The skeletal remains of six people have been uncovered during archaeological excavation in Cork city.
The remains were found under Nancy Spains pub as the site was being cleared for a social housing project.
Cork City Council archaeologist Ciara Brett said the Barrack Street remains appear to be from the 18th Century or earlier.
The human remains are being fully recorded and will be removed by the archaeological team before further analysis.
Ms Brett said the bones will be dated by radiocarbon dating as soon as they can be moved.
Currently, no "datable evidence" such as artefacts have been found buried with the remains, she said, and the remains are "quite fragmentary".
However they predate the 19th Century building they were found under, she said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said the excavation will be completed by the end of the week.
Then, the remains will be examined by the osteoarchaeologist who can "identify quite a lot of things, such as the sex of the individuals, possible age of them, whether they are adult or juvenile".
It might also be possible to identify various diseases and possibly the manner in which they died.
Ciara Brett explained that the groundworks at the site are located within the former suburbs of the medieval city of Cork and are of important historical and archaeological significance.
This is why the sites were archaeologically monitored, she added.
