Introduction

Digging Our Faith

We have used the image of a jigsaw piece in our exhibition and this book to show the diversity of belief in the world. Our project has led us to discover how many different pieces of the jigsaw puzzle of faith there are. Doing a large jigsaw can be difficult but part of the enjoyment of a real jigsaw is the process of doing it and we have enjoyed working on this puzzle. We hope you enjoy our book. We hope it helps you in understanding your own faith. • Faith and spirituality play a vital part in life now and in the past. • archaeology is essential in discovering the beliefs of the past and how they have shaped the present. • Meeting people of different faiths is an interesting and challenging part of life today.

This booklet brings together the pieces of the puzzle.

Sites that we visited as part of the project

Belfast: Belfast Synagogue, Somerton Road Belfast Indian Community Centre, Clifton Road Belfast Islamic Community Centre, Wellington Park Belfast Young Archaeologists’ Club, School of Geography, Archaeology, and Palaeoecology, Queen’s University Belfast

Co antrim: Cranfield Church & Holy Well, Cranfield Road Ram’s Island, Lough Neagh

Co armagh: St Patrick’s Cathedral (Church of Ireland), Cathedral Close Navan Centre, Killylea Road, Co Armagh

Co Down: Dromore High Cross, Dromore Cathedral, Church Street, Dromore Loughinisland Churches, Loughinisland

Downpatrick: Baptist Church, Bridge Street Down Cathedral, The Mall Methodist Church, Saul Street Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church, Stream Street Presbyterian Church, Fountain Street St Margaret’s Parish Church, Church of Ireland, Church Street St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Parish Church, Stream Street Struell Wells, Struell Wells, Road

Co Fermanagh: Drumclay Crannog Excavation, Cherrymount Link Road, Enniskillen Devenish Island, Lough Erne Lower Boa Island, Lough Erne Lower

Dublin: Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Castle National Museum, Kildare Street

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