and Humanities (MHH RES EXP PhD12/09)
  • Emily Sarah Montgomery Travel Scholarship
  • Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd
  • School of GAP, Queen's University Belfast

Additional Information:

I am undertaking part-time postgraduate research at Queen’s University Belfast since October 2008 (supervisors: Dr. Eileen Murphy, Dr. Colm Donnelly and Dr. Mark Gardiner). Previously, I studied archaeology (MA) at Mid Sweden University and University of Copenhagen (1999-2001) and archaeoosteology (MA) at Stockholm University through Gotland University (2001-2003).

I have been working full time with both human and animal osteology in commercial archaeology since 2003, and I have analysed almost 3,000 inhumation burials, 400 cremation burials, a large number of animal bone assemblages, and written more than 110 osteological reports. Previous employers include Museibyrån in Åland, Finland, Oxford Archaeology in England, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd in the Republic of Ireland, and currently Cotswold Archaeology in England.