Archaeological Excavation Report E2119 Gortore, N8 RF

Issue 6 [ISSN 2009-2237]

Archaeological Excavation ReportE2119 - Gortore, Co. Cork

Neolithic house

Eachtra Journal

The Forge,Innishannon, Co. Cork.Tel.: 021 470 16 16Fax: 021 470 16 28E-mail: [email protected] Site: www.eachtra.ie

Contact details:

June 2010

Written by:

Client:

Final excavation report of a Neolithic house at Gortore,N8 Rathcormac - Fermoy,Co. Cork

Direct Route (Fermoy) Construction Ltd.,Rosemount Business Park,Ballycoolin Park,Dublin 11.

A014/003

Julianna O’Donoghue

Julianna O’Donoghue

Licence No.:

Licensee:

E2119E Number:

Permalink: http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e2119-gortore-co-cork/

Gortore, Co. Cork ISSUE 6: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2119

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Table of Contents

i Project details .....................................................................................................v

ii Non Technical Summary ....................................................................................v

1 Introduction .......................................................................................................1

1.1 Scope of the Fermoy/Rathcormac bypass project ..........................................1

1.1 Circumstances of discovery ..........................................................................2

1.2 Date and duration of excavation works .........................................................2

1.3 Size and composition of the excavation team ................................................2

2 Receiving Environment ......................................................................................3

2.1 The Natural Landscape ................................................................................3

2.2 The Human Landscape ................................................................................4

3 Original Research Framework ............................................................................6

4 Excavation Results ..............................................................................................6

4.1 Methodology ................................................................................................6

5 Full Stratigraphic Report ....................................................................................7

5.1 Stratigraphic Sequencing ..............................................................................7

6 Discussion and Interpretation ............................................................................ 10

7 Specialist reports ................................................................................................ 10

7.1 Radiocarbon results .....................................................................................10

7.2 Plant remains report ....................................................................................10

7.3 Pottery Assemblage .....................................................................................11

7.4 Lithic Assemblage .......................................................................................11

8 Conclusion .........................................................................................................12

9 Bibliography ...................................................................................................... 13

10 Figures ............................................................................................................... 15

11 Plates .................................................................................................................22

12 Appendices ........................................................................................................27

12.1 Appendix 1: Stratigraphic Matrix ...............................................................27

12.2 Appendix 2: Context Register .....................................................................32

12.3 Appendix 3: Find Register ...........................................................................40



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12.4 Appendix 4: Plan Remains Report by Penny Johnston ...............................44

12.5 Appendix 5: Pottery Report by Helen Roche & Eoin Grogan ......................51

12.6 Appendix 6: Lithics Report by Farina Sternke ............................................58

12.7 Appendix 7: Site Archive (Basis) Summary .................................................63

12.8 Appendix 8 Dissemination Strategy .............................................................63

12.9 Appendix 9: Programme Schedule ..............................................................63

Table of Contents cont.



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List of FiguresFigure 1: Portion of discovery map showing route of N8 Rathcormac Fermoy. ....................................15

Figure 2: Portion of RMP sheets CO027, 028, 035, 036, 044, 045, 053 and 054 showing route of the N8 Rathcormac Fermoy. .............................................................................................................................16

Figure 3: Portion of RMP sheet CO027 showing location of Gortore excavation. ...............................17

Figure 4: Portion of route of N8 Rathcormac Fermoy showing location of Gortore excavation. ...........18

Figure 5: Plan of pit C.7 Area I. ............................................................................................................19

Figure 6: Section of pit C.7 Area I. ......................................................................................................19

Figure 7: Post-excavation plan Area II. ................................................................................................. 20

Figure 8: Mid-excavation section of slot C.157 Area II. .........................................................................21

Figure 9: Section of ditch C103 Area II. ................................................................................................21

List of PlatesPlate 1: View of pit C.7 Area I. ..............................................................................................................22

Plate 2: View of structure Area II from north. .......................................................................................22

Plate 3: View of eastern slot trench C.157 Area II from south. ..............................................................23

Plate 4: Section of ditch C.103 Area II. .................................................................................................23

Plate 5: A collection of flint pebbles, flakes and blades A014/003:5:76-111 ........................................... 24

Plate 6: Polished stone axe fragment AO14/003:5:112 ...........................................................................25

Plate 7: Three flint flakes AO14/003:9:1, AO14/003:142:1, AO14/003:138:1 and two limestone chunks AO14/003:138:2-3 ................................................................................................................................26

Plate 8: Two flint flakes AO14/003:101:3-4 ..........................................................................................26

Copyright Notice: Please note that all original information contained within this report, including all original drawings, photographs, text and all other printed matter deemed to be the writer’s, remains the property of the writer, Eachtra Archaeological Projects and Cork County Council and so may not be reproduced or used in any form without written consent.



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i Project details

Project N8 Rathcormac Fermoy BypassSite Name GortoreSite Type Neolithic House and Early Bronze Age pitMinisterial Order No. AO14/003E Number E2119Licensee Julianna O’Donoghue

Townland GortoreNat. Grid Ref. 181815 101661

Report Type Excavation ReportReport Status Final Report

Date of Submission April 2006Distribution Ken Hanley, Project Archaeologist Cork County Council, Dept. of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, National Museum of Ireland, Cork Archaeological Survey Office, and Direct Route (Fermoy) Construction Ltd.

ii Non Technical SummaryEachtra Archaeological Projects were engaged to monitor works within previously untested or unre-solved locations along the route of the new N8 Rathcormac/Fermoy bypass, between June 2004 and March 2005. These works occurred both within and outside the extents of the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). External works were monitored under State Licence 04E0948, while internal works were appointed individual works numbers by the Project Archaeologist of the Cork National Road Design Office.

External works included the construction of haul roads, temporary diversion roads and the preparation of topsoil tip sites. These works were monitored by Eachtra on behalf of Roadbridge Ltd. in the town-lands of Maulane East, Kilbrien, Curraghprevin, Fermoy, Mondaniel and Ballybrowney, between June and December 2004. Tip sites, within which no groundworks took place, were also archaeologically assessed in the months of June and July 2004. Between January and March of 2005, further external works were supervised in the townlands of Rath-Healy and Fermoy. Archaeological sites were subse-quently excavated in the townlands of Ballybrowney Lower, Fermoy, Scartbarry and Gortore.

This report details the excavation of a prehistoric house at Gortore under Ministerial Order A014/003.



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1 IntroductionEachtra Archaeological Projects were engaged to monitor works within previously untested or unre-solved locations along the route of the new N8 Rathcormac to Fermoy bypass, between June 2004 and March 2005. These works occurred both within and outside the extents of the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). External works were monitored under State Licence 04E0948, while internal works were appointed individual works numbers by the Project Archaeologist of the Cork National Road Design Office.

External works included the construction of haul roads, temporary diversion roads and the preparation of topsoil tip sites. These works were monitored by Eachtra on behalf of Roadbridge Ltd. in the town-lands of Maulane East, Kilbrien, Curraghprevin, Fermoy, Mondaniel and Ballybrowney, between June and December 2004. Tip sites, within which no groundworks took place, were also archaeologically assessed in the months of June and July 2004. Between January and March of 2005, further external works were supervised in the townlands of Rath-Healy and Fermoy. Archaeological sites were subse-quently excavated in the townlands of Ballybrowney Lower, Fermoy, Scartbarry and Gortore.

This constitutes the final report of the excavation at Gortore under Ministerial Order A014/003.

1.1 Scope of the Fermoy/Rathcormac bypass projectThe N8 Rathcormac/Fermoy Bypass is approximately 17.5 km in length. It will extend from the north-ern end of the new N8 Glanmire–Watergrasshill road, in the townland of Meenane, passing west of Rathcormac and east of Fermoy, towards its convergence with the existing N8 Cork-Dublin Road at Moorepark West to the north (Figure 1).

The results of archaeological research conducted to date, as part of the N8 Rathcormac/ Fermoy By-pass Project, are documented in the following reports:• An Archaeological Assessment of N8 South Watergrasshill – Fermoy, by Sheila Lane & Associ-ates, March 2001• N8 Watergrasshill – Fermoy Bypass, Archaeological Assessment: Fieldwalking, by Sheila Lane & Associates, June 2001• Built Heritage, Chapter 10, N8 Rathcormac/Fermoy Bypass, Environmental Impact State-ment by Sheila Lane & AssociatesThese reports identified fourteen areas of archaeological potential which required investigation/resolu-tion.

A centreline archaeological testing strategy uncovered a further 47 potential archaeological sites, de-tailed in the following reports:• Archaeological Testing Report, Final Report Vol. 1 & 2, N8 Rathcormac to Fermoy Bypass, by Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd. May – July 2002• Additional Archaeological Testing N8 Rathcormac to Fermoy Bypass Scheme by Donald



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Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.Archaeological test excavations were undertaken on all but 1.1 km of the 17.5 km route in response to the initial survey results. Forty-two sites of archaeological potential were identified and subsequently resolved. These sites comprised enclosure sites, early medieval ringforts, prehistoric fulachta fiadh, hearths, a cremation pit, prehistoric settlements, medieval settlement, a demesne wall and a lime kiln.

1.1 Circumstances of discoveryEachtra Archaeological Projects were appointed by the PPP (Private Public Partnership) Company, Direct Route (Fermoy) Construction Ltd., to monitor internal works within the remaining 1.1 km of untested road take and to monitor external works associated with road construction. In the course of these works, three fulachta fiadh were discovered and excavated in the townlands of Fermoy (NGC 181441 096233), Fermoy Wood (NGC 181441 096233) and Scartbarry (NGC 178310 087370) re-spectively (Figure 2). The remains of a brushwood platform or possible trackway were excavated in Ballyoran bog (NGC 181405 095852). The skeletal remains of at least six Giant Irish Deer were also retrieved from unspecified locations within Ballyoran bog. A ringditch (NGC 179129 090559) was discovered and excavated in the townland of Ballybrowney and a Bronze Age Pit and Neolithic house site was excavated at Gortore (NGC 181815 101661).

1.2 Date and duration of excavation worksThe excavation of the Prehistoric site at Gortore commenced on 18/04/2005 under Ministerial Order A014/003 and was completed on the 29/04/2005.

1.3 Size and composition of the excavation teamThe archaeological excavation team consisted of the licence holder, one supervisor, and three site as-sistants.



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2 Receiving Environment

2.1 The Natural LandscapeGeologyThe geology of the route broadly consists of glacial deposits with some alluvial sediments in the river valleys. Low-lying areas are occasionally peaty. The road scheme commences on the northern edge of the Watergrasshill Anticline, which comprises purple mudstone and some sandstone of the Ballytrasna Formation (a sub-type of Devonian Old Red Sandstone) (Sleeman and McConnell 1995). From there it continues across the Bride River valley which is founded on Waulsortian limestone (GSI Sheet 22, Bedrock Geology 1:100,000 map). To the west of Rathcormac village, where the mainline traverses the higher ground of the Bride valley, the Waulsortian limestone is supplanted by the red and purple mudstones and pale red sandstones of the Ballytrasna Formation (ibid.). To the north, the Bride valley is flanked by an extension of the Nagles Mountains comprising a sandstone ridge. Having traversed this ridge, the mainline then descends into the limestone region of the Blackwater River valley before concluding its course in the Knockmealdown Sandstone formation of the Kilworth Mountains (ibid.). Predominantly sandstone-based Quaternary sediments, ‘deposited from glacier ice or glacial meltwater flowing from the ice’ (Sleeman and McConnell 1995, 1) overlie the bedrock geology of the motorway route.

Soil TypeBrown podzolics, which are particularly suited to pasture and constitute the predominant soil type within Cork County, dominate the region concerned.

TopographyThe landscape between Watergrasshill and Moorepark, through which the new M8 will navigate, generally comprises gently rolling, open farmland, combined with wooded river valleys and Old Red Sandstone ridges. The new route will traverse a total of seven watercourses, the principal of which are the Rivers Bride and Blackwater and Funshion.The site at Gortore lies on a north facing slope at an altitude of 30m OD. It is situated c.330m south of the River Funshion. The Funshion rises in Galtymore Mountain. It travels eastwards along the flat valley floor north of Mitchelstown towards the village of Kildorrery where it turns southwards to Glanworth and from there flows eastwards through the townland of Gortore. It drains into the River Blackwater south of Kilworth.

The northern extents of the new road scheme (Including the townland of Gortore) traverse the eastern side of the North Cork area, while the bulk of the route lies within East Cork. Volume 2 of the Archae-ological Inventory of County Cork pertains to the East and South Cork regions (Power et al. 1994). This volume records a total of 2717 archaeological monuments within these divisions of the county. Over a quarter of the sites recorded in this volume date to the prehistoric period and the majority of these prehistoric sites constitute fulachta fiadh. Approximately 45% of the monuments recorded in Volume 2 comprise Early Medieval sites, with ringforts constituting the most common site type of this



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period. Only 14% of the recorded monuments date to the medieval period. Volume 4 of the archaeo-logical inventory series encompasses the North Cork region and records a total of 5496 monuments within the area (Power et al. 2000). Over 40% of the monuments recorded in this volume constitute prehistoric sites, of which 1626 comprise fulachta fiadh. A further 40% of the monuments in this area constitute Early Medieval sites such as ringforts, enclosures, souterrains and ecclesiastical centres. The later Medieval period is represented by a mere 8.5% of the monuments recorded.

2.2 The Human LandscapeThe earliest known human occupation of Ireland dates to the Mesolithic period (c. 7000-4000 BC). There is no known evidence for Mesolithic activity within the area affected by the road take. However, the Blackwater Valley has yielded some confirmation of Mesolithic activity along its banks, in the form of flint scatters at Castleblagh and Kilcummer Lower (Power et al. 2000, 2). These sites are located between 10 km and 12 km from the new motorway mainline.

The Neolithic Period is characterised by the introduction of agriculture and the beginnings of the clearance of the woodlands. There is a paucity of evidence for Neolithic settlement sites in the south-west of Ireland. Recent infrastructural development has increased the amount of Neolithic sites in County Cork. With the exception of the site at Gortore, the only other excavated example of Neolithic house sites in County Cork was at Barnagore, along the route of the Ballincollig Bypass. Both of these Cork examples produced essentially the same radiocarbon results (cal BC 3940-3620 at Barnagore and cal BC 3928-3655 from Gortore) and they represent the oldest known houses in the county. There is other evidence for Neolithic activity on the route of the N8 Rathcormac Fermoy bypass; a single pit at Fermoy (05E0078), located c. 3km to the south of Gortore along the route of the main road, produced twelve sherds of a Middle Neolithic Globular bowl, and another site at Curraghprevin (c.12 km south of Gortore) produced Western Neolithic (Early Neolithic) pottery and a radiocarbon date of 3090-2580 BC (Late Neolithic).

Fulacht fiadh are the most common Bronze Age monument in Ireland. These monuments survive as low mounds of charcoal rich black silt packed with heat-shattered stones and are generally situated close to a water source. In many cases, however, all that survives to the present day are black spreads with fragments of shattered stones visible in ploughed fields. These are the most numerous prehistoric site in Ireland with over 4,500 examples recorded, although, numbers continue to rise with on-going fieldwork. Fulachta fiadh are generally classified as ‘cooking places’, whereby stones were heated in a hearth and subsequently placed in a trough of water, the water continued to boil with the addition of hot stones and the wrapped food was cooked within the hot water. The trough eventually filled with small stones, ash and charcoal that were removed and formed the basis of the familiar mound. There are over 300 of these monuments in the east and south Cork region, recorded in the Archaeological Inventory of County Cork Vol II (Power et al. 1994). Three of these monuments occur within the townland of Skahanagh North (CO053-091). Further clusters of these monuments occur in Ballin-altig (CO053-067, 068), Coolcarron (CO035-075, 077), and to the southeast of Corrin Hill (CO035-



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050, 058, 068, 070). Another example of has been recorded at Ballynoe (CO035-081). In Ballyoran, a fulacht fiadh listed as CO035-057, occurs approximately 60 m from the centreline of the route. It is described in the Archaeological Inventory of County Cork (Volume 2) as being a truncated mound of burnt material measuring 20 m x 16 m x 0.3 m deep (Power et al. 1994, 28). During the centreline test excavations of the road corridor, further fulachta fiadh were encountered and subsequently resolved by ACS Ltd. These included ‘Corrin 4’, excavated under licence 03E1463, and two burnt mounds at ‘Corrin 6’, excavated under licence number 03E1636 (Aidan O’Connell pers. comm.). A further two fulachta fiadh were excavated by Eachtra Archaeological Projects at Scartbarry under Ministerial Or-der A014/002 and at Fermoy Wood under licence 04E1014.

The remains of a ring-barrow were also discovered during the advanced archaeological testing of the route corridor at Skahanagh North, to the northeast of Watergrasshill (NRA Archaeological Discover-ies). These prehistoric monuments comprise a low, ‘usually circular mound or level area, enclosed by a fosse and external bank’ (Power et al. 1994, 55). Burial deposits, often in the form of a cremation and ‘sometimes enclosed in a stone box or cist’ have been uncovered within these features during excava-tion (ibid.). These burial forms have been assigned to the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages (ibid.).

Until recently Bronze Age settlement sites were a rarity in North Cork. A house site was excavated at Killydonoghoe on the route of the N8 Glanmire-Watergrasshill Bypass (NRA Archaeological Discov-eries). A large Bronze Age settlement site consisting of four enclosures and three circular houses was excavated in 2003 at Ballybrowney on the route of the N8 Rathcormac-Fermoy (Cotter 2004, 38). A Middle Bronze Age settlement site, consisting of at least three house sites, was excavated in Mitchel-stown.

Corrin Hill is a prominent vista within the landscape surrounding the road take. The summit of the hill is dominated by a Bronze-Age burial cairn, which when investigated in the 1830s, was found to contain two burials (Doody 1999, 103). A further addition to the apex of this hill is a hillfort known as ‘Carn Tigherna’ or ‘Carntierna’. Hillforts date from the Late Bronze Age into the Iron Age (500 BC – 500 AD). The monument concerned is one of just three sites in North Cork which conforms to Raftery’s definition of a ‘hillfort’ (Power et al. 2000, 205). The fort has been disturbed on its east-ern side, but formerly stood to a height of 19 feet in 1886 (Power quoting Ó Murchú, ibid., 178). A Discovery Programme survey carried out in 1995, revealed additional features such as complex exter-nal earthworks and entrances which were previously unrecorded (www.discoveryprogramme.ie). The Claidh Dubh, a linear earthwork measuring 22.5 km in length (Power et al. 2000, 203), occurs to the west of the fort, stretching from the Nagles Mountains to the Ballyhoura Hills, crossing the Blackwa-ter approximately 11 km to the west of Fermoy. Such earthworks are believed to have defended tribal boundaries (ibid.). Doody’s investigations of the Claidh Dubh have shown that it dates prior to 100 AD (www.excavations.ie). The contemporaneity and proximity of the hillfort at Corrin to the Claidh Dubh could suggest that this area was a centre of regional or provincial power in the Iron Age.



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Prior to the Anglo-Norman invasion of the region, East Cork was dominated by the Uí Líatháin tribe. The Uí Líatháin territory spanned an area extending south from the Corrin and Castlelyons region towards Cork Harbour and east towards Lismore and Youghal. The main focus of settlement in this period was the ringfort, described as a ‘circular or roughly circular area’, spanning 25-50 m in diameter and ‘enclosed by an earthen bank’ (Power et al. 1994, 77). The archaeological excavation of these sites has indicated that they served as defended farmsteads in the Early Medieval period (ibid.). Their earth-works protected against ‘natural predators like wolves as well as the local warfare and cattle raiding common at the time’ (ibid.). They are generally located on gentle hillslopes with commanding views of the surrounding landscape. Few of these monuments are apparent towards the northern end of the road scheme, however, concentrations of these structures occur on higher ground, for example, within the Bride Valley. Recorded sites occur at Skahanagh North, Skahanagh South and at Scartbarry, as well as at Mondaniel and Corrin. Some of these sites have been levelled and are only apparent through cartographic analysis or in aerial photographs.

3 Original Research FrameworkThe following issues will be addressed in this excavation report.• The construction date or date of initial site activity and the date of abandonment.• The absolute / relative chronology of site use in terms of phases and events.• The location of known contemporaneous and comparable sites.• The extent of the viable economic catchment area in terms of sources of water, food, raw ma-terials, transportation routes etc

4 Excavation Results

4.1 MethodologyTwo separate areas of archaeology were identified during site clearance works. A grid was established in the area of excavation and the ground within it was cleaned by hand to locate and identify all ar-chaeological features. Each identified feature was excavated, planned, photographed and recorded, with every fill and cut being assigned a context number. Charcoal and soil samples were taken from appropriate fills where necessary. All artefacts were retrieved, registered, bagged and labeled.



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5 Full Stratigraphic ReportSee Appendix 1 for the full stratigraphic matrix and Appendix 2 for the context register.

5.1 Stratigraphic SequencingThree phases of archaeological activity were recorded on the site. The earliest phase is a Neolithic house and associated features within Area ІІ. An Early Bronze Age pit was located in Area І some 70m south of the house site. The final phase of activity related to Post-Medieval agricultural practices and included a back-filled ditch within Area ІІ.

5.1.1 Phase I

The earliest phase of activity at the site was the construction of a rectangular house (Plate 1) in the Ear-ly Neolithic (cal BC 3928-3655 UB 6769). The internal dimensions of the house were 6.3m in length by 5.1m in width, occupying an area of c.33m2. This makes the house at Gortore one of the smaller examples of Neolithic rectangular houses that have been excavated (see Grogan 1996). In terms of size it compares to examples at Enagh, Co. Derry (McSparron 2003), Kishoge, Co. Dublin (O’Donovan 2003/4), Ballynagilly, Co. Tyrone (ApSimon 1969), Barnagore, Co. Cork (NRA archaeological dis-coveries), Coolfore 2, Co. Louth (Ó Drisceoil 2003), Corbally II.5 & 6, Co. Kildare (Purcell 2002 and Tobin 2003), Tankardstown 1 (Gowen 1988) and Lough Gur, Co. Limerick (Ó Ríordáin 1954). Although the Gortore house was almost square (Figure 1), the longer axis was roughly east-west and in this it followed the general trend of excavated examples (Cooney 2000, 62).

A number of different architectural traditions are evident in the record of Irish Neolithic, includ-ing both plank-built and post-framed houses (ibid., 58); in some cases several different construction methods have been identified in the same structure (e.g. Kishoge Co. Dublin; O’Donovan 2003/4). It is also possible that a combination of construction techniques were in use at Gortore. Foundation trenches with no evidence for uprights or large postholes (e.g. C.151 in the southern wall) suggest plank-built walls with stone and clay packing, while in other areas it was clear that postholes were dug into the foundations (e.g. C.157 in the eastern wall) and these may represent either post-built walls or sections of walls. In general, however, survival of the foundation trenches was discontinuous, perhaps because the archaeological features were truncated as a result of modern agriculture.

The eastern wallThe eastern wall of the structure was represented by a foundation trench (C.157) that measured 2.8m by 0.8m by 0.4m deep. There were two postholes within the trench, a circular post (C.112) on the northern end and a rectangular post (C.162) on the southern end. Clay and stones were used as pack-ing between the postholes. Twenty-six sherds of an Early Neolithic Carinated bowl were found within the packing material (AO14/003:152:1-4 and AO14/003:158:1-22). Charcoal-rich deposits within the packing stones (C.159 & C.160) may represent the remains of other timbers that were burnt in situ.



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The northern wallThe northwestern area of the structure was heavily truncated but sufficient evidence survives to estab-lish the existence of a foundation trench along the north line of the structure (C.133). It measures c. 1.4m east-west and survives to a maximum depth of just 0.09m. It is impossible to discern its original width. A slight depression on the western end of the trench may indicate the location of a post. The northeastern trench (C.177) is truncated to a lesser extent. It measures 0.68m by 4.16m by 0.10m. Stones noted alongside the feature may have been dislodged by the machine during the topsoil strip-ping. One external feature (shallow pit C.132) was located immediately north of the northern wall line, it was 0.3m in diameter and was 0.12m deep.

The western wallThe western wall was defined by a trench (C.169) and two irregular cuts (C.153 and C.154). These ir-regular features from the northwestern portion of the wall appear to have been heavily truncated and they survived to a depth of just 0.10m. It is likely that these features represent the base of a foundation trench similar to those recorded along the other sides. The trench (C.169) measured 1.65m by 0.45m by 0.65m and it contained two postholes (C.174 & C.128). A flint flake (A014/003:106:1) was recov-ered from the fill of posthole C128. The presence of a swallow hole at the northern end of the trench resulted in the subsidence of the basal layer of archaeological material. A fragment of a hazel nut shell was found within the swallow hole. The corner of the foundation trench was connected to the southern wall by posthole C.114.

The southern wallThe south wall was the best preserved section of the house, with the southeastern and southwestern corners clearly defined. The southwestern corner was marked by two postholes (C.109 and C.114). C.109 was an oval posthole that measured 0.62m by 0.35 m by 0.19m and was orientated east-west. It adjoined a second posthole (C.114) that measured 0.29m by 0.23m by 0.24m, marking the corner between the southern and the western walls. The southeastern part of the wall comprised a trench (C.151) measuring 0.62m by 1.8m by 0.35m; this turned along the eastern wall and extended for another 0.4m. It contained four stony fills but there was no evidence of posts or planks in this por-tion of the foundation trench. Two postholes (C.171 and C.113) were located immediately south of the southern wall line. C.171, at the southwest corner, had a diameter of 0.3m and a depth of 0.12m and C.113, midway along the line of the southern wall, was a substantial posthole measuring 0.40m by 0.38m by 0.35m. The position and size of this posthole may indicate an off-centre entrance to the house. Doorways in rectangular Neolithic houses are often located off-centre, but they are usually to the right (Cooney 2000, 59), while the possible entrance at Gortore is situated towards the left instead.

Within the house, one internal posthole was interpreted as an internal roof support but there were no definite indications of internal sub-divisions and no hearth. A thin layer of re-deposited clay (C.138) was recorded within the structure, located to the north of the possible entrance and extending into the centre of the building. This was a compacted deposit and it probably represented a floor surface.



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Fragments of charcoal, a hazelnut shell and a flint flake (A014/003:138:1) were recovered from this layer (plate 7).

The presence of several external postholes immediately outside the house walls suggests that the roof extended beyond the walls and was supported by external uprights (C.113, C.171 & C.132). These may mirror examples such as Tankardstown South, where the roof ridge pole extended beyond the house walls at the gable end, providing shelter for an exposed wall (Grogan 1988, 42). It was not possible to align the only internal posthole at Gortore with any of the external postholes to suggest the direction of the roof ridge pole.

A series of closely set postholes, pits and stakeholes (C.140, C.143, C.148, C.149 & C.150) were located to the north of the house and although these features are likely to relate to activity at the house, they do not appear to have severed a specific structural function.The plant remains assemblage, analysed by Penny Johnston, contained the typical range of Early Neolithic cereals, with emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum) being the main identified type. Similar results have been retrieved from several other Neolithic house sites, including all the houses at Cor-bally, Co. Kildare and at Tankardstown South, Co. Limerick. The most unusual aspect of the plant remains assemblage was the retrieval of charred apple fragments, the only known Irish parallels were at Tankardstown South. The small assemblage of lithics from Early Neolithic contexts was examined by Farina Sternke and it contained no diagnostic artifacts, while the ceramic assemblage from the house, analyzed by Helen Roche, was classified as Early Neolithic.

5.1.2 Phase II

The next phase of archaeological activity comprised an Early Bronze Age pit (dated to cal BC 2458-2151) and a single possible stakehole excavated in Area I. The pit (C.7) was circular in plan and con-tained five fills and a stone lining (Figure 2). Seventy-five sherds of pottery, identified as domestic or rusticated Beaker pot by Helen Roche, were recovered from one charcoal rich fill within the pit. From the same deposit there were twenty-five pieces of worked flint (flakes, cores, blade fragments and split pebble fragments) that were interpreted by Strenke as representing just one short episode of flint knap-ping using small flint pebbles as a raw material (Plate 5). The majority of the worked flints showed signs of burning and it is likely that they were unwanted residues that were discarded in a fire. No evidence of in situ burning was recorded in or around the pit indicating that the burnt material was discarded from elsewhere into the pit. A fragment of a polished stone axe was recovered from the same fill of the pit (Plate 6).

5.1.3 Phase III

The final phase of archaeological activity at the site was represented by a northeast-southwest orien-tated ditch, recorded 1.3m to the north of the Neolithic house and dissecting Area II. A 9m section of this was excavated and recorded. It was filled by several thin deposits that apparently accumulated gradually over time. Overlying these there was a deeper layer that was probably deliberately backfilled



10

when the site was levelled. Two clay pipe stems were recovered from the base of the ditch and they indicate that the feature was probably a post-medieval field boundary.

6 Discussion and InterpretationRecent infrastructural development has increased the amount and geographic distribution of Neolithic house sites in Ireland but this site is important on a regional level given that the only other excavated example of this site type in County Cork was at Barnagore, along the route of the Ballincollig Bypass. Both of these Cork examples produced essentially the same radiocarbon results (cal BC 3940-3620 at Barnagore and cal BC 3928-3655 from Gortore) and they represent the oldest known houses in the county. In the north Cork area there is quite widespread evidence for Neolithic activity; a single pit at Fermoy (05E0078), located c. 3km to the south of Gortore along the route of the main road, produced twelve sherds of a Middle Neolithic Globular bowl, and another site at Curraghprevin (c.12 km south of Gortore) produced Western Neolithic (Early Neolithic) pottery and a radiocarbon date of 3090-2580 BC (Late Neolithic). This evidence, combined with the Early Bronze Age date and the Beaker pottery from Area I at Gortore, demonstrate an element of continuity in the vicinity over an extended period of time.

7 Specialist reports

7.1 Radiocarbon resultsRadiocarbon dates were returned from the Radiocarbon Laboratory at Queens University Belfast. These were accelerator dates obtained from samples of charcoal. The house in Area II produced an Early Neolithic date and the pit in Area I produced a Bronze Age date.

Table 1Lab. Code Sample Material Context No. Yrs BP Calibrated Dates

2 sigmaUB-6769 Charcoal A014/003:158:45 4972±39 cal BC 3928-3655 UB-6768 Charcoal A014/003:5:1 3832±36 cal BC 2458-2151

7.2 Plant remains reportThe plant remains were examined by Penny Johnston (Appendix 4).

Nine samples were taken from the Early Neolithic house in Area 2. The charred cereals included hazel nut shell fragments, emmer wheat grains, indeterminate wheat grains, cereals that could not be classi-fied, weed seeds, apple/pear pips and the charred endocarp (core and flesh) of an apple. The recovery of apple endocarp and hazelnut fragments is interesting as it demonstrates the way in which they ex-ploited the recourses of the surrounding countryside.

Three samples were taken from the pit that was excavated in Area 1 and the plant remains in these deposits included hazel nut shell fragments, barley grains, emmer wheat grains, indeterminate wheat grains, some cereal grains that could not be identified to type, apple/pear pips, possible flax bolls and



11

weed seeds.

A single sample C116 (SS15) was taken from the upper layer of the ditch. The only plant remains re-covered were those of three drubes from blackberries or raspberries.

7.3 Pottery Assemblage A total of 113 sherds were recovered during the excavation and were analyzed by Helen Roche and Eoin Grogan (Appendix 5).

Two Early Neolithic carinated bowls (Vessels 1 and 2) were recovered from the Neolithic house. Ves-sel 1 is represented by an out-turned rounded rimsherd displaying a short neck (101:1) which was a surface find within the Neolithic house. It can be classified as Case 1961: ‘Dunmurry-Ballymarlagh’; or Sheridan 1995: ‘classic’ carinated bowl and is increasingly well represented in south Munster. This style of pottery was also identified along the route at Curraghprevin c.12.7m to the south (Roche and Grogan 2005).

Vessel 2 is a fine, thin-walled carinated bowl. The thin-walled fabric is of poor quality and friable with a high content of inclusions of mainly quartzite and mica. The remains of this vessel were recovered from slot trenches C157 along the east wall and C151 at the south east corner of the house. The remains consisted of two shoulder sherd fragments two bodysherds, sixteen fragments and fifteen crumbs.

Sherds representing three Beaker vessels were uncovered within pit C.7. Vessels 3 and 4 are fine Beak-ers which can be classified as Clarke’s (1970) European Bell Beaker, or his Wessex/Middle Rhine types. The domestic Beaker (Vessel 5) with its flat open rim is larger in size than Vessels 2-3. This vessel dis-plays an overall herringbone motif arranged in horizontal rows, a type of decoration which is atypical on Irish domestic Beakers.

The presence of both fine and domestic Beaker has been widely recorded, occurring at another site along the N8 Rathcormac-Fermoy Bypass at Lisnasallagh 2 (Roche and Grogan 2005. see map c 2km south

7.4 Lithic Assemblage The lithic assemblage consisted of forty-seven pieces and was examined by Farina Stevnke. The major-ity of the lithic assemblage was recovered from the Bronze Age pit in Area I. Most of these were worked flints showing evidence of exposure to intense heat.

Five flint flakes were recovered from the house in Area II. Two of these came from the topsoil (A014/003:101:3 and A014/003:101:4), one from the fill of the slot trench at the southwest corner of the house (A014/003:106:1) one from the possible floor (A014/003:138:1) and one from a burnt spread to the north of the house (A014/003:142:1).



12

8 ConclusionRecent infrastructural development has increased the amount and geographic distribution of Neolithic house sites in Ireland but this site is important on a regional level given that the only other excavated example of this site type in County Cork was at Barnagore, along the route of the Ballincollig Bypass. Both of these Cork examples produced essentially the same radiocarbon results (cal BC 3940-3620 at Barnagore and cal BC 3928-3655 from Gortore) and they represent the oldest known houses in the county. In the north Cork area there is quite widespread evidence for Neolithic activity; a single pit at Fermoy (05E0078), located c. 3km to the south of Gortore along the route of the main road, produced twelve sherds of a Middle Neolithic Globular bowl, and another site at Curraghprevin (c.12 km south of Gortore) produced Western Neolithic (Early Neolithic) pottery and a radiocarbon date of 3090-2580 BC (Late Neolithic). This evidence, combined with the Early Bronze Age date and the Beaker pottery from Area I at Gortore, demonstrate an element of continuity in the vicinity over an extended period of time.



13

9 BibliographyApSimon, A. 1969 “An Early Neolithic house in Co. Tyrone” Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries

of Ireland 99, 165-168.

Cotter, E. (2005) Bronze Age Ballybrowney County Cork in Recent Archaeological Discoveries on National Road Schemes 2004 NRA.

Cooney, G. 2000 Landscapes of Neolithic Ireland London and New York: Routledge.

Cooney, G. and Grogan, E. 1996 Irish Prehistory: A social perspective Dublin: Wordwell.

Doody, M. (1999), ‘Ballyhoura Hills project’, Discovery Programme Reports 5, 97-110. Royal Irish Academy. Dublin.

Gowen, M. 1988 Three Irish Gas Pipelines: New Archaeological Evidence in Munster Dublin: Wordwell.

Grogan, E. 1996 “Neolithic houses in Ireland” pp. 41-60 in Darvill, T. and Thomas, J. (eds.) Neolithic Houses in Northwest Europe and Beyond (Oxbow Monograph 57) Oxford: Oxbow Books.

Grogan, E. 1988 “Possible reconstruction of the house” pp. 42-43 in Gowen, M. 1988 Three Irish Gas Pipelines: New Archaeological Evidence in Munster Dublin: Wordwell.

Lane, S. (2001) An Archaeological Assessment of N8 South Watergrasshill – Fermoy. Unpublished Sheila Lane & Associates Archaeological Report.

Lane, S. (2001) N8 Watergrasshill – Fermoy Bypass, Archaeological Assessment: Fieldwalking. Unpublished Sheila Lane & Associates Archaeological Report.

McSparron, C. 2003 “The excavation of a Neolithic house in Enagh townland, Co. Derry” in Armit, I., Murphy, E., Neilis, E. and Simpson, D. (eds.) Neolithic Settlement in Ireland and Western Britain Oxford: Oxbow Books.

Murphy, D. (2002) Final Report Volume 1: Archaeological Testing, N8 Rathcormac to Fermoy Bypass Scheme. Unpublished Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd. Report.

NRA Archaeological Discoveries leaflet N22 Ballincollig Bypass Scheme

NRA Archaeological Discoveries N8 Watergrasshill Bypass.

NRA Archaeological Discoveries N8 Rathcormac Fermoy.

O’Donovan, E. 2003/4 “A Neolithic house at Kishoge, Co. Dublin” JIA XII/XIII, pp. 1-27.



14

Ó Drisceoil, C. 2003 “Archaeological excavation of a Neolithic settlement at Coolfore, Co. Louth” in Armit, I., Murphy, E., Neilis, E. and Simpson, D. (eds.) Neolithic Settlement in Ireland and Western Britain Oxford: Oxbow Books.

Ó Ríordáin, S.P. 1954 “Lough Gur excavations: Neolithic and Bronze Age houses on Knockadoon” Proceeding of the Royal Irish Academy 56C, 297-459.

Power et al. 1994. Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Vol II East & South Cork. The Stationery Office, Dublin.

Power et al. 2000. Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Vol IV East & South Cork. The Stationery Office, Dublin.

Purcell, Avril 2002 “Excavation of three Neolithic houses at Corbally, Kilcullen, County Kildare” Journal of Irish Archaeology XI 31-75

Sleeman, A.G. & McConnell B. 1995. Geology of East Cork – Waterford. Geological Survey of Ireland.

Tobin, R. 2003 “Corbally Neolithic houses 01E0299” in Bennet, I. (ed.) Excavations 2001 Bray: Wordwell.

A014-002ScartBarry A014-002ScartBarry

05E0233Ballybrowney05E0233Ballybrowney

04E1014Fermoy Wood &Ballyoran Bog


05E078Fermoy Td.05E078Fermoy Td.

A014-003GortoreA014-003GortoreA014-003GortoreA014-003Gortore



15

10 Figures

Figure 1: Portion of discovery map showing route of N8 Rathcormac Fermoy.

A014-002ScartBarry

05E0233Ballybrowney


05E078Fermoy Td.

A014-003GortoreA014-003GortoreA014-003Gortore



16

Figure 2: Portion of RMP sheets CO027, 028, 035, 036, 044, 045, 053 and 054 showing route of the N8 Rathcormac Fermoy.

A014-003GortoreNGC 181815 101661

Pre-historic

Medieval

Post-Medieval

Not dated

Legend



17

Figure 3: Portion of RMP sheet CO027 showing location of Gortore excavation.

E 181802N 101684

E181804N101665

Area 1

River Funshion

Area 2

E181822N101596

0 100 m

B

A

C7



18

Figure 4: Portion of route of N8 Rathcormac Fermoy showing location of Gortore excavation.

NRGE181823N1�1�9�

� � � ��

B

A

C7�

NRGE181823N1�16�1

##

#

#

#

####

###

# #

� � � c m� � c m

Key: PotteryCharcoal#

A B

C.6

C.5C.7

C.10 (Stones)



19

Figure 5: Plan of pit C.7 Area I.

Figure 6: Section of pit C.7 Area I.

Clay Floor

105115

NGRE181804N101665

NGRE181804N101680



20

Figure 7: Post-excavation plan Area II.

#

##

##

#

#

## #

##

� � � c m1 � c m

C.112

C.157

A B115.85 E106.10 N

115.80 E107.20 N

C D

0 50 cm50 cm

116

117

118

119

120

103

104.77109.55

104.65 106.60



21

Figure 8: Mid-excavation section of slot C.157 Area II.

Figure 9: Section of ditch C103 Area II.



22

11 Plates

Plate 1: View of pit C.7 Area I.

Plate 2: View of structure Area II from north.



23

Plate 3: View of eastern slot trench C.157 Area II from south.

Plate 4: Section of ditch C.103 Area II.



24

Plate 5: A collection of flint pebbles, flakes and blades A014/003:5:76-111

Photo by John Sunderland



25

Plate 6: Polished stone axe fragment AO14/003:5:112Photo by John Sunderland



26

Plate 7: Three flint flakes AO14/003:9:1, AO14/003:142:1, AO14/003:138:1 and two limestone chunks AO14/003:138:2-3

Plate 8: Two flint flakes AO14/003:101:3-4





27

12 Appendices

12.1 Appendix 1: Stratigraphic Matrix

Area II, Furrow Area I, Pit Area II, Ditch

101

6

5

8

9

10 5

7

102

101

116

117

118

119

120

102

103

101

155

156

102



28

Are

a II

, Stru

ctur

al F

eatu

res

106

101

105

109

107

114

174

127

128

126

129

102

163

121

154

123

125

130



29

Area II, Internal Features

111

110

101

122

102

138



30

Are

a II

, Ext

erna

l Fea

ture

s

101

141

144

142

102

143

149

148

132

131

150

134

140

124

101

167

146

145

139

102

166

137

165

134

142



31

A

rea

II, S

truct

ural

Fea

ture

s

101

147

151

173

178

179

102

164

133

170

115

153

113

108

104

176

177

171

101

162

158

152

159

112

157

160

102



32

C. no. Area Type Dimensions Description Finds Environmental samples Plate no.

4 I Possible stakehole

0.10 x 0.12m 0.12m

Fill: Mid brown fairly softly compact silty clay. Moderate charcoal f lecks. Cut:oval stakehole. Break of slope top not perceptible, con-cave sides, break of slope base not perceptible. Tapered blunt point base. Overlay C102, underlay C101

A20

5 I Fill of pit C7 0.9m x 1.00m x 0.20m

Black softly compact sandy silt. Occasional angular peb-bles, small and medium stones frequent large stones. Overlay C7 and C10 and underlay C6

Pottery AO14/003:5:1 -75 Lithics AO14/003:5:76- 111 Polished stone axe blade AO14/003:5:76- 112

SS8

6 I Fill of pit C7 1.3m x 1.2m x 0.08m

Mid orangish brown friable sandy silt. Occasional angular pebbles and charcoal f lecks. Overlay C7 underlay C101 and C108

SS7

7 I Cut of pit 1.00m x 1.10m x 0.22m

Sub-circular pit cut, rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp, sides steep at W., verti-cal elsewhere, break of slope base sharp. Sub-circular flat base. Filled by C5, C6, C8 and C9.

SS1 A13-15 &19

8 I Fill of pit C.7 Pockets of light brown softly compact sandy clay. Occasional charcoal f lecks, moderate inclusions of small pebbles. Overlay C.6 and underlay C.101

SS3

9 I Fill of pit C7 Pockets of mid greyish brown softly compacted silty clay recorded within C7. Moderate small pebbles.

Flint flake A014/003:9:1

SS4

10 I Fill of pit C7 0.60m x 1.m x 0.15m

Angular and sub-angular small medium and large stones concentrated on the S side of the pit. Overlay C7 and underlay C5.

101 II Topsoil Mid brown moderately compact silty clay. Occasional small and medium stones, frequent pebbles.

Pottery AO14/003:101:1 & 2 Lithics AO14/003:101:3 & 4 Clay pipe AO14/003:101:5

102 II Subsoil Light brownish yellow clay.103 II Ditch cut Extends

beyond limits of excavation, 0.8m wide, 0.6m deep

Ditch. Break of slope top sharp at S, gradual at N, sides convex, break of slope base sharp at S, gradual at N, f lat base. Orientated NE-SW. Filled by C116, C117, C118, C119,and C120.

A6 & 19

104 II Postpipe of posthole C113

0.15m x 0.15m x 0.35m

Blackish brown softly compact clayey silt. Moderate charcoal f lecks and pieces. Overlay C108 and underlay C101

SS6, CS5 B991-993

12.2 Appendix 2: Context Register



33


105 II Fill of posthole C109

0.35m x 0.62m x 0.19m

Dark brown softly compacted silty clay. Frequent angular and sub angular small stones, moderate charcoal f lecks and pieces. Overlay C109 and underlay C101

SS10, CS9 A12 &17 B996

106 II Fill of posthole/ slot trench C.169

0.31m x 0.36m x 0.15m

Dark brown moderately compact sandy clay. Moderate charcoal f lecks and pieces. Overlay C129, underlay C101

Flint flake AO14/003:106:1

SS23, CS24 B997

107 II Fill of possible posthole C.114

0.23m x 0.29m x 0.24m

Mid reddish brown softly compact silty clay. Occasional charcoal f lecks and pieces Overlay C.114 and underlay C.101

SS12, CS11 B998

108 II Packing stones of posthole C113

0.4m x 0.37m x 0.35m

Compact stones (90%) and clayey silt (10%), frequent charcoal f lecks. Overlay 113, underlay C104

B999-1003

109 II Posthole cut 0.35m x 0.62m x 0.19m

Oval posthole. Break of slope top sharp at E and S, gradual at W and N, sides vertical at S and E, concave at W and N, break of slope base sharp at N and E, gradual at S and W. Rounded base. Orientated E-W. Filled by C105. Adjoining posthole C114


0.12m x 0.12m x 0.05m

Mid brown softly compact clayey silt. Frequent charcoal. Overlay C.102, underlay C.110


0.3m x 0.3m x 0.36m

Dark brown softly compact clayey silt. Frequent charcoal. Overlay C102 and underlay C110

SS14

112 II Fill of founda-tion trench C157

0.30m x 0.40m x 0.24m

Mid greyish brown compact stones (60%) and charcoal rich sandy silt (40%), average stone size 0.30m x 0.25m x 0.12m. Frequent pebbles and charcoal pieces and flecks. Overlay C.157 and underlay C.101

Pottery SS45 B1009-1011


Sub-rectangular posthole cut, corners rounded at N, square at S, sides display negative impression of packing stones, break of slope base sharp. Blunted point base. Filled by C.104 and C. 108.

A7-9 B1006-1008


Oval posthole. Break of slope top sharp, sides stepped at W, vertical at N, S and E, break of slope base sharp, flat base. Filled with C107. Adjoins posthole C109 and truncates slot trench C169

115 II Fill of possible posthole C153

0.40m x 0.28m x 0.10m

Light greyish brown softly compact sandy silt, moder-ate sub-angular pebbles and charcoal pieces/flecks. Overlay C153, underlay C101

SS25, CS26 A2, 4 & 10

116 II Upper layer of ditch C.103

Extends beyond limits of excavation, 0.8m wide, 0.38m deep

Mid pinkish brown compact sandy silt, moderate pebbles. Overlay C. 117, underlay C.101

Flint AO14/003:116:1 &2 Clay pipe AO14/003:116:3



34


117 II Layer of ditch C103


Dark brown softly compact clayey silt, moderate pebbles, occasional charcoal f lecks. Overlay C118, underlay C116

SS16



Mid yellowish brown softly compact clayey silt, moderate pebbles, occasional charcoal f lecks. Overlay C119, underlay C117

SS18



Light brown softly compact clayey silt, moderate pebbles and charcoal f lecks. Overlay C. 120, underlay C.118

SS19

120 II Basal layer of ditch C.103


Light yellowish brown softly compact sandy clay, occasional small pebbles. Overlay C103, underlay C119

SS20

121 II Possible stakehole

0.12m x 0.10m x 0.10m

Fill: Light greyish brown friable sandy silt, occasional pebbles, moderate charcoal pieces Cut: Sub-rectangular stake-hole. Break of slope top sharp, sides vertical, break of slope base sharp. Sub rectangular flat base. Orientated N-S. Overlay C154, underlay C101

SS27, CS28 A5


Circular posthole. Break of slope top sharp, sides steep at S, vertical elsewhere, break of slope base fairly sharp at N, sharp elsewhere. Circular tapered point base. Filled by C110 and C111

B1012,103, 1015, 1018-1020


0.10m x 0.10m x 0.09m

Fill: Mid reddish brown almost friable sandy silt, oc-casional small angular pebbles, frequent charcoal Cut: Sub-angular, rounded corners. Break of slope top gradual at N and S, sharp at E and W, sides vertical at E and W, gentle slope at N and S, break of slope base sharp. Circular flat base. Orientation N-S. Overlay C154, underlay C101

SS29, CS30

124 II Fill of pit C132 0.3m x 0.3m x 0.12m

Blackish brown fairly softly compact clayey silt, occasional small pebbles, frequent char-coal. Overlay C132, underlay C101


0.3m x 0.13m x 0.09m

Fill: Mid greyish brown softly compact sandy silt, occasional small pebbles and charcoal f lecks/pieces Cut: Linear cut, rounded corners. Break of slope top gradual at N, imperceptible at S and W, break of slope base sharp at N and E, impercep-tible at S and gradual at W. Sub-rectangular flat base. Orientated N-S.

A3

126 II Fill of Swallow hole

Grey very softly compact sandy silt. Underlay C.129



35


127 II Fill of slot trench C.169

0.47m x 0.50m x 0.24m

Mid brown compact angular and sub-angular stones (80%) and sandy clay (20%), average size of stones 0.20m x 0.20m x 0.15m

SS22

128 II Cut of posthole 0.60m x 0.52m x 0.55m

Oval posthole. Break of slope top sharp at N, S and W, gradual at E, sides stepped, break of slope base sharp. Square base, disturbed by the presence of a swallow hole. Filled by C106, C127, and C129. Overlay C126


0.32m x 0.30m x 0.10m

Dark brown softly compacted silty clay, frequent charcoal pieces. Overlay C126, under-lay C106.

130 II Possible posthole cut

0.20m x 0.15m x 0.04m

Possible sub-circular posthole, rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp, sides steep, break of slope base gradual, sub-circular flat base. Orien-tated N-S. Filled by C163

131 II Fill of pits/post-holes C140 & 143

0.72m x 0.44m x 0.20m

Mid brown softly compact clayey silt, occasional pebbles and charcoal f lecks. Overlay C140, 143, 148, 149 and 150, underlay C101

B1024

132 II Cut of shallow pit

0.3m x 0.3m x 0.12m

Circular shallow pit. Break of slope top sharp, vertical sides, break of slope base sharp. Flat base. Filled by C124

B1021 & 1023

133 II Cut of slot trench

1.4m E-W x 0.09m deep impossible to discern origi-nal width

Linear cut, sub rectangular de-pression at west end rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp, sides vertical at S, steep elsewhere, break of slope base imperceptible at N, sharp elsewhere. Linear fat base. Orientated E-W. Heavily trun-cated, particularly on northern side. Filled by C164

A1

134 II Natural hallow 1.10m x 1.24m x 0.07m

Natural sub-circular hallow, possible the result of tree roots, rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp at N, imper-ceptible at S,E, and W, sides steep at N gentle and irregular elsewhere, break of slope base sharp at N, imperceptible at S and E, gradual at W. Sub-circular flat base.

B1025,1027 &1030


0.06m x 0.07m x 0.09m

Fill: Dark brown fairly compact sandy clay,. Frequent charcoal f lecks/pieces and small sub-angular stones. Cut: Oval stakehole. Break of slope top gradual, sides slightly concave, break of slope base not perceptible. Tapered blunt point base. Overlay C, underlay C101


0.10m x 0.13m x 0.11m

Fill: Mid brown fairly softly compact silty clay. Moderate charcoal f lecks. Cut:oval stakehole. Break of slope top not perceptible, con-cave sides, break of slope base not perceptible. Tapered blunt point base. Overlay C102, underlay C101



36


137 II Possible stake-hole

0.10m x 0.10m x 0.13m

Fill: light yellowish brown softly compact sandy silt, fre-quent charcoal f lecks/pieces. Cut: Possible circular stake-hole. Break of slope top sharp, sides steep, break of slope base gradual. Tapered point base. Inclined towards W. Truncated at top by machine during monitoring phase.

138 II Spread 3.35m NE-SW x 2.04m NW-SE x 0.20m

Mid greyish brown softly com-pacted sandy silt. Occasional charcoal f lecks, fragment of hazelnut shell. Overlay C012, underlay C101

AO14/003:138:1

140 II Posthole/pit cut 0.52m x 0.44m x 0.20

Sub circular pit/posthole, rounded corners. Break pf slope top sharp at N,S, E, gradual at W, sides vertical at S, steep at N and W, gentle at E, break of slope base gradual at W, sharp elsewhere. Sub-cir-cular flat base. Filled by C131. Truncated by C143.

B1028

141 II Burnt spread 0.72m x 0.62m x 0.07m

Dark brown softly compact clayey silt. Frequent pockets of burnt clay and charcoal pieces, occasional small stones and pebbles. Overlay C142, underlay C101

142 II Burnt spread 1.24m x 1.20m x 0.15m

Light orangish brown softly compact clayey silt. Moderate small stones and pebbles.

Flint flake AO14/003:142

SS38


Sub-rectangular posthole, square corners at N and S, rounded at E and W. Break of slope top gradual at S, sharp elsewhere, sides vertical at N and W, steep at E, concave at S, break of slope base gradual at east, sharp elsewhere. Sub-rectangular flat base. Filled by C.131


0.18m x 0.13m x 0.20m

Fill: Light brown softly com-pact clayey silt. Overlay C102, underlay C101 Cut: Sub circular stakehole, rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp, sides vertical, break of slope base sharp. Tapered rounded point base.

B1029, & 1031

145 II Fill of posthole 0.23 x 0.23 x 0.30m

Mid yellowish brown softly compact sandy silt. Occasional charcoal f lecks, small stones. Overlay C.166, underlay c.101. Disturbed by machine during monitoring phase.

146 II Possible posthole

0.42m x 0.38m x 0.14m

Oval pit, rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp, sides vertical at N, steep elsewhere, break of slope base sharp at N and S, imperceptible at E and W. Oval irregular base. Over-lay C167 and underlay C101.

SS40

147 II Fill of slot trench C.151

0.6m x 0.35m x 0.25m

Blackish brown loosely compact stones (60%) and Clayey silt (40%). Frequent charcoal f lecks/pieces. Overlay C151,underlay C101. Packing stones appear to have been dislodged during monitoring phase.

B1032 & 1033



37


149 II Posthole cut 0.20m x .24m x 0.09m

Heavily truncated posthole, rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp, sides steep, break of slope base gradual, sub-circular flat base. Orien-tated N-S. Filled by C175.

150 II Stakehole 0.09m x 0.11m x 0.09m

Fill: Dark blackish brown softly compact clayey silt, frequent charcoal f lecks. Cut: Oval stakehole. Break of slope top sharp, vertical sides, break of slope base gradual. Rounded point base. Overlay C102, underlay C101

151 II Slot trench cut 1m x 1.8m x 0.35m

Linear slot trench, rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp, vertical sides, break of slope base sharp, flat base. Filled by C147, C173, C178 and C179

B1034

152 II Fill of slot trench C157

0.40 x 0.35 x 0.35

70% Stones, average size 0.15 x 0.20 x 0.20m, 30% silty clay, frequent inclusions of charcoal f lecks. Underlay C158, overlay C157.

Pottery AO14/003:152:1-4

153 II posthole/Pit cut 0.40m x 0.28m x 0.10m

Sub rectangular pit, rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp, sides vertical at N and S, steep at E and W, break of slope base sharp at N 7 S, gradual at E and W. Irregular tapered blunt point base. Ori-entated N-S. Filled by C.115.

SS25, CS26

154 II Posthole/Pit cut 0.54m x 0.13m x 0.10m

Linear cut, rounded corners. Break of slope top gradual at N, sharp elsewhere, sides steep at N, vertical elsewhere, break of slope base sharp. Irregular base. Orientated N-S. Filled by C.121, C.123 and C.125

155 II Fill of furrow 12.20m NW-SE x 0.84m NE-SW x 0.13m

Light yellowish brown softly compact sandy clay. Occa-sional medium stones, moder-ate pebbles. Overlay C.156, underlay C.101

156 II Furrow cut 12.20m NW-SE x 0.84m NE-SW x 0.13m

Linear cultivation furrow. Break of slope top gradual, gentle concave sides, break of slope base imperceptible, rounded base. Orientated NW-SE. Filled by C155

157 II Slot trench cut 2.8m x 0.80m x 0.40m

Linear slot trench, rounded corners. Break of slope top gradual at N, vertical elsewhere, break of slope base sharp. Irregular base. Filled by C162, C112 and C158


1.50m x 0.50m x 0.22m

Mid brown softly compact sandy silt. Occasional pebbles, frequent stones. Overlay C152 and underlay C101

Pottery AO14/003:158:1-22

SS44


0.98m x 0.27mx 0.07m

Charcoal band. Overlay C158, underlay C101


0.76m x 0.07m x 0.07m

Charcoal band. Overlay C158, underlay C101


Pocket of burnt clay within C158



38


162 II Post of slot trench C157

0.40 x 0.35 x 0.35

Mid brown moderately compact silty clay. Frequent charcoal f lecks/pieces and small angular and sub angular stones. Overlay C157, underlay C101

163 II Fill of possible posthole C130

0.20m x 0.15m x 0.04m

Dark brown softly compact sandy silt. Frequent charcoal f lecks, occasional pockets of burnt clay.

SS32, CS33


0.10m x 0.40m x 0.10m

Light yellowish brown friable sandy silt. Frequent pebbles and charcoal.

165 II Stakehole 0.06m x 0.10m x 0.10m

Fill: light yellowish brown softly compact sandy silt, fre-quent charcoal f lecks/pieces. Cut: Oval stakehole, rounded corners. Break of slope top sharp, sides steep, break of slope base gradual. Tapered point base. Inclined toward W. Appears to be truncated at top by machine during monitoring phase.

166 II Posthole cut 0.23 x 0.23 x 0.30m

Sub circular posthole, rounded corners. Break of slope top fairly sharp, sides vertical, break of slope base sharp. Irregular oval base. Orientated E-W. Disturbed by machine during monitoring phase.

167 II Fill of possible posthole C.146

0.42m x 0.38m x 0.14m

Light yellowish brown loosely compact silty sand. Moderate medium sub-angular stones. Overlay C146 and underlay C101.

SS40

169 II Cut of slot trench

1.65m x 0.45m x 0.55m

Linear slot trench, rounded corners. Break of slope top and base sharp. Base stepped to ac-commodate posts. Truncated by C114. Filled by C106, C126, C129, C127 and C174.

170 II Fill of posthole C.171

0.29m x 0.29m x 0.12m

Mid brown softly compacted sandy clay. Occasional small sub angular stones and char-coal f lecks.

SS46


Sub-circular posthole, rounded corners. Break of slope top gradual at N, vertical elsewhere, sides steep/con-cave at N, vertical elsewhere, break of slope base gradual at N and S, sharp at E and W. Sub-circular flat base. Filled by C.170.


0.5 x 0.7 x 0.3 Mid brown moderately compact silty clay. Frequent charcoal f lecks/pieces and small angular and sub angular stones. Overlay C151, underlay C101

Pottery AO14/003:173:1-4

SS47, Cs48


0.83m x 0.41m 0.35m

Yellowish brown moderate compact silty clay. Occasional sub angular stones , frequent charcoal f lecks /pieces. Over-lay C127 and underlay C101

175 II Fill of postholes 148 &149

0.20m x .24m x 0.09m

Mid orangish brown fairly softly compact clayey silt. Overlay C148 and C149, underlay C101



39


176 II Fill of Slot trench C177

0.68m x 4.16m x 0.10m

Light yellowish brown friable sandy silt. Frequent pebbles and charcoal, dislodged large stones. Heavily truncated.

177 II Slot trench cut 0.68m x 4.16m x 0.10m

Heavily truncated slot trench. Sharp break of slope at top and base on south side, verticle sides. Northern side of feature almost completely truncated


0.50m x 0.30m x 0.35m

Brownish yellow very compact angular stones (70%) and clay(30%). Occasional char-coal f lecks. Overlay C151 and underlay C101

SS50


1m x 0.60m x 0.40m

Fairly loosely compact angular and sub-angular stones (60%) and charcoal rich silt (40%). Average size of stones 0.20m x 0.15m x 0.15m

Pottery AO14/003:173:1-5

SS51



40

NMI Context No. Find No. Material Description Type

AO14/003 5 1 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 2 Pottery Fragment Fine BakerAO14/003 5 3 Pottery Fragment Fine BakerAO14/003 5 4 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 5 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 6 Pottery Base Fragment Fine BakerAO14/003 5 7 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 8 Pottery Body Sherd Fine BakerAO14/003 5 9 Pottery Body Sherd Fine BakerAO14/003 5 10 Pottery Base Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 11 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 12 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 13 Pottery Body Sherd Fine BakerAO14/003 5 14 Pottery Base Fragment Fine BakerAO14/003 5 15 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 16 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 17 Pottery Rim Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 18 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 19 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 20 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 21 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 22 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 23 Pottery Body Sherd Fine BakerAO14/003 5 24 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 25 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 26 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 27 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 28 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 29 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 30 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 31 Pottery Body Sherd Fine BakerAO14/003 5 32 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 33 Pottery Base Fragment Fine BakerAO14/003 5 34 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 35 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 36 Pottery Rim Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 37 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 38 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 39 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 40 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 41 Pottery Rim Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 42 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 43 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 44 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 45 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 46 Pottery Fragment Fine BakerAO14/003 5 47 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 48 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 49 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 50 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 51 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 52 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic Baker

12.3 Appendix 3: Find Register



41


AO14/003 5 53 PotteryAO14/003 5 54 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 55 Pottery Body Sherd Fine BakerAO14/003 5 56 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 57 Pottery Fragment Fine BakerAO14/003 5 58 Pottery Fragment Fine BakerAO14/003 5 59 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 60 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 61 Pottery Fragment Fine BakerAO14/003 5 62 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 63 Pottery Body Sherd Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 64 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 65 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 66 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 67 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 68 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 69 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 70 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 71 Clay LumpAO14/003 5 72 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 73 Pottery Fragment Domestic BakerAO14/003 5 74 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 75 Pottery Crumb Fine BakerAO14/003 5 76 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 77 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 78 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 79 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 80 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 81 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 82 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 83 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 84 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 85 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 86 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 87 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 88 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 89 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 90 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 91 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 92 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 93 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 94 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 95 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 96 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 97 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 98 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 99 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 100 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 101 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 102 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 103 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 104 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 105 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 106 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 107 Flint Split Pebble



42


AO14/003 5 108 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 109 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 110 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 111 Flint Split PebbleAO14/003 5 112 Polished

stone axeAO14/003 5 113 PotteryAO14/003 5 114 PotteryAO14/003 5 115 PotteryAO14/003 5 116 PotteryAO14/003 5 117 PotteryAO14/003 5 118 PotteryAO14/003 5 119 PotteryAO14/003 5 120 PotteryAO14/003 5 121 PotteryAO14/003 5 122 PotteryAO14/003 5 123 PotteryAO14/003 5 124 PotteryAO14/003 5 125 PotteryAO14/003 5 126 PotteryAO14/003 5 127 PotteryAO14/003 5 128 PotteryAO14/003 9 1 Flint FlakeAO14/003 101 1 Pottery Rim Sherd Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 101 2 Pottery Rim Sherd Post MedievalAO14/003 101 3 Flint FlakeAO14/003 101 4 Flint FlakeAO14/003 101 5 Clay Pipe StemAO14/003 106 1 Flint FlakeAO14/003 116 1 Flint AO14/003 116 2 FlintAO14/003 116 3 Clay Pipe StemAO14/003 138 1 Flint FlakeAO14/003 138 2 Flint FlakeAO14/003 138 3 Flint FlakeAO14/003 139 1 PotteryAO14/003 142 1 Flint FlakeAO14/003 152 1 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 152 2 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 152 3 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 152 4 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 1 Pottery Body Sherd Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 2 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 3 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 4 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 5 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 6 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 7 Pottery Shoulder Sherd Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 8 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 9 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 10 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 11 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 12 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 13 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 14 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated Bowl



43


AO14/003 158 15 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 16 Pottery Shoulder Sherd Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 17 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 18 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 19 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 20 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 21 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 158 22 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 173 1 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 173 2 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 173 3 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 173 4 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 179 1 Pottery Body Sherd Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 179 2 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 179 3 Pottery Fragment Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 179 4 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated BowlAO14/003 179 5 Pottery Crumb Early Neolithic Carinated Bowl



44

12.4 Appendix 4: Plan Remains Report by Penny Johnston

Charred plant remains from Gortore, Co. Cork (A014/003)By Penny Johnston

IntroductionThis report details the analysis of charred seeds and plant remains from samples taken during exca-vation of a settlement site at Gortore, Co. Cork. The site was excavated as two areas, in Area 1 the remains of a Bronze Age pit were excavated, while in Area 2 the foundation trenches of a Neolithic house were found. The plant remains from the site included wheat (in particular emmer wheat), barley and crab apple.

MethodologyThe samples were collected on site as bulk soil and were processed using a simple flotation method. Each sample was saturated in water to allow carbonised plant material to float; this “flot” (the floating material) was then poured into a stack of geological sieves and trapped in the sieve meshes (the small-est measured 250µm). When all the carbonised material was collected the flot was then air-dried in paper-lined drying trays prior to storage in airtight plastic bags. Sorting and identification of the flots was carried out using a low-powered binocular microscope (magnification x10 to x40) and identified seeds were separated and stored in sealed glass phials. Nomenclature and taxonomic order follows Stace (1997), although in order to facilitate easy reading of this text the scientific names are included only in the table of identified seeds presented at the end of this report (Table 1).

ResultsSixteen samples contained the remains of charred plant remains, including the samples from the Early Neolithic house foundations, from the Bronze Age pit and from miscellaneous features which poten-tially date to a much later period, such as a ditch.

Three samples were taken from the Bronze Age pit that was excavated in Area 1. These were C5 (SS1), C5 (SS8) and C9 (SS4) and the plant remains in these deposits included hazel nut shell fragments, barley grains, emmer wheat grains, indeterminate wheat grains, some cereal grains that could not be identified to type, apple/pear pips, possible flax bolls and weed seeds.

Eight samples were taken from the foundation trenches of an Early Neolithic house in Area 2: from C106 (SS23), C107 (SS12), C112 (SS46), C115 (SS25), C121 (SS27), C125 (SS31), C152 (SS41) and

C164(SS34) The charred cereals included hazel nut shell fragments, emmer wheat grains, indetermi-nate wheat grains, cereals that could not be classified, weed seeds, apple/pear pips and the charred endocarp (core and flesh) of an apple.

Two samples were taken from burnt spreads C141 (SS37) and C142 (SS38) and they contained hazel



45

nut shell fragments and sloe stones and one indeterminate cereal grain. Most of the sloe stones had rodent gnaw holes, indicating that they could be from a small store accumulated by a mouse or a larger rodent. There is no evidence to suggest why they became carbonised.

Two samples were taken from miscellaneous contexts; C116 (SS15) and C126 (SS21). C116 (SS15) was taken from the upper layer of a ditch that crossed the excavation and was possibly of modern origin. The sample was very different from all the others taken at the site, with just the charred remains of three drubes from blackberries or raspberries recovered. These probably grew around or in the ditch and may have been charred during field clearance. In C126 (SS21) hazel nut shell fragments were the only plant remains found; the sample was taken from a swallow hole that was found underneath the house foundation trenches; as such the plant remains probably represent occuppational material that fell into the feature from above.

DiscussionThe pit in Area 1 produced a plant remains assemblage that included grains of both wheat and barley, but wheat was predominant. The only identifiable type of wheat present was emmer. The established consensus is that barley became a more common crop than wheat during the Bronze Age (e.g. Monk 1985/6) and deposits from the Early and Middle Bronze Age are more likely to produce greater quanti-ties of wheat than Late Bronze Age samples.

Deposits from the foundation walls of the Neolithic house suggested that wheat was the predominant crop type during this period. Only one barley grain was recovered and it may have been from a small wild grass variety that was accidentally incorporated into the wheat crop (along with a small amount of other weed seeds) rather than from a cultivar. Many of the wheat grains were in poor condition and could not be classified beyond genus level, but the small quantity of emmer grains recovered suggests that most of the wheat was probably from this species.

Comparative cereal assemblages from six early Neolithic houses at Corbally, Co. Kildare also indicate that the crop economy was almost exclusively dependent on emmer wheat, as there was only one pos-sible grain of barley found (Purcell 2002). Tankardstown South, Co. Limerick also produced emmer grains, the largest cache known from an Irish early Neolithic site (Gowen 1988, 41). The Gortore cereal assemblage has close parallels to the material from these two sites, suggesting some homogeneity in the crop types that were exploited in the Irish Neolithic. However, crop assemblages from some other Irish Neolithic houses indicate more diverse crop husbandry practices; although wheat was also predomi-nant at Ballygalley, Co. Antrim, much of this was identified as einkorn rather than emmer (Simpson 1993), an unusual find. Material from Monanny, Co. Monaghan, where three Neolithic houses were found, included oats, emmer wheat, naked barley and barley (information from NRA archaeological discoveries leaflet for N2 Carrickmacross Bypass) and at Cloghers I (Early-Middle Neolithic date), the crop assemblage consisted of bread wheat, barley, oats and possibly spelt wheat; no signs of emmer were found (Kiely and Dunne 2005).



46

The most unusual feature of the plant remains assemblage from the site was the discovery of charred apple pips and endocarp fragments from the area around the house wall. Charred apple pips are known from a Late Neolithic/Bronze Age site at Kiladreenan, Co. Wicklow (Johnston 2005), and there were possible apple pips from a Neolithic house partially excavated at Pepperhill, Co. Limerick (Monk 1988, 188). However, while the recovery of charred apple is relatively unusual, finding the charred flesh of apple is very rare; the only recorded Irish parallel is at Tankardstown South, Co. Limerick, where Neolithic house deposits contained carbonised apple endocarps. Their discovery may be explained by a practice of hanging apples to dry along the walls in houses, which has ethnographic parallels (Monk 1988, 186 and Ellison et al. 1978.). The material from Gortore provides a direct parallel to the Tank-ardstown finds, although the quantities found at Tankardstown were much larger. While the crab apple is a wild food, Monk (2000) indicates that the recovery of wild foods in these contexts does not suggest that the settlement was transitory; people continue to collect wild fruits to this day.

A comparison between the crop assemblages from the Neolithic contexts and those from the Bronze Age deposits suggests that there was no great difference in the crop types grown in this area during both periods, although this conclusion is drawn on the basis of very small assemblages from both pe-riods and may therefore be distorted.

Non-Technical SummaryThis report examined the plant remains taken from a Bronze Age pit and an Early Neolithic house. There was little or no discernible difference between the assemblages from both periods; both were sparse and wheat was recovered more frequently than barley. Where wheat could be identified to species it was classified as emmer. The results of cereal identifications have several parallels in other plant remains assemblages from Early Neolithic houses, in particular from Tankardstown South, Co. Limerick and Corbally, Co. Kildare. The recovery of apple endocarp fragments only has a parallel at Tankardstwon South, but it suggests Neolithic use of the surrounding countryside to gather and save plant remains, despite the ability to sow and harvest crops.



47

ReferencesEllison, R., Renfrew, J. ,Brothwell, D. and Seeley, N. 1978 “Some food offerings from Ur, excavated by

Sir Leonard Wolley and previously unpublished” Journal of Archaeological Science 5, 167-177.

Gowen, M. 1988 Three Irish Gas Pipelines: New Archaeological Evidence from Munster Dublin, Wordwell.

Johnston, P. 2005 “Charred plant remains from Kiladreenan, Co. Wicklow” Unpublished Technical Report for Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd.

Kiely, J. and Dunne, L. 2005 “Recent Archaeological Excavations in the Tralee Area” in M. Connolly (ed.) Past Kingdoms: Recent Archaeological Research, Survey and Excavation in County Kerry Castleisland, Kerry County Council and The Heritage Council.

Monk, M. 2000 “Seeds and soils of discontent” pp. 67-87 in A. Desmond, G. Johnson, M. McCarthy, J. Sheehan and E. Shee Twohig (eds.) New agendas in Irish prehistory Bray, Wordwell.

Monk, M. A. 1988 “Appendix 3: Archaeobotanical samples from pipeline sites” in M. Gowen Three Irish Gas Pipelines: New Archaeological Evidence from Munster Dublin, Wordwell.

NRA Archaeological Discoveries leaflet for the N2 Carrickmacross Bypass

Purcell, Avril 2002 “Excavation of three Neolithic houses at Corbally, Kilcullen, County Kildare” Journal of Irish Archaeology XI 31-75

Simpson 1993 “The Neolithic Settlement Site at Ballygalley, Co. Antrim” in E. Grogan and C. Mount (eds.) Annus Archaeology: Proceedings of the Organisation of Irish Archaeologists Conference 1993, 37-44.

Stace, C. A. 1997 New Flora of the British Isles (2nd edition) Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.



48

Ta

ble

1: C

harr

ed P

lant

Rem

ains

from

Gor

tore

, Co.

Cor

k (A

014/

003)

Con

text

16

45

5 5

9 10

610

711

211

511

612

112

5 12

614

1 14

2 15

2 Sa

mpl

e 34

1

1 8

4 23

12

46

25

15

27

31

21

37

38

41

H

azel

nut

she

ll fra

gmen

ts

(Cor

ylus

ave

llana

) 2

13

11

4

1

3

24

7

Inde

term

inat

e nu

t she

ll fra

gmen

t

Fat h

en

(Che

nopo

dium

alb

um)

Inde

term

inat

e se

eds

from

the

Goo

sefo

ot F

amily

(C

heno

podi

acea

e)

1

Pale

Per

sica

ria

(Per

sica

ria la

path

ifolia

)

Bla

ck b

indw

eed

(F

allo

pia

conv

olvu

lus)

Pro

babl

e S

heep

's s

orre

l (R

umex

cf a

ceto

sella

)

Inde

term

inat

e se

eds

from

the

Kno

tgra

ss/D

ock

Fam

ily

(Pol

ygon

acea

e)

1

1

Bla

ckbe

rry/

Ras

pber

ry d

rube

s

(Rub

us fr

uctic

osus

/idae

us)

3

Slo

e st

ones

(P

runu

s sp

inos

a)

4

Frag

men

ts fr

om s

loe/

cher

ry s

tone

s

(Pru

nus

spec

ies)

11

1

Frui

t sto

nes/

nut s

hell

fragm

ents

1

1

31

Pea

r/App

le p

ips

(P

yrus

/Mal

us) p

roba

bly

crab

app

le (M

alus

syl

vest

ris)

9

1

1 8

Bur

nt e

ndoc

arps

of p

ear/a

pple

, pro

babl

y cr

ab a

pple

(P

yrus

/Mal

us) p

roba

bly

crab

app

le (M

alus

syl

vest

ris)

*

**

***

Pos

sibl

e Li

nsee

d gr

ain

(c

f Lin

um s

peci

es)

1



49

Tabl

e 1:

Cha

rred

Pla

nt R

emai

ns fr

om G

orto

re, C

o. C

ork

(A01

4/00

3)

C

onte

xt

164

5 5

5 9

106

107

112

115

116

121

125

126

141

142

152

Sam

ple

34

1 1

8 4

23

12

46

25

15

27

31

21

37

38

41

Pos

sibl

e fla

x bo

lls

(cf L

inum

spe

cies

)

1

Dis

torte

d se

eds;

pos

sibl

e P

ear/A

pple

/Lin

seed

(P

yrus

/Mal

us/L

inum

)

7

Cle

aver

s

(Gal

ium

apa

rine)

Inde

term

inat

e w

eed

seed

s

1

1

1

Hul

led

Bar

ley

grai

ns

(Hor

deum

vul

gare

)

Gra

ins

of in

dete

rmin

ate

barle

y ty

pe

(Hor

deum

spe

cies

)

1 1

1

Bar

ley/

Whe

at g

rain

s

(Hor

deum

/Trit

icum

)

1

Bar

ley/

Whe

at e

mbr

yo e

nds

(H

orde

um/T

ritic

um)

1

Em

mer

whe

at g

rain

s

(Trit

icum

dic

occu

m)

2 1

3

2

1

2

Pro

babl

e E

mm

er w

heat

gra

ins

(T

ritic

um d

icoc

cum

)

7

Em

mer

/Spe

lt w

heat

glu

me

base

s

(Trit

icum

dic

occu

m/s

pelta

)

Whe

at g

rain

s of

inde

term

inat

e ty

pe

(Trit

icum

spe

cies

) 1

5 2

2

1

1

2

Api

cal e

nd fr

om w

heat

gra

ins

of in

dete

rmin

ate

type

(T

ritic

um s

peci

es)

1

2

5

Pos

sibl

e w

heat

gra

in

(cf T

ritic

um s

peci

es)

1

Inde

term

inat

e ce

real

gra

ins

(C

eral

ia)

1 5

3 1

1 3

1

1

11

1



50

Tabl

e 1:

Cha

rred

Pla

nt R

emai

ns fr

om G

orto

re, C

o. C

ork

(A01

4/00

3)

C

onte

xt

164

5 5

5 9

106

107

112

115

116

121

125

126

141

142

152

Sam

ple

34

1 1

8 4

23

12

46

25

15

27

31

21

37

38

41

Frag

men

ts o

f ind

eter

min

ate

cere

al g

rain

s (C

eral

ia)

1 2

1

5

Inde

term

inat

e G

rass

see

ds

(Poa

ceae

)



51

12.5 Appendix 5: Pottery Report by Helen Roche & Eoin Grogan

Gortore, Co. Cork(A014/003)

By: Helen Roche and Eoin Grogan

SummaryThe assemblage consists of 113 mainly fragmented and weathered sherds. Based on the featured sherds and fabric it is estimated that five prehistoric vessels are represented, dating to the Early Neolithic (Vessels 1-2) and the Final Neolithic/Early Bronze Age (Vessels 3-5). A post medieval sherd was also present.

The Early Neolithic potteryThe poorly preserved sherds representing two Early Neolithic carinated bowls (Vessels 1 and 2) with simple angle shoulder and simple rounded rim, belongs to the early stages of the Neolithic and is compatible with the date 3928-3655 cal. BC obtained from the slot trenches of the house. The thick-walled, somewhat pasty fabric of Vessel 1 (C.101) differs from the fine, thin-walled although friable fabric of Vessel 2 (C. 152, 158, 173, 179). This style (Case 1961: ‘Dunmurry-Ballymarlagh’; Sheridan 1995: ‘classic’ carinated bowls) is increasingly well represented in south Munster and has been identi-fied at Ballinaspig More 5, Ballincollig, Co. Cork (Grogan and Roche 2004), Curraghprevin 3 (Roche and Grogan 2005), at Kilgreany Cave (Tratman 1928; Movius 1935) and the court tomb at Ballyna-mona Lower (Powell 1938), and on the Kilmacthomas bypass at Ahanaglogh and Cooltubrid East, Co. Waterford (Tierney et al. 2002). The major settlement core at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick, emerged during this period and contemporary house sites include those at Tankardstown South (Gowen 1988; Gowen and Tarbett 1988). More recently this material has also been reported from sites at Kerloge (Elder 2004) and Courtlands East, Co. Wexford (Purcell 2002). Early Neolithic houses at Pepperhill (Gowen 1988) and Barnagore (Anon. 2002; Grogan 2004a), Co. Cork, and Cloghers, Tralee, Co. Kerry (Dunne and Kiely 1999; Kiely 2000), further demonstrate widespread regional activity and similar use of pottery during this period.

Final Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker potterySherds representing three Beaker vessels were uncovered within pit C.7. Vessels 3 and 4 are fine Beak-ers while Vessel 5 is a domestic Beaker (Grogan and Eogan 1987, 479). The fine Beakers, although weathered, are of good production quality, the fabric is good to fine containing a moderate percentage of crushed inclusions of quartzite (generally less than 2.5mm in length), and ranging in thickness from 4.1-6.8mm. Some surface pitting, a feature not usually found on good quality Beaker, occurs on both vessels. They appear to have had soft S-shaped profiles, with gently sloping base-angles and probable simple rounded rims. Vessels of this type have generally been assigned to Clarke’s (1970) European Bell Beaker, or his Wessex/Middle Rhine types. More recently, following reviews by, for example,



52

Lanting and van der Waals (1972), there has been a greater recognition of the regional development of Beaker. Case’s (1993) simpler threefold scheme, and its specific application to the Irish material, provides a straightforward medium for insular comparison (Case 1995). The Gortnore material, with its narrow bands of comb-impressed decoration, and very similar to pot 61 from Site 5, Dalkey Is-land, Co. Dublin (Liversage 1968, 207, no. 61), conforms to Cases earliest style 2. On this basis the Gortore assemblage should date to c. 2300-2200 BC, contemporary with, for example, the later part of the settlement in the Boyne Valley and at Lough Gur (see Brindley 1995, 5-8). This date is entirely compatible with the radiocarbon date of 2458-2151 cal. BC from Pit C7, Area 1.

The domestic Beaker (Vessel 5) with its flat open rim, slight constriction at the waist and the thick-walled rather coarse fabric is larger in size than Vessels 2-3. There is a high content of inclusions in the fabric matrix, up to 4.4mm in length. The exterior surface, although weathered, appears to have been carefully prepared and the overall herringbone motif is arranged in horizontal rows executed with deeply impressed incisions. This type of decoration is not common on Irish domestic Beakers, where fingernail pinching and impressed bird-bone motifs are more frequently observed. However, incised herringbone motifs are present on a domestic Beaker at Circle L, Knockadoon, Lough Gur, Co. Lim-erick (Grogan and Eogan 1987, 425, no. 2023) and from Site 5, Dalkey Island, Co. Dublin (Liversage 1968, 155, pl. VII: no. 54).

The presence of both fine and domestic Beaker has been widely recorded, occurring at, for example, at Lisnasallagh 2 on the N8 Rathcormac-Fermoy Bypass (Roche and Grogan 2005), Knowth (Eogan 1984), Newgrange (Cleary 1983) and Monknewtown (Sweetman 1976), Co. Meath, Dalkey Island (Liversage 1968), Kilgobbin and Beaverstown, Co. Dublin (Grogan 2004b, c), Doonmoon (Gowen 1988, 52-61), and several excavations at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick, including Sites C, D and K (Ó Ríordáin 1954; Grogan and Eogan 1987).

The excavations at Gortore uncovered important evidence for episodic prehistoric activity, with the earliest phase consisting of a house and its associated pottery assemblage and later with activity associ-ated with Beaker pottery dating to the Final Neolithic/Early Bronze Age period. The latter is a particu-larly significant addition to the relatively limited number of Beaker sites found in southwest Ireland, other assemblages being found at Barnagore 2 and Carrigohane 4 and Curraheen 1, Co. Cork. Further to the west Beaker has also come from Ross Island, Killarney, Co. Kerry (O’Brien 1995), and these discoveries are helping to substantially alter our understanding of prehistoric society in this region.



53

CatalogueContext numbers are in bold; numbers in square brackets indicate that the sherds are conjoined.

Early Neolithic Carinated Bowl

Vessel 1. A rimsherd 101:1.Out-turned rounded rim with a short neck. The surfaces of the thick-walled fabric, although friable in texture, have been carefully smoothed and contain a moderate content of mainly quartzite inclusions (≤ 4.0mm). The sherd is weathered and inclusions protrude through the surfaces. Colour: orange throughout. Thickness: 8.9mm.

Vessel 2. Two shoulder sherd fragments 158:7 and 16, two bodysherds 158:1, 179:1, sixteen fragments 152:1-4, 158:3-6, 8, 9, 15, 17, 20, 173:1, 179:2, 3 and fifteen crumbs 158:2, 10-14, 18, 19, 21, 22, 173:2-4, 179:4, 5.These sherds were located in different contexts associated with the sub-rectangular house and may represent more than one vessel. However, because of the uniform nature of the fabric and the lack of featured sherds, it is impossible to be certain whether more than one vessel is present. The shoulder sherds are of simple angle form. The thin-walled fabric is of poor qual-ity and friable with a high content of inclusions (≤ 3.0mm) of mainly quartzite and mica. The sherds are weathered and the inclusions protrude through the surfaces. The shoulder sherds and fragments 158:4 and 17 show evidence for burnishing. Some sherds are blackened but it is difficult to say whether this was a result of cooking or of the firing process. Colour: orange-black throughout. Thickness: 5.00-8.1mm.

Fine Beakers

Vessel 3. Four bodysherds 5:8, 9, 23, 31 and a fragment 5:58. Good quality, well-fired hard thin-walled fabric with a low to moderate content of inclusions (≤ 2.4mm). The sherds show evidence for extreme weathering and areas of the surface are porous. Evidence for faint decoration is visible on the sherds but the motifs are clear only on sherd 5:31, which appears to be close to the rim. Decoration consists of closely spaced hori-zontal rows of comb impressions forming bands. From the surviving evidence it would appear that alternative bands are filled with closely spaced oblique rows of comb impressions. Colour: orange-black throughout. Thickness: 4.1-5.2mm.

Vessel 4. Three base-angle fragments 5:6, 14, 33, two bodysherds 5:13, 55, five fragments 5:2, 3, 46, 57, 61 and thirteen crumbs 5:1-7, 64, 65, 66, 70, 74, 75. Good quality, well-fired hard fabric with a low to moderate content of inclusions (≤ 2.5mm). The sherds show evidence for extreme weathering and areas of the surface are porous. Evidence for faint horizontal rows of comb impressions is visible on sherds 5:46, 57 and 61. Colour:



54

orange exterior and interior surface with a dark grey core. Thickness: 5.3-6.8mm.

Domestic Beakers

Vessel 5. Three rimsherds 5:1, 17, 36, a rim fragment 5:41, a base-angle fragment 5:10, thirty-one bodysherds 5:11, 12, 15, 16, 18-22, 24-30, 32, 34, 35, 37-9, 42-5, 47, 50, 51, 56, [52/54/63] and twelve fragments 5:4, 40, 48, 49, 59, 60, 62, 67-9, 72, 73. Flat rim with slight constriction on the exterior surface immediately below the rim. Flat footring base. Thick-walled compact fabric with a moderate to high content of inclusions, including crushed quartzite (≤ 4.4mm). Evidence for weathering is visible on the surfaces and on the sherd breaks. Slight evidence for carbonised matter is present on the exterior and interior surfaces. Decoration is present on the rim top in the form of deeply impressed oblique strokes. The body is decorated with horizontal bands of opposing oblique deeply impressed strokes forming herringbone motifs. On rimsherds 5:1 and 36 theses strokes are placed in the opposite direction to those on rimsherds 5:17, and 41. Horizontal rows of bone impressions are also present. Colour: orange-black/orange/orange-black. Thickness: 11.9-12.1mm. Estimated rim diameter: c. 22cm. Estimated height:

Three lumps of fired clay 5:5, 7, 71.

A rimsherd from a glazed post medieval vessel 101:2.



55

ReferencesAnon. 2002 Neolithic house in Cork, Archaeology Ireland 61, 6.

Brindley, A. 1995 Radiocarbon, Chronology and the Bronze Age. In J. Waddell and E. Shee Twohig (eds) Ireland in the Bronze Age, 4-13. Stationery Office, Dublin. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 99, 165-8.

Case, H. 1961 Irish Neolithic Pottery: Distribution and Sequence, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 9, 174-233.

Case, H. 1993 Beakers: Deconstruction and After, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 59, 241-68.

Case, H. 1995 Irish Beakers in their European Context. In J. Waddell and E. Shee Twohig (eds) Ireland in the Bronze Age, 14-29. Stationery Office, Dublin.

Clarke, D.L. 1970 Beaker Pottery of Great Britain and Ireland. Gulbenkian Archaeological Series, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Cleary, R.M. 1983 The Ceramic Assemblage. In O’Kelly, M.J., Cleary, R.M. and Lehane, D. Newgrange, Co. Meath, Ireland: The Late Neolithic/Beaker Period Settlement, C. O’Kelly (ed.), 58-117. British Archaeological Reports International Series 190, Oxford.

Dunne, L. and Kiely, J. 1999 Cloghers, Tralee, Archaeology Ireland 47, 14.

Elder, S. 2004 Kerloge. Prehistoric. In I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2001, 403. Wordwell, Dublin.

Eogan, G. 1984 Excavations at Knowth 1. Royal Irish Academy Monographs in Archaeology, Dublin.

Gibson, A. 2002 Prehistoric Pottery in Britain and Ireland. Tempus, Stroud.

Gowen, M. 1988 Three Irish Gas Pipelines: New Archaeological Evidence in Munster. Wordwell, Dublin.

Gowen, M. and Tarbett, C. 1988 A Third Season at Tankardstown, Archaeology Ireland 8, 156.

Grogan, E. 2004a The implications of Irish Neolithic houses. In I. Shepard and G. Barclay (eds) Scotland in Ancient Europe, 103-114. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Grogan, E. 2004b The prehistoric pottery assemblage from Kilgobbin, Co. Dublin. Unpublished Report for M. Gowen and Co. Ltd.

Grogan 2004c The prehistoric pottery assemblage from Beaverstown, Co. Dublin. Unpublished Report for M. Gowen and Co. Ltd.



56

Grogan, E. and Eogan, G. 1987 Lough Gur excavations by Seán P. Ó Ríordáin: further Neolithic and Beaker habitations on Knockadoon, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 87C, 299-506.

Grogan, E. and Roche, H. 2004 The prehistoric pottery from Ballinaspig More 5, Ballincollig, Co. Cork. Unpublished Report for Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.

Kiely, J. 2000 Cloghers, Tralee, Co. Kerry. In I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 1998, 97, Wordwell/Duchás, Dublin.

Lanting, J. and van der Waals, D. 1972 British Beakers as seen from the Continent, Helenium 12, 20-46.

Liversage, G.D. 1968 Excavations at Dalkey Island, Co. Dublin, 1956-1959, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 66C, 53-233.

Mitchell, G.F. and Ó Ríordáin, S.P. 1942 Early Bronze Age Pottery from Rockbarton, Co. Limerick, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 48, 255-72.

Movius, H. 1935 Kilgreany Cave, County Waterford, Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 65, 254-96.

O’Brien, W. 1995 Ross Island – the beginning, Archaeology Ireland 31, 24-7.

Ó Ríordáin, S.P. 1954 Lough Gur Excavations: Neolithic and Bronze Age Houses on Knockadoon, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 56C, 297-459.

Powell, T.G.E. 1938 Excavation of a Megalithic Tomb at Ballynamona Lower, County Waterford, Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 68, 260-71.

Purcell, A. 2002 Courtlands East. Neolithic. Co. Wexford. In I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2000, 354. Wordwell, Dublin.

Roche, H. and Grogan, E. 2005 The N8 Rathcormac-Fermoy Bypass. The prehistoric pottery from Curraghprevin 3 and Lisnasallagh 2, Co. Cork. Unpublished Reports for Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.

Sheridan, A. 1995 Irish Neolithic pottery: the story in 1995. In I. Kinnes and G. Varndell (eds) Unbaked Urns of Rudely Shape’, 3-21. Oxbow Monograph 55, Oxford.

Sweetman, P.D. 1976 An earthen enclosure at Monknewtown, Slane, Co. Meath, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 76, 25-73.

Tierney, J., Richardson, A. and Frazer, B. 2002 Ahanaglogh-Graigueshoneen. Prehistoric. In I. Bennett



57

(ed.) Excavations 2000, 328-31. Wordwell, Dublin.

Tratman, E.K. 1928 Excavations at Kilgreany Cave, Co. Waterford, Proceedings of the Bristol Speleological Society 3, 109-153.



58

12.6 Appendix 6: Lithics Report by Farina Sternke

Lithics Finds Report for A014/003 – N8 Rathcormac-Fermoy Bypassby Farina Sternke

A014/003 – Gortore TownlandThe lithic assemblage from Gortore Townland consists of 47 pieces, 40 of which are made of flint, one of chert, two of limestone and four of unknown types of rock.

Condition:The majority of the worked flints (21 pieces) show evidence of exposure to intense heat. Ten pieces are unmodified (i.e. natural) (see catalogue) and, with the exception of a group of five unused flint peb-bles, derive from secondary contexts. Seven flints are in fresh condition among which are three cores (A014/003:5:83, A014/003:5:91 and A014/003:5:102) which were excavated from the charcoal rich layer of a pit.

Technology: The worked lithic material includes the technologically classifiable items shown in the Table below.

The technology is marked by an exploitation of local Remaneé flint pebbles (in one case, a chert peb-ble) which were split on an anvil. The resulting fragments were then further reduced using a direct percussion with a stone. Cores A014/003:5:90, A014/003:5:91 and A014/003:5:102 show evidence of direct percussion on an anvil, whereby the core rests on a hard surface while flakes are removed from one end (often referred to as bipolar reduction on an anvil). The core is frequently turned to exploit the opposite end. It is commonly suggested that this technique would frequently be used when the core becomes too small to be handheld during reduction.

Pebble flakes A014/003:5:102 (a possible core) and A014/003:101:3 are retouched and were possibly used as scrapers.

Find No. TypeA014/003:5:81 Split PebbleA014/003:5:89 Split PebbleA014/003:5:84 Split Pebble FragmentA014/003:5:86 Split Pebble FragmentA014/003:5:88 Split Pebble FragmentA014/003:5:93 Split Pebble FragmentA014/003:5:94 Split Pebble FragmentA014/003:5:100 Split Pebble FragmentA014/003:5:103 Split Pebble Fragment



59

Find No. TypeA014/003:5:104 Split Pebble Fragment A014/003:5:107 Split Pebble FragmentA014/003:5:111 Split Pebble FragmentA014/003:5:83 CoreA014/003:5:90 CoreA014/003:5:91 CoreA014/003:5:102 CoreA014/003:5:92 FlakeA014/003:5:96 FlakeA014/003:5:98 FlakeA014/003:5:101 FlakeA014/003:5:108 FlakeA014/003:9:1 FlakeA014/003:101:3 FlakeA014/003:101:4 FlakeA014/003:106:1 FlakeA014/003:138:1 FlakeA014/003:142:1 FlakeA014/003:5:95 Flake FragmentA014/003:5:110 Flake FragmentA014/003:5:109 Blade FragmentA014/003:5:112 Polished Stone Axe Fragment

Dating:The type of retouched artefacts do not allow for a precise dating of the assemblage. The fragment of a polished stone axe however suggests a dating of the assemblage to the Neolithic period which cor-responds with the radio-carbon date of cal BC 3928-3655 obtained for the prehistoric house site.

Interpretation:The majority of lithic finds (A014/003:5:76 – 111) were excavated from a charcoal rich layer within a pit ca. 50m from a prehistoric house site. The bulk of this material appears to represent the remains of one short flintknapping episode whereby small flint pebbles (in one case a limestone nodule), similar to the group of five in this assemblage which had been collected in the vicinity of the site, were split and further exploited for the production of small flakes and blades. Despite the fact that the majority of worked flints show signs of burning, there is no direct evidence for heat treatment of the flint prior to knapping. Further, the good quality of the raw material suggests that heat treatment was unnecessary. It can be concluded that unwanted flakes and blades, particularly those with a high degree of residual cortex were discarded in a hearth. Similarly, six unused flint pebbles were discarded into the hearth at the end of the knapping episode, possibly due to their small size. It can also be suggested that suitable flakes and blades were selected and removed for further modification and use.



60

Find

No.

C

onte

xtM

ater

ial

Type

Con

d.Le

ngth

(mm

)W

idth

(mm

)T

hick

n. (m

m)

Com

plet

eR

etou

chC

omm

ent

A014

/003

:5:7

6Pi

tFl

int

Pebb

leN

atur

al24

2320

Yes

No

A014

/003

:5:7

7Pi

tFl

int

Pebb

leN

atur

al30

2421

Yes

No

A014

/003

:5:7

8Pi

tFl

int

Pebb

leN

atur

al31

2729

Yes

No

A014

/003

:5:7

9Pi

tFl

int

Pebb

leN

atur

al26

2312

Yes

No

A014

/003

:5:8

0Pi

tFl

int

Pebb

leN

atur

al27

2515

Yes

No

A014

/003

:5:8

1Pi

tFl

int

Split

Peb

ble

Fres

h23

189

Yes

No

Rem

oval

on

dist

al e

ndA0

14/0

03:5

:82

Pit

Flin

tPe

bble

Burn

t28

2315

No

No

Hea

t Fra

ctur

ed

A014

/003

:5:8

3Pi

tFl

int

Cor

eFr

esh

1422

12Ye

sN

oon

split

peb

ble,

2 n

egat

ive

rem

oval

scar

sA0

14/0

03:5

:84

Pit

Flin

tSp

lit P

ebbl

e Fr

agm

ent

Burn

t33

169

Yes

No

3 ne

gativ

e re

mov

al sc

ars

A014

/003

:5:8

5Pi

tFl

int

Chu

nkBu

rnt

2118

7N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

A0

14/0

03:5

:86

Pit

Flin

tSp

lit P

ebbl

e Fr

agm

ent

Patin

ated

1910

4N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

, 1 n

egat

ive

rem

oval

scar

s A0

14/0

03:5

:87

Pit

Unk

now

n Se

di-

men

tary

Roc

kPe

bble

Burn

t30

2013

No

No

Hea

t Fra

ctur

ed

A014

/003

:5:8

8Pi

tFl

int

Split

Peb

ble

Frag

men

tBu

rnt

2524

9N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

, 1 n

egat

ive

rem

oval

scar

s A0

14/0

03:5

:89

Pit

Flin

tSp

lit P

ebbl

eBu

rnt

2616

15N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

, 2 n

egat

ive

rem

oval

scar

s A0

14/0

03:5

:90

Pit

Flin

tC

ore

Burn

t22

1810

No

No

on sp

lit p

ebbl

e, 4

rem

oval

sA0

14/0

03:5

:91

Pit

Che

rtC

ore

Fres

h35

3212

Yes

No

on sp

lit p

ebbl

e, a

t lea

st 9

re

mov

als

A014

/003

:5:9

2Pi

tFl

int

Flak

eFr

esh

2610

4Ye

sN

oA0

14/0

03:5

:93

Pit

Flin

tSp

lit P

ebbl

e Fr

agm

ent

Burn

t13

1111

No

No

Hea

t Fra

ctur

ed, 1

neg

ativ

e re

mov

al sc

ars

A014

/003

:5:9

4Pi

tFl

int

Split

Peb

ble

Frag

men

tBu

rnt

168

No

No

Hea

t Fra

ctur

ed, 2

neg

ativ

e re

mov

al sc

ars

A014

/003

:5:9

5Pi

tFl

int

Flak

e Fr

ag-

men

tFr

esh

2310

3N

oN

oPr

oxim

al e

nd m

issin

g

A014

/003

:5:9

6Pi

tFl

int

Flak

eFr

esh

1213

5Ye

sN

ohi

nged

term

inat

ion

A014

/003

:5:9

7Pi

tFl

int

Hea

tfra

ctur

eBu

rnt

117

3Ye

sN

oPo

ttlid

A014

/003

:5:9

8Pi

tFl

int

Flak

eBu

rnt

812

5Ye

sN

oA0

14/0

03:5

:99

Pit

Flin

tC

hunk

Nat

ural

137

5Ye

sN

o



61

Find

No.

C

onte

xtM

ater

ial

Type

Con

d.Le

ngth

(mm

)W

idth

(mm

)T

hick

n. (m

m)

Com

plet

eR

etou

chC

omm

ent

A014

/003

:5:1

00Pi

tFl

int

Split

Peb

ble

Frag

men

tBu

rnt

1010

4N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

A014

/003

:5:1

01Pi

tFl

int

Flak

eBu

rnt

2013

4N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

, 2 n

egat

ive

rem

oval

scar

s A0

14/0

03:5

:102

Pit

Flin

tC

ore

Fres

h21

207

Yes

right

ed

ge,

dire

ct,

shor

t, ab

rupt

core

on

split

peb

ble

flake

w

ith a

t lea

st 7

rem

oval

s, po

s-sib

ly la

ter u

sed

as sc

rape

r

A014

/003

:5:1

03Pi

tFl

int

Split

Peb

ble

Frag

men

tBu

rnt

2323

12N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

A014

/003

:5:1

04Pi

tFl

int

Split

Peb

ble

Frag

men

tBu

rnt

135

4N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

A014

/003

:5:1

05Pi

tFl

int

Chu

nkBu

rnt

1310

9N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

A0

14/0

03:5

:106

Pit

Flin

tC

hunk

Burn

t13

105

No

No

Hea

t Fra

ctur

ed

A014

/003

:5:1

07Pi

tFl

int

Split

Peb

ble

Frag

men

tBu

rnt

1610

5N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

A014

/003

:5:1

08Pi

tFl

int

Flak

eBu

rnt

1918

8N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

A0

14/0

03:5

:109

Pit

Flin

tBl

ade

Frag

-m

ent

Fres

h19

103

No

No

Prox

imal

end

miss

ing

A014

/003

:5:11

0Pi

tFl

int

Flak

e Fr

ag-

men

tBu

rnt

1611

4N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

A014

/003

:5:11

1Pi

tFl

int

Split

Peb

ble

Frag

men

tBu

rnt

1717

13N

oN

oH

eat F

ract

ured

, 1 n

egat

ive

rem

oval

scar

s A0

14/0

03:7

:112

Pit

Unk

now

n Ig

ne-

ous R

ock

Polis

hed

Ston

e A

xe

Frag

men

t

Fres

h66

5629

No

No

Upp

er p

ortio

n of

pol

ished

sto

ne a

xe

A014

/003

:9:1

Siev

ing

Flin

tFl

ake

Fres

h17

102

Yes

No

A014

/003

:101

:3Su

rfac

e in

side

hous

eFl

int

Flak

eFr

esh

2533

8Ye

sdi

stal

, rig

ht a

nd

left

edge

, di

rect

se

mia

-br

upt

poss

ible

scra

per

A014

/003

:101

:4Su

rfac

e in

side

hous

eFl

int

Flak

eR

olle

d30

235

No

No

dist

al e

nd m

issin

g, so

me

edge

da

mag

e



62

Find

No.

C

onte

xtM

ater

ial

Type

Con

d.Le

ngth

(mm

)W

idth

(mm

)T

hick

n. (m

m)

Com

plet

eR

etou

chC

omm

ent

A014

/003

:106

:1Fi

ll of

hou

seFl

int

Flak

ePa

tinat

ed+R

olle

d27

277

Yes

No

som

e ed

ge d

amag

eA0

14/0

03:11

6:1

Mod

ern

Dra

inag

eU

nkno

wn

Chu

nkN

atur

al30

2115

Yes

No

A014

/003

:116:

2M

oder

n D

rain

age

Lim

esto

neC

hunk

Nat

ural

7064

30Ye

sN

ofr

ostf

ract

ured

A014

/003

:138

:1R

edep

osite

d C

lay

Flin

tFl

ake

Rol

led

2919

11Ye

sN

o

A014

/003

:138

:2R

edep

osite

d C

lay

Lim

esto

ne?

Chu

nkN

atur

al21

228

Yes

No

A014

/003

:138

:3R

edep

osite

d C

lay

Unk

now

nC

hunk

Nat

ural

1712

13Ye

sN

o

A014

/003

:142

:1Bu

rnt S

prea

d no

rth

of

hous

e

Flin

tFl

ake

Fres

h11

173

Yes

No

poss

ible

bifa

cial

pro

duct

ion

flake



63

Gortore AO14/003

Type Description QuantityContexts 179Plans 1:20 plan (drawings) 10Matrices 1Photographs Digital 126Registers Context/Features 1

Photograph 1Drawing 1Finds 1Samples 1

12.7 Appendix 7: Site Archive (Basis) Summary

Gortore AO14/003

PublicationsExcavations 2004 Text submitted January 2004 Publication pendingNRA publication Text submitted February 2006 Publication pendingPresentation Overview of the Scheme was given to the IAI conference in Cork Mar-04

It is the right of Cork County Council (the Council) to fulfil some or all of the stated publication requirements, either in part or in full, should it so decide, and that copyright is aggisned to the Council in order that it may make such information available to the public.

It is the right of Cork County Council (the Council) to fulfil some or all of the stated presentation requirements, either in part or in full, should it so decide.

12.8 Appendix 8 Dissemination Strategy

12.9 Appendix 9: Programme Schedule

Gortore A014/003Phase 1 testing April 2005Phase 2 resolution Duration of excavation 18th April 2005 - 29th April 2005Phase 3 post-excavationInterim Excavation Report Report submitted to Cork County Council November 2005Final Excavation Report Report submitted to Cork County Council April 2006Publications Excavations 2004 Summary submitted January 2005NRA Monography Summary submitted to Cork County Council February 2006

Education

Archaeological Excavation Report E2119 Gortore, N8 RF