Baby bottles found during excavation of Tuam mass baby grave

The exhumations are being carried out at the former site of an institution for unmarried mothers

Glass baby bottle feeders, shoes and spectacles are among the items that have found by a team carrying out an excavation of a former mother-and-baby institution at Tuam in County Galway.

The work began on 14 July, and is aimed at recovering and identifying the remains of children and babies who are believed to be buried in a disused sewage system at the site.

During the first six weeks, excavators have found "numerous personal items" from the institution, which operated between 1925 and 1961.

They have not recovered any bodies yet, but said their research indicated there was a "low likelihood" of remains being present in the areas they have been initially working on.

The story came to international attention in 2014 after local historian Catherine Corless found evidence of a mass grave at the site when she discovered there were 796 death certificates for children and babies who died there, but no burial records.

In 2017, investigators from an inquiry set up by the government said they had found "significant quantities of human remains" in underground chambers.

The excavation is being carried out by an agency known as the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT) and this is the first update since work began.

Medieval pottery is among other items recovered at the Tuam site.

A machine is being used to excavate the location of a former workhouse yard, which is adjacent to a modern-day playground.

Digging is also being carried out by hand close to the boundary wall dating from the 19th century.

Most of the human remains are thought to be near the area of a memorial garden, which will be excavated at a later stage.

Archaeologists with expertise in skeletal remains have confirmed that a fragment of an adult tooth has been found.

ODAIT said: "This recovery is testament to the detailed methods that are being used on the site."

Glass bottles found, which may date from the period between 1918 and 1925 when the site was used as a military base.

The team have also found glass bottles, which may date from the period between 1918 and 1925 when the site was used as a military base.

Medieval pottery is among other items recovered.

The update from ODAIT says that part of a health service facility near Tuam will be used as a mortuary, where any human remains will be forensically analysed.

The Toghermore campus, which belongs to the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE), will be adapted for the purpose.

In the meantime, a temporary facility in Headford in County Galway will be used for the storage and initial analysis of some recovered items.

The excavation is expected to go on until 2027, with follow-up work continuing for several years afterwards.