Archaeological Report - Clashnevin 1, Co. Tipperary (Ireland)

Issue 11 [ISSN 2009-2237]

Archaeological Excavation Report

E3586 - Clashnevin 1, Co. Tipperary

Burnt Mound and Well

Eachtra Journal

June 2012


Co Tipperary

Laois County Council and National Roads Authority

Jacinta Kiely and Jo Ronayne

Clashnevin 1

EACHTRAArchaeological Projects

E No:

:

Project:

Client:

Date:

E3586

N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 1)

Jo RonayneExcavation Director

Written by:

Burnt Mound and Well

CORKThe Forge, Innishannon, Co. Cork

tel: 021 4701616 | web: www.eachtra.ie | email: [email protected]

GALWAY Unit 10, Kilkerrin Park, Liosbain Industrial Estate, Galway

tel: 091 763673 | web: www.eachtra.ie | email: [email protected]


Clashnevin 1Co Tipperary

Excavation Director

Jo Ronayne

Written By

Jacinta Kiely and Jo Ronayne

EACHTRAArchaeological Projects

© Eachtra Archaeological Projects 2012 The Forge, Innishannon, Co Cork

Set in 12pt Garamond

Printed in Ireland

i

Table of ContentsSummary ��iii

Acknowledgements �� iv

1 Scope of the project �� 1

2 Route location�� 1

3 Receiving environment �� 3

4 Archaeological and historical background �� 4

5 Site Location and Topography �� 7

6 Excavation methodology �� 9

7 Excavation results �� 9Fulacht fiadh/burnt mound �� 9

Well ��12

Trough ��16

Pits ��17

Features at the western end of the site ��19

Modern agricultural activity ��22

Lithics ��24

Plant remains ��24

Animal bone ��24

Modern finds ��24

Charcoal ��25

Radiocarbon dates ��25

8 Discussion �� 26

9 References ��30

Appendix 1 Stratigraphic Index �� 32

Appendix 2 Site Matrix �� 33

Appendix 3 Groups and Subgroups ��38

Appendix 4 Analysis of the plant remains ��54

Appendix 5 Bone report ��60

Appendix 6 Finds Register ��63

ii

List of FiguresFigure 1: Portion of map of Ireland showing the route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh

(Derrinsallagh to Ballintotty) Road Scheme (Contract 1)� �� 2

Figure 2: Discovery series OS map showing the route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Derrinsallagh to Ballintotty) Road Scheme (Contract 1) and the location of all excavation sites� �� 5

Figure 3: Portion of the Ist edition Ordnance Survey Map TN21 showing the location of Clashnevin 1� �� 8

Figure 4: Location and extent of Clashnevin 1 E3586 on the N7 Castletown to Nenagh ��10

Figure 5: Post-excavation plan of Clashnevin 1 E3586� �� 11

Figure 6: Post-excavation plan of well C�25 and trough C�24� �� 13

Figure 7: Section of trough C�24 and well C�25� �� 15

Figure 8: Post-excavation of pits C�140 and C�228� ��20

Figure 9: Section of pit C�140 and stake-holes C�175, C�177, C�187, C�179 and ditches C�19 and C�20� ��21

Figure 10: Prehistoric sites on and in the environs of N7 Castletown to Nenagh� ��28

List of PlatesPlate 1: Aerial view of Clashnevin 1 to left and Clashnevin 2 to right of photograph�� 7

Plate 2: View of mound of burtn material from south-east� �� 12

Plate 3: Mid excavation of well C�25 from south-west� �� 14

Plate 4: View of well C�25 from south� �� 14

Plate 5: View of well C�25 full of water from east� ��16

Plate 6: Mid excavation of trough C�24 from south� Note well C�25 to right� �� 17

Plate 7: Mid-excavation of pit C�50 from south� ��18

Plate 8: Mid-excavation of pit C�74 from west� ��18

Plate 9: View of pit C�53� �� 19

Plate 10: Mid-excavation of trough C�140 from south� ��23

Plate 11: Mid-excavation of well C�228 from north� ��23

List of TablesTable 1: Dimensions of pits associated with well C�25 ��16

Table 2: Dimensions of pits associated with burnt mound �� 19

Table 3: Dimensions of pits in the western part of the site ��22

Table 4: Dimensions of ditches and drains ��24

Table 5: Radiocarbon dates ��25

Table 6: Radiocarbon dates from the burnt mound sites on the N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 1) ��27

iii

http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e3586-clashnevin1-co-tipperary/Clashnevin 1-e3586

SummaryThe excavation of the site at Clashnevin comprised a burnt mound which overlay a well, a trough and a small group of pits. The well was 7 m in diameter and over 2.5 m in depth. It was fed by a spring at the base. The trough was located on the western side of the well. A medieval date was returned from one of the basal fills of the well. The remains of a second burnt mound were located 40 m to the west. It comprised a trough and two pits. A Middle Bronze Age date was returned from a fill of the trough. A small quantity of plant remains and animal bone was recovered primarily from the fills of the well and a pit at the western end of the site. Three ditches were located to the north of the mound of burnt material. The ditches correspond to a field boundary marked on the 1st ed. OS map sheet TN21.

Road project name N7 Castletown to Nenagh Site name Clashnevin 1E no. E3586Site director Jo RonayneTownland ClashnevinParish BallymackeyCounty TipperaryBarony Upper OrmondOS Map Sheet No. TN21National Grid Reference 192462 178888Elevation 87 m O.D.

issUe 11: eaChtra JoUrnal - issn 2009-2237 arChaeologiCal exCavation report

iv

AcknowledgementsThe project was commissioned by Laois County Council and was funded by the Na-tional Roads Authority under the National Development Plan (2000-2006). The project archaeologist was Niall Roycroft. Kildare County Council supervised the archaeological contract with RE staff of Pat Dowling and Colum Fagan. Kildare County Council Senior Executive Engineer was Joseph Kelly and Kildare County Council Senior Engineer was John Coppinger. The senior archaeologist was John Tierney and the post-excavation man-ager was Jacinta Kiely. Illustrations are by Maurizio Toscano, photographs by John Sun-derland and Eagle Photography and aerial photography by StudioLab. Specialist analysis was carried out by Mary Dillon, Penny Johnston, Margaret McCarthy, Farina Sternke and the 14 Chrono Centre at Queen’s University Belfast.

Clashnevin 1-e3586

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http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e3586-clashnevin1-co-tipperary/

1 Scope of the project Eachtra Archaeological Projects were commissioned by Laois County Council and the National Roads Authority to undertake archaeological works along 17.1 km (Contact 1) of the 35km N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Derrinsallagh to Ballintotty) national road scheme (EIS approved in November 2005). The scheme runs from the eastern junction of the present N7 Nenagh Bypass, North Tipperary a tie in to the M7/M8 Portlaoise-Castletown scheme to the south of Borris-in-Ossory in County Laois. The scheme is ap-proximately 191 hectares. Contract 1 comprises the western half of the scheme and runs from Clashnevin to Castleroan passing along the Tipperary North and Offaly county border regions. The Ministers Direction Number is A38.

It was funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006. The total archaeological cost was administered by the National Roads Authority through Laois County Council as part of the Authority’s commitment to protecting our cultural heritage. The purpose of the archaeological services project was to conduct ar-chaeological site investigations within the lands made available for the scheme and to assess the nature and extent of any new potential archaeological sites uncovered.

Phase 1 of the project (archaeological testing of the route) was carried out in 2007 under licence E3371, E3372 and E3375-8 issued by Department of the Environment Her-itage and Local Government (DoEHLG) in consultation with the National Museum of Ireland. The principal aim of this phase of the project was to test for any previously unknown sites by a programme of centreline and offset testing and to test sites of archaeo-logical potential identified in the EIS.

Phase 2 of the project (resolution) involved the resolution of all archaeological sites identified within the proposed road corridor prior to commencement of the construction of the road. This phase of the project was carried out from June 2007 to February 2008 and excavations were conducted under the management of a Senior Archaeologist. A total of 27 sites were excavated during this phase of works under separate licences issued by DoEHLG.

A post-excavation assessment and strategy document was prepared in Phase 3 of the project to present a management strategy for dealing with post-excavation work aris-ing from archaeological works along the route of the new N7 Castletown to Nenagh. It included a proposal for post-excavation and archiving work and a budget for the works.

2 Route locationThe route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh road is located in Counties North Tipperary and Offaly (OF) (Figure 1). The project (Contract 1) involves the construction of c. 17.5 km of the N7 from Clashnevin east of Nenagh to Castleroan south-east of Dunkerrin. It passes through the townlands of Clashnevin, Derrybane, Newtown, Lissanisky, Killeisk, Garavally, Derrycarney, Garrynafanna, Gortnadrumman, Kilgorteen, Falleen, Knock-ane, Clash, Park, Rosdremid (OF), Clynoe (OF), Cullenwaine, Moneygall, Greenhills,

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Drumbaun, Busherstown (OF), Drumroe (OF), Moatquarter, Loughan (OF) and Cas-tleroan (OF). The townlands are located in the parishes of Ballymackey, Cullenwaine, Castletownely, Rathnaveoge, Finglas and Dunkerrin and the baronies of Upper Ormond, Ikerrin and Clonisk,

The route begins at the eastern end of the Nenagh bypass at Clashnevin c. 5 km east of Nenagh and continues eastward on the northern side of the existing N7 in Co. Tip-perary. It crosses a number of third class roads to the north of Toomyvara and 0.7 km east of Clash crossroads crosses the Ollatrim River. It extends into County Offaly directly east of Park. From here it crosses the R490 0.6 km north of Moneygall. It extends back in County Tipperary and through the demesne of Greenhills before crossing the existing N7 at the junction of Greenhills and Drumbaun townlands. It crosses back into County Offaly and climbs east into Busherstown and Drumroe. It crosses the Keeloge Stream into Moatquarter in County Tipperary and extends northeast back into County Offaly through the townlands of Loughan and Castleroan 1.4 km southwest of Dunkerrin.

3 Receiving environmentNorth Tipperary is bounded on the west by the River Shannon and Lough Derg with the Silvermines, to the south, and small hills extending towards Devilsbit and Borrisnoe Mountains to the east. The mountains are composed largely of Silurian strata and Old Red Sandstone. Copper, silver and lead deposits have been mined in the Silvermines. The geology of the lowlands consists of Carboniferous limestone covered by glacial drift in addition to tracts of raised bog.

The western portion of the study area is drained by the Ollatrim River which flows westwards into the River Ballintotty which in turns drains into the River Nenagh. The eastern portion is drained by the Keeloge Stream and other small water sources. These rise in the foothills of the Silvermine Mountains and flow north. The Keeloge drains into the Little Brosna River c. 1 km south of Shinrone, Co Offaly. The Brosna turns north and drains into the Shannon south of Banagher.

The largest population centre in the area is Nenagh. The smaller population centres, are Toomyvara, Moneygall and Dunkerrin.

The soils on the route are characterised by 80% grey brown podzolics, 10% gleys, 5% brown earths and 5% basin peat. They are derived from glacial till of predominantly Car-boniferous limestone composition. These soils occur in Tipperary and Offaly and have a wide use range being suitable for both tillage and pasture (Gardiner and Radford 1980, 97-99). Land use along the route was a mix of grassland devoted to intensive dairying and cattle-rearing and tillage.


4

4 Archaeological and historical backgroundArchaeological sites of numerous periods were discovered along the route of the new road (Figure 2). The periods are referred to as follows: Mesolithic (c. 8000 to 4000 BC), Neo-lithic (c. 4000 to 2000 BC), Bronze Age (c. 2000 to 600 BC), and Iron Age (c. 500 BC to AD 500), early medieval period (c. AD 500 to 1100), medieval period (c. AD 1100 to 1650), post-medieval period (c. AD 1650 to the present).

Mesolithic (c. 8000 to 4000 BC)The earliest known human settlement in Ireland dates from the Mesolithic period (c. 8000 BC - 4000 BC). The majority of the evidence (flint scatters) for Mesolithic occupa-tion has come from the river valleys. No evidence for the Mesolithic was recorded on the route.

Neolithic (c. 4000 to 2000 BC)The Neolithic Period is characterised by the introduction of agriculture and the begin-nings of the clearance of the woodlands. The population increased and became more sedentary in nature. The most important Neolithic site in the vicinity was at Tullahedy recorded on the route of the Nenagh by-pass. It was a specialist chert arrow manufactur-ing site.

No evidence for a Neolithic site was recorded on the route but stone tools dating to the Neolithic were recorded at Busherstown E3661, Clash E3660, Cullenwaine E3741 and Greenhills 2 and 3 E3637 and E3658. Stone tools dating to the late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age were recorded at Busherstown E3661, Castleroan E3909, Cullenwaine E3741, Derrybane 1 E3585, Drumroe E3773, Greenhills 1 E3638 and Moatquarter E3910

Bronze Age (c. 2000 to 600BC)The Bronze Age is characterised by the introduction of metallurgy and an increase in settlement and burial sites. Copper ores were mined and copper, bronze and gold items manufactured. The range of burial site types includes cist graves, pit and urn burials, cremation cemeteries, barrows, ring-ditches and wedge tombs. Stone circles and stand-ing stones also date to the Bronze Age. Both enclosed and unenclosed settlement sites are known. The most prolific Bronze Age site type is the fulacht fiadh. These monuments survive as low mounds of charcoal rich black silt, packed with heat-shattered stones, and generally situated close to a water source. Fulachta fiadh are generally classified as ‘cook-ing 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 wrapped food was cooked within the hot water. The trough eventually filled with small stones, ash and charcoal that were removed, forming the basis of the familiar mound.

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Two new fulachta fiadh or burnt mounds were recorded at Clashnevin 1 E3586, Cullenwaine E3741 and six at three separate locations in Greenhills, E3638, E3637 and E3658. Evidence of nine roundhouses or partial round structures were recorded; two at Castleroan E3909, Derrybane 2 E3591 and Drumbaun 2 E3912 and one at Clash E3660, Drumroe E3773 and Moatquarter E3910.

Iron Age (c. 500 BC to AD 500)Upto recently there was little evidence of a significant Iron Age presence in Munster. Settlement sites are few and far between as well as being difficult to identify (Woodman, 2000) while the material culture of this period is limited. Linear earthworks, believed to have marked tribal boundaries, and hillforts are two of the most visible monuments of the period. Ten percent of sites excavated on NRA road schemes in recent years have produced Iron Age dates. The dates have led to the identification of 30 new Iron Age sites in Munster from road schemes in counties Cork, Limerick and Tipperary (McLaughlin 2008, 51). These include a ditched enclosure in Ballywilliam and a wooden trackway in Annaholty Bog excavated on the route of the N7 Nenagh-Limerick (Taylor 2008, 54). Evidence of domestic activity dating to the Late Bronze Age / Early Iron Age was re-corded at Clashnevin 2.

Early medieval period (c. AD 400 to 1100)The early medieval period is characterised by the arrival of Christianity to Ireland. The characteristic monument type of the period is the ringfort. Ringforts are the most nu-merous archaeological monument found in Ireland, with estimates of between 30,000 and 50,000 illustrated on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey 6” maps of the 1840’s (Barry 1987). As a result of continued research, the construction of these monuments has a narrow date range during the early medieval period between the 7th and 9th centuries AD. Although there are some very elaborate examples of ringforts, they often take the form of a simple earth or stone enclosure functioning as settlements for all classes of secu-lar society (Stout 1997).

North Tipperary is rich in early ecclesiastical sites and the remains of these religious centres are at the core of some of the towns and villages. Roscrea, for example, was chosen by St Cronan as a location for his monastery in the seventh century as it was located at the crossroads on the Slighe Dála, an important roadway in early medieval times (NIAH 2006, 4-8).

A possible early medieval enclosure and associated road way was recorded at Killeisk E3587. A denuded ringfort (OF046-013) was excavated at Clynoe 2 E3774.

High and later medieval periods (c. AD 1100 to 1650)This period is characterized by the arrival of the Anglo-Normans and the building of tow-er houses. The Anglo-Normans obtained charters in the thirteenth century for the towns

Clashnevin 1-e3586

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of Nenagh, Roscrea, Thurles and Templemore and established markets. Nenagh grew rapidly in the aftermath of the granting of the lands of Munster to Theobald fitzWalter in 1185 (ibid. 8). Moated sites represent the remains of isolated, semi-defended homesteads in rural areas. They were build mainly in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth cen-turies in counties, such as Wexford, Kilkenny, Tipperary, mid-Cork and Limerick, that were colonised by English settlers (O’Conor 1998, 58). The Archaeological Inventory for North Tipperary lists 39 moated sites (2002, 298).

A newly recorded moated site was excavated at Busherstown E3661.

Post-medieval period (c. 1650 to the present).The post-medieval period is characterised by mills, limekilns, workhouses, country hous-es and associated demesnes, vernacular buildings and field systems (Figure 3). A small demesne associated with a county house was recorded at Greenhills.

5 Site Location and TopographyClashnevin I was located 5 km east of Nenagh and c. 100 m north of the eastern end of the Nenagh bypass (Plate 1). It was the westernmost of the sites on the route. Clashnevin 2 was located 100 m to the east and Derrybane I was located 175 m further east. The site was located centrally in a large flat field, c. 87m OD. The surrounding land is in pasture and most of the field boundaries in the vicinity have been removed by the landowner.

0 30 60Meters ±Clashnevin 1 (E3586)Clashnevin 1 (E3586)

Plate 1: Aerial view of Clashnevin 1 to left and Clashnevin 2 to right of photograph��

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There are no water courses in the immediate area. A modern field drain was located 600 m to the east, the water within flows to the northwest.

6 Excavation methodologyThe site was mechanically stripped of topsoil under strict archaeological supervision. Stripping was done with a tracked machine with a flat toothless bucket. Topsoil stripping commenced in the areas of identified archaeology and continued radially outward until the limit of the road take was reached or until the limit of the archaeological remains was fully defined. A grid was set up in the excavation area(s) and all archaeological features were sufficiently cleaned, recorded and excavated so as to enable an accurate and mean-ingful record of the site to be preserved. The excavation, environmental sampling, site photographs, site drawings, find care and retrieval, on-site recording and site archive was as per the Procedures for Archaeological works as attached to the licence method state-ments for excavation licences.

The site was excavated from 9 June 2007 to the 11 August 2007. Only areas within the LMA (lands made available) were resolved. The full extent of the area of excavation measured 3590 m sq (Figure 4).

The full record of excavated contexts is recorded in the context register (Appendix 1) and the stratigraphic matrix (Appendix 2). Detailed stratigraphic descriptions are found in the groups and sub-groups text (Appendix 3). The context register and site photographs maybe viewed in the EAPOD (Eachtra Archaeological Projects office database) in the accompanying CD.

7 Excavation resultsThe excavation of the site at Clashnevin comprised a burnt mound which overlay a well, a trough and a small group of pits. The well was 7 m in diameter and over 2.5 m in depth. It was fed by a spring at the base. The trough was located on the western side of the well. A medieval date was returned from one of the basal fills of the well. The remains of a second burnt mound were located 40 m to the west. It comprised a trough, small pit and a possible well. A Middle Bronze Age date was returned from a fill of the trough. Three ditches were located parallel and to the north of the eastern mound of burnt material. The ditches correspond to a field boundary marked on the 1st ed. OS map sheet TN21.

Fulacht fiadh/burnt moundA large spread of burnt mound material (C.3) was recorded in the northeast quadrant of the site. The mound measured 17 m in diameter by 0.32 m in depth (Figure 5, Plate 2). A second small layer of burnt mound material was recorded to the south-east. The two lay-

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ers were part of the same mound of burnt material originally. The mound was truncated by ploughing in the recent past.

WellThe well (C.25) was 7 m in diameter and was excavated to a depth of 2.5 m (Figure 6, Plates 3 and 4). The well was fed by a spring at the base. When the well was fully exca-vated the spring filled the well in a few hours (Plate 5). The well was sub-circular in plan and broad U-shape in profile. In total 29 fills (C.56, C.57, C.67, C.68, C.69, C.70, C.71, C.72, C.73, C.84, C.87, C.88, C.89, C.90, C.91, C.92, C.110, C.121, C.134, C.136, C.201, C.213, C.214, C.215, C.216, C.217, C.218, C.219 and C.227) were recorded in the area of the well (Figure 7). A further ten fills were recorded in the pits that cut the sides of the well and the fills within the well. The fills were primarily silts and clays, deposited dur-ing episodes of silting and deposition in the well. Animal bone was recovered from 13 of the fills (C.56, C.57, C.68, C.69, C.70, C.71, C.84, C.91, C.135, C.136, C.201, C.213 and C.218) from the well. The identified species included cattle, sheep/goat, pig, horse and red deer. Organic material, leaves, shells and wood was recovered from the fills at the base of the well (C.213, C.218 and C.227). A medieval date of cal AD 982-1040 (UB-12363) was returned from alder charcoal from one of the basal fills.

Several small cuts (C.55, C.103, C.141, C.150, C.156, C.189, C.210, C.222 and C.246) were recorded within the area of the well. The western slope of the well was cut by three pits (C.103, C.156 and C.246) and a post-hole (C.189). Pit (C.55) was located on the up-

Plate 2: View of mound of burtn material from south-east�

Wel

l

Trou

gh

18

25

7

20

24

50

5

77

49 74

103

55

141

210

75

156

80

203

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83

1924

83

1924

93

1924

93

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178903

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m

±

Mou

nd m

ater

ial

Clashnevin 1-e3586

13


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an o

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ough

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14

Plate 3: Mid excavation of well C�25 from south-west�

Plate 4: View of well C�25 from south�

C.9

8 C.8

5

C.9

3

C.9

5

C.9

6

C.9

4

C.2

4

C.7

1

C.7

2

C.9

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0

C.6

9

C.5

7

C.6

8

C.2

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.215

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C.8

9

C.8

7

C.6

7

C.1

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C.5

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8

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C.2

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C.2

27

C.2

19

C.2

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.91

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5

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5

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.25,

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Clashnevin 1-e3586

15


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16

per eastern edge of the well. Two pits (C.150 and C.222) cut the fills of the well: the pit (C.150) cut three well-fills (C.67, C.84 and C.87) and pit (C.222), to the north-east, cut the well-fill (C.136). The most substantial of the pits was pit C.103 on the upper western side of the well. It measured 1.8 m by 1.25 by 0.8 m in depth. It had cut pit C.246. A possible posthole C.189 was located in the base of pit C.246. Pit C.210 was located to the west of trough C.24.

The majority of the pits were located on the north-western side of the well close to the trough C.24. The slope on this side of the well was gentler which may indicate that access to the well was via the north-west. It is possible that the more substantial of the pits e.g. C.103 may have been used as boiling pits.

Context Length (m) Width (m) Depth (m) Location55 0.84 0.4 0.2 NE edge103 1.8 1.25 0.8 NW edge141 1.12 0.8 0.11 E edge150 0.27 0.34 0.13 Cut fills156 0.56 0.42 0.21 NW edge210 0.84 0.74 0.45 W side222 1.2 0.94 0.55 NE side246 NW edge

Table 1: Dimensions of pits associated with well C�25

Plate 5: View of well C�25 full of water from east�

Clashnevin 1-e3586

17


TroughThe trough (C.24) was located immediately west of the well. It remained dry for the du-ration of the excavation and was probably originally filled from the well. It was rectangu-lar in plan and measured 2.5 m by 1.5 m by 0.5 m deep (Plate 6). The base of the trough cut gravel subsoil and there was no evidence of stone or timber lining. The eastern end of the trough cut a small pit (C.203).

PitsThree pits (C.49, C.50 and C.74) underlay the mound of burnt material. The fills of the three pits were derived from burnt mound material (Plate 7). Pits C.49 and C.50 were located parallel to one another and adjacent to the trough C.24. The base of the pits was irregular. They may not have functioned as boiling pits. Pit C.74 was located over 4.5 m to the south of the trough. Two post-holes (C.75 and C.80) were situated on the north-east-ern side of pit C.74 (Plate 8). They were in close proximity to one another and to the pit.

Three other pits (C.5, C.53 and C.104) were not covered by the layers of burnt mound material and were located to the east and south of the mound respectively. Pits C.5 and C.104 were small and shallow and Pit C.104 was filled with burnt mound material. Pit C.53 (Plate 9) was very regular in plan and may have been a boiling pit associated with the activities at the burnt mound.

Plate 6: Mid excavation of trough C�24 from south� Note well C�25 to right�


18

Plate 7: Mid-excavation of pit C�50 from south�

Plate 8: Mid-excavation of pit C�74 from west�

Clashnevin 1-e3586

19


Context Length (m) Width (m) Depth (m) Location5 1 0.7 0.18 External to mound49 1.15 0.61 0.12 Underlay mound50 1.12 0.82 0.38 Underlay mound53 1.1 1 0.3 External to mound74 1.2 0.9 0.32 Underlay mound104 0.34 0.3 0.1 External to mound203 0.7 0.4 0.21 Edge of trough C24

Table 2: Dimensions of pits associated with burnt mound

Features at the western end of the siteThree pits (C.140, C.228 and C.229) and a group of 13 stake-holes were located c. 40 m to the west of the area of the well (Figure 8). All the stake-holes were associated with pit C.140. No mound of burnt material was recorded at the western end of the site.

Pit C.140 was the easternmost of the three pits (Plate 10). It measured 2.5 m by 2 m by 0.4 m in depth and was filled with burnt mound material. A middle Bronze Age date of cal BC 1262-1110 1103-1072 1068-1056 (UB -12362) was returned from one of the fills of the pit. The pit had cut the eastern edge of an earlier pit C.152. Pit C.152 measured c. 1.5 m in diameter. Seven stake-holes (C.177-180, C.187-188 and C.190) cut the base of the pit and another 11 stake-holes (C.173-176, C.181-C.185, C.192 and C.194) were located on the northern and eastern edge of the pit (Figure 9). The ground between the

Plate 9: View of pit C�53�

228

140

152

229

183

175

174 17

818

718

5

190

184

188

177

192

173

176

181

194

180

182

179

1924

27

1924

27

1924

32

1924

32

178889

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178892

178892

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20

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nd C

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8

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.175

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.187

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.140

Clashnevin 1-e3586

21


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22

stakeholes on the northern and eastern side of the pit sloped towards the eastern side of the pit. Four of the stake-holes (C.178, C.188, C.190 and C.180) cut part of the base of the pit and could have held a timber lining in place. The remainder of the stake-holes may have formed a rectangular structure measuring 1.5 m east-west by 0.8 m north-south. Or the stake-holes on the northern edge (C.175, C.174, C.183, C.181, C.182 and C.184) may have formed a screen 1.5 m in length, with the other three stake-holes (C.194, C.192 and C.173) to the rear measuring 1 m in length. A Middle Bronze Age date cal BC 1262-1110 1103-1072 1068-1056 (UB-12362) was returned from hazel charcoal from one of the fills of the trough.

The small shallow pit C.229 was located 2.5 m west of pit C.240 and on the eastern edge of the large pit C.228. Pit C.228 measured 5.5 m in diameter by at least 1.55 m in depth (Plate 11). The base of the pit was not excavated. It was truncated by a modern field drain C.230. A total of 12 silty clays and sandy fills were recorded in the pit. The fills were devoid of any inclusions, with the exception of small amounts of charcoal. Some frag-ments of wood and animal bone were recorded in the basal fills.

Context Length (m) Width (m) Depth (m)140 2.5 2 0.4152 1.5 1.5 0.4228 5.9 5.6 1.55229 1 0.9 0.13

Table 3: Dimensions of pits in the western part of the site

Modern agricultural activityThree ditches (C.19, C.20 and C.109) were located parallel and to the north of the mound of burnt material. The ditches were orientated east/west and extended beyond the LMA to the northwest and northeast (Plates 12 and 13). A fourth ditch C.7 was located to the east of the mound. This ditch was cut by C.19 and extended beyond the LMA to the south. The ditches correspond to field boundaries marked on the 1st ed. OS map sheet TN021 (Figure 3). In particular to the south-eastern corner of one field boundary and the north-eastern corner of the field boundary in the adjoining field to the south. The three parallel ditches (C.109, C.19 and C.20) represent three phases of the south-eastern corner of one of the field boundaries. The ditches truncated the northern edge of the mound of burnt material and the well. Animal bone and a small assemblage of charred cereals were recovered from the fills of the middle and northernmost ditches C.19 and C.109. Modern pottery and glass was recovered from the fills of ditches C.7 and C.19.

Clashnevin 1-e3586

23


Plate 10: Mid-excavation of trough C�140 from south�

Plate 11: Mid-excavation of well C�228 from north�


24

Context Length (m) Width (m) Depth (m) Orientation7 37.5 1.96 1.1 NS18 40 0.28 0.28 NS19 5.9 5.6 1.55 EW20 17.5 1.52 0.5 EW47 7.88 1.23 0.27 NNW/SSE109 22 1.05 0.58 EW119 4 1.24 0.47 NNE/SSW212 21.5 1.15 0.22 NNW/SSE230 31.5 1.43 0.47 NNW/SSE

Table 4: Dimensions of ditches and drains

The National Ploughing Championships were held at the site in the 1950’s. At least some of the plough furrows recorded in the area to date to this period. Field drains and water pipes were recorded in the area of the site.

LithicsThe lithics were examined by Farina Sternke. All the chert fragments were identified as natural.

Plant remainsThe plant remains were examined by Penny Johnston (Appendix 4). A small assemblage of plant remains was recovered a fill from the ditch (C.19) and from six of the fills of the well (C.25) and two of the fills of the trough (C.24). Most of the cereal grains from Clashnevin 1 were identified as oat and barley, with oat the predominant type recovered. As oat grains are not common in prehistoric deposits it is likely that most of the plant remains from the site were not associated with the burnt mound, but with the later use of the site in the medieval and modern periods.

Animal bone The animal bone was examined by Margaret McCarthy (Appendix 5). The faunal samples from the Bronze Age and medieval periods are quite small and little economic informa-tion can be obtained from the results aside from documenting the occurrence of certain species. Animal bones were recovered from a layer of heat-shattered stone C.3 and from various fills of a large pit C.228 that was used to contain food waste. The sample from the pit C.228 is dominated by large and medium mammal remains and the only identified species are cattle and sheep/goat. The well (C.25) contained 60 animal bones and these were found in small amounts in thirteen separate fills. Identified species include cattle, sheep/goat, pig, horse and red deer. The well was used for the disposal of primary butch-ery debris as well as food waste from the table.

A number of later modern ditches represented the final phase of activity and the bulk of the animal bones from the site were recovered from these features, in particular ditch

Clashnevin 1-e3586

25


C.19. The faunal sample is dominated by the remains of cattle with all other species in-cluding horse, sheep/goat, pig, red deer and rabbit being recovered in considerably smaller numbers.

Modern finds The modern finds were examined by Sara Camples (Appendix 6). Modern glass, pottery and metal were recovered from the fills of ditches C.7 and C.19 and from the layer C.3 of burnt mound material.

CharcoalThe charcoal was identified for radiocarbon dating by Mary Dillon. Hazel and alder char-coal was identified from the fills of pit C.140 and the well C.25.

Radiocarbon datesRadiocarbon analysis was carried out by the 14 Chrono Centre in Queen’s University Belfast. Dates were calibrated using Calib Rev5.0.2 (©1986-2005 M.Stuiver & P.J. Re-imer) and in conjunction with Stuiver & Reimer 1993 and Reimer et al. 2004.

Lab code

Context Material Un-calibrated date

δ 13 C 1 sigma calibration

2 sigma calibration

UB-12362

151 Hazel charcoal from pit C.140

2949 +/-24 -26.2 BC 1251-1243 1213-1125

BC 1262-1110 1103-1072 1068-1056

UB-12363

213 Alder charcoal from well C.25

1014+/-22 -28.1 AD 995-1007 1011-1026

AD 982-1040

Table 5: Radiocarbon dates


26

8 DiscussionA fulacht fiadh / burnt mound was recorded on low level ground in Clashnevin. The lay-ers of burnt mound material overlay a trough, pits and a well. Many theories speculate as to the actual use of burnt mound/fulacht fiadh sites (e.g. O’Kelly 1954; Ó Drisceoil 1988). We recognise the sites archaeologically by the remains of charcoal and heat shattered stones but as Ó Néill (2004) points out, these are the remains of a technology (the use of hot stones known as ‘pyrolithic technology’), rather than specific indications of the aims of the process. The large trough and smaller pits indicate that there was extensive use of hot stone technology at this site and that it was probably used for heating water.

Burnt mounds are the most common Bronze Age sites found in Ireland. Estimates suggest that at least 4,500 examples are known. The characteristic site-type is found in low-lying and damp ground and consists of a mound of charcoal-rich black sediment that is packed with heat shattered stones and forms a horse-shoe shape around a pit or trough that filled with water. In many cases all that survives to the present day are black charcoal rich deposits with fragments of shattered stones visible in ploughed fields.

These sites are associated with the process of roasting stones to heat water. The remains of these ‘pyrolithic technologies’ (terminology follows Ó Néill 2004) produce the tell-tale deposits rich in charcoal and heat-affected stone. Debate continues about their use, as hot water is required for many processes including cooking, brewing, washing, dyeing and, most recently it has been argued that some burnt mounds were primarily used to boil and cure meat for long term storage (Roycroft 2006).

Traditionally these sites have been interpreted as ancient cooking places, where large stones were heated in fires and then added to the water filled trough the extreme heat of the stones eventually heating the water in the trough until it reached boiling point. Experimental cooking at reconstructed sites such as Ballyvourney (O’Kelly 1954) has demonstrated that meat wrapped in straw and placed into a boiling trough can be cooked quite effectively. The perceived lack of any animal bones from these excavated sites has been used as an argument against this theory. More recently however there is a growing corpus of sites which have produced animal bone (Tourunen 2008) including, though the amounts are small, all of the burnt mounds sites on the N7 (Contract 1).

The traditional perception of the burnt mound site is that they are isolated features on the landscape situated on marginal ground away from settlement. Recent studies how-ever are requiring a re-evaluation of this perception. It can be regarded as certain that the settlement sites and associated burnt mounds are only one part of a wider prehistoric landscape which also includes lithic production and metalworking sites as well as burial sites (Sternke 2009). Each of the six sites excavated on the N7 was located with a 1km ra-dius of a Bronze Age settlement site, Clashnevin within 1 km east of Derrybane 2 E3591, the site at Park E3772 was one of complex of burnt mound sites in the vicinity of Park 1 E3659 and the three sites at Greenhills (E3638, E3637, and E3658) within 1 km east of Drumbaun E3912.

Clashnevin 1-e3586

27


The inventory for North Tipperary lists 77 burnt mounds (Farrelly 2002) and the in-ventory for Offaly lists 14 (O’Brien 1997) (Figure 7). Many more sites have been recorded since the inventories were published. A total of six burnt mounds including Clashnevin were excavated on the N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 1) (Figure 10). At least 15 burnt mound sites were excavated on the N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 2) with a concentration of 11 sites in the townland of Camlin. Burnt mounds were also excavated on the route of the Nenagh by-pass and the Limerick Ring Road.

Site Name E No. Radiocarbon date 2 sigma calibration PeriodClashnevin 1 E3586 BC 1262-1110 1103-1072 1068-1056 Middle Bronze AgeClashnevin 1 E3586 AD 982-1040 MedievalCullenwaine E3741 BC 2462 - 2294 Early Bronze AgeGreenhills 1 E3638 BC 2133 - 1950 Early Bronze AgeGreenhills 2 E3637 BC 1889-1748 Early Bronze AgeGreenhills 2 E3637 BC 2561-2536 2492-2299 Early Bronze AgeGreenhills 3 E3658 BC 1125-975 954-943 Middle Bronze AgeGreenhills 3 E3658 BC 2465-2286 2246-2243 Early Bronze AgeGreenhills 3 E3658 BC 1876-1841 1823-1797 1781-1683 Early Bronze AgePark 2 E3772 BC 1508-1422 Middle Bronze AgePark 2 E3772 BC 1527-1433 Middle Bronze Age

Table 6: Radiocarbon dates from the burnt mound sites on the N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 1)

Most dated burnt mound sites have a focus of activity in the Middle to Late Bronze Age (Brindley and Lanting 1990; and see graph of dates in Ó Néill 2003/2004). In all ten radiocarbon dates were obtained from the burnt mound sites on the route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh. The majority of the sites are Early Bronze Age in date.

There are six main types of archaeological features encountered at burnt mound sites; wells/springs, layers/deposits, hearths, trough/boiling pits, smaller pits, and stakeholes/postholes. Five of the six feature types were recorded at Clashnevin. The Bronze Age site at Clashnevin was divided into two separate areas. A mound of burnt material overlay a trough, pits and a well at the eastern end of the site. A second burnt mound comprising a trough, pit and well was located at the western end.

The mound in the eastern section of the site overlay a trough, pits and a large well. There was no water course in proximity to the site but the well, cut into the water table would have provided any water that was needed. A medieval date was returned from one of the basal fills of the well. The well, which was cut into a natural spring, was re-used in the late historic period. The surface of the well was covered by a shallow layer of burnt mound material. The act of repeated ploughing spread the layers of burnt mound mate-rial and covered the surface of the well. The mound at Clashnevin did not survive to any great height, being 0.3 m high on average. No formal hearth was identified in association with the mound. A substantial trough was located on the western side of the well. No evidence of lining in the form of stake-holes was recorded in the trough. There were a small number of pits associated with the burnt mound. The majority were irregular in plan. Three of the pits, including C.103 on the western edge of the well may have been

1912

32

1912

32

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28

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Clashnevin 1-e3586

29


used as boiling pits. They may have held containers made from organic material such as baskets or wooden buckets.

A similar well, more substantial in size, was recorded in association with a number of burnt mounds at Camlin, south of Roscrea, on the route of the N7 (Contract 2). The well at Camlin comprised a natural spring, measuring 20 m in diameter, which had been modified into a well (Roycroft 2008).

The second burnt mound was located 40 m to the east. No actual mound was record-ed in this part of the site but the fills of the pit (C.140) were derived from layers of a burnt mound. The pit C.140 may have functioned as a trough. Stake-holes were recorded in the base of the trough. The stake-holes would have held a timber lining in place when the trough was in use. Stake-holes to the east of the trough enclosed a rectangular hollow on the eastern edge of the trough. A second pit was located on the north-western side of the trough. It is envisaged that the three components of the trough would have functioned in unison in food processes.

There were six burnt mound sites recorded on the route of the N7 (Contract 1). All of the sites conformed to a general common design. There were a number of differences that distinguished one site from another. For example, the water source that was used at each site was different. A substantial well was recorded at Clashnevin, a less substantial well was recorded at Park. In addition the sites at Greenhills and Park were located on the edge of wet boggy ground. There was no obvious water source at Cullenwaine. There were no stone tools recovered from the burnt mound at Clashnevin. In contrast they were recovered from four of the other five sites. The presence of the flint and chert scrapers suggests that hide-processing and wood- and/or bone-working were some of the activities that could have been carried out at these sites.


30

9 ReferencesBrindley, A.L. and Lanting, J.N. (1990) ‘The dating of fulachta fiadh’, in Buckley, V.

(ed.) Burnt Offerings. International contributions to burnt mound archaeology, 55-56. Dublin, Wordwell.

Farrelly, J., and O’Brien, C. (2002) Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary Vol. 1 - North Tipperary, The Stationery Office Dublin.

Frazer, W. (2009) Archaeological Assessment Report Nenagh NRA Service Area Park townland, North Co. Tipperary and Roshedrid and Clynoe townlands, Co. Offaly 09E122. Margaret Gowan & Co. Ltd. Unpublished report.

Gardiner, M.J. and Radford,T. (1980) Soil Associations of Ireland and Their Land Use Potential. Dublin, An Foras Talúntais.

McLaughlin, M. and Conran, S. (2008) ‘The emerging Iron Age of South Munster’ in Seanda, Issue 3, 51-53. Dublin.

National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (2006) An Introduction to the Architectural Heritage of North Tipperary. Government of Ireland.

O’Brien, C. (1997) Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly, The Stationery Office, Dublin.

O’Conor, K.D. (1998) The Archaeology of Medieval Rural Settlement in Ireland, Discovery Programme Monographs No 3, Discovery Programme/Royal Irish Academy Dublin.

O’Kelly, M.J. (1954) Excavations and experiments in Irish cooking places. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol 84.

Ó Néill, J. (2003/2004) Lapidibus in igne calefactis coquebatur: The historical burnt mound “tradition”, Journal of Irish Archaeology Vol. XII & XIII.

Reimer, P.J., Baillie, M.G.L., Bard, E., Bayliss, A., Beck, J.W., Bertrand, C., Blackwell, P.G., Buck, C.E., Burr, G., Cutler, K.B., Damon, P.E., Edwards, R.L., Fairbanks, R.G., Friedrich, M., Guilderson, T.P., Hughen, K.A., Kromer, B., McCormac, F.G., Manning, S., Bronk Ramsey, C., Reimer, R.W., Remmele, S., Southon, J.R., Stuiver, M., Talamo, S., Taylor, F.W., van der Plicht, J. and Weyhenmeyer, C.E. (2004) ‘IntCal04 Terrestrial Radiocarbon Age Calibration, 0–26 Cal Kyr BP’, Radiocarbon 46, 1029-1058.

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Roycroft, N. (2006) A theory on Boiled Bull and Burnt Mounds, Seanda Issue 1, 38-39, National Road Authority, Dublin.

Roycroft, N. (2008) Before, during and after the Kingdom of Ely, Seanda, Issue 3, 34-35, National Road Authority, Dublin.

Sternke, F. (2009) More than meets the eye; an appraisal of the lithic assemblages from the route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 1). Seanda. Issue 4, 30-31,National Road Authority, Dublin.

Stuiver, M., and Reimer, P.J. (1993) ‘Extended (super 14) C data base and revised CALIB 3.0 (super 14) C age calibration program’, Radiocarbon 35, 215-230.

Stout, M. (1997) The Irish Ringfort. Dublin, Four Courts Press.

Taylor, K. (2008) ‘At home and on the road: two Iron Age sites in County Tipperary’ in Seanda, Issue 3, 54-55. Dublin.

Tourunen, A. (2008) Fauna and fulachta fiadh: animal bones from burnt mounds on the N9/N10 Carlow Bypass. In J. O’Sullivan and M. Stanley (eds.), Roads, Rediscovery and Research. Archaeology and the National Roads Authority Monograh Series No. 5. Wordwell.

Woodman, P.C. (2000) ‘Hammers and Shoeboxes: New Agendas for Prehistory’., pp. 1 -10 in Desmond, A., Johnson, G., McCarthy, M., Sheehan, J. and Shee Twohig, E. New Agendas in Irish Prehistory. Papers in commemoration of Liz Anderson. Bray, Wordwell.


32

Appendix 1 Stratigraphic Index

Please see attached CD.

Appendix 2 Site Matrix

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Appendix 3 Groups and SubgroupsGroup Number Amount/ Context No

1 Natural deposits Topsoil C.1Subsoil C.2

2 Layers of burnt mound material

2 layers of burnt mound material

C.3 & C.111

3 Pits 18 pits3:1 8 pits are associated

with well C.25C.55, C.103, C.141, C.150, C.156, C.210, C.222 & C.246

3:2 1 pit associated with trough C.24

C.203

3:3 3 pits associated with mound

C.49, C.50 & C.74

3:4 3 pits external to the mound

C.5, C.53 & C.104

3:5 3 pits in W area of site C.140, C.228 & C.2294 Stakeholes 19 Stakeholes C.113, C.173, C.174, C.175,

C.176, C.177, C.178, C.179, C.180 C.181, C.182, C.183, C.184, C.185, C.187, C.188, C.190, C.192 & C.194

5 Well 1 well C.256 Trough 1 trough C.247 Postholes 3 postholes C.75, C.80 & C.1898 Ditches 7 ditches

1 drainC.7, C.18, C.19, C.20, C.47, C.109, C.117, C.119, C.212 & C.230

9 Natural Features 6 natural features C.13, C.42, C.43, C.77, C.83 & C.117

10 Void numbers C.23, C.34, C.35, C.52, C.58, C.64, C.65, C.86, C.97, C.99, C.100, C.102, C.114, C.116, C.118, C.122, C.142, C.152, C.170, C.186, C.202, C.220 & C.233.

Group 1 Natural Deposits

Topsoil C.1

A firm, mid brown sandy silt, with occasional fine and medium, and moderate coarse sub-angular and sub-rounded pebbles. Occasional small sub-angular stones. The topsoil reached a maximum depth of 0.5m.

This represented the topsoil which had formed across the site.

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Subsoil C.2

A compact, mid yellowish orange pebbly sand. Frequent fine and medium sub-angular and sub-rounded, and moderate coarse angular, sub-angular and sub-rounded pebbles. Occasional small sub-angular and sub-rounded stones.This layer represents the natural subsoil that occurs across the site.

Group 2 Burnt mound layers

C.3

A firm, mid to dark brownish black sandy silt. Moderate coarse angular and sub-angular pebbles. Moderate small and medium angular and sub-angular stones. Occasional char-coal flecks. The mound measured 17.6m east west by 17.5m and reached a maximum depth of 0.32m.

This deposit was the disturbed remains of a burnt mound.

C.111

A soft, dark black sandy silt with occasional fine, medium and coarse angular and sub-angular pebbles. Moderate small angular and sub-angular stones as well as occasional charcoal flecks. The spread measured 1.3m east west by 1m and had a maximum depth of 0.04m.

A spread of material with burnt stone and charcoal. Base was light yellowish white, and may have been natural material altered by heat. The fill was associated with pit C.75 and C.74 and posthole C.80 and may have been a remnant of the material dumped into these features.

Group 3 PitsA total of 18 pits were excavated at the site. Eight of the pits were associated with the well C.25, one pit cut the trough C.24, six of the pits were associated with the burnt mound and three pits were located in the western part of the site.Context Length (m) Width (m) Depth (m) Location55 0.84 0.4 0.2 Cut fills103 1.8 1.25 0.8 NW edge141 1.12 0.8 0.11 E edge150 0.27 0.34 0.13 Cut fills156 0.56 0.42 0.21 NW edge210 0.84 0.74 0.45 W side222 1.2 0.94 0.55 NE side246 NW edge

Table of dimensions of pits associated with well C�25


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Subgroup 3:1 Pits associated with well C.25

Pit C.55 filled with C.44 and C.45

The pit was irregular in plan. Corners were square on east, west, northwest and southwest, rounded on north, south, northeast and southeast. The break of slope top was impercep-tible on southwest, gradual on north and south, sharp elsewhere. Sides were gentle and convex on north, moderate and convex on south and east, moderate and smooth on west. The break of slope base was imperceptible on northeast and northwest, sharp on east and west, gradual elsewhere. Base was irregular in plan and was flat in profile. The pit meas-ured 0.84m north south by 0.4m and had a maximum depth of 0.2m. The pit contained two fills. The upper fill was a soft, light brownish grey sandy silt, with occasional pebbles, stones and charcoal flecks. The basal fill was a Soft, light orangish brown sandy silt with occasional pebbles and stones, charcoal flecks.

Cut of possible pit, filled with C.44 and C.45, both of which contained flecks of char-coal and burnt bone. The pit cut the fills of the well C.25.

Pit C.103 filled with C.81

The pit was oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top and base was sharp. Sides were steep and smooth. Base was sub-circular to oval in plan and concave in profile. Cut was possibly truncated by C.81 above. This cut may re-cut context C.246. The pit measured 1.8m by 1.25m and had a maximum depth of 0.8m. The fill was a soft, mid blackish brown sandy silt with moderate pebbles and stones.

Cut of pit, filled with C.81 on north-western edge of well.


The pit was sub-circular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was im-perceptible. Sides were gentle and concave. The break of slope base was imperceptible. Base was sub-circular in plan and concave in profile. The pit measured 1.12m northeast southwest by 0.8m and had a maximum depth of 0.11m. The fill was a soft, mid grey silty sand with occasional stones and charcoal flecks

Cut of possible shallow pit, filled with C.115. Located on the east edge of the well C.25.


Oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was imperceptible on south, west and northwest, gradual elsewhere. Base was oval in plan and flat in profile. The pit measured 0.37m east west by 0.24m and had a maximum depth of 0.13m. The fill was a soft, light orangish grey sandy silt with moderate pebbles and occasional charcoal.

Small pit was cut into the fills (C.84, C.87 and C.67) of Well C.25.

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The pit was oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was imperceptible on southeast, sharp on north and south, gradual elsewhere. Sides were moderate and smooth on west, moderate and convex elsewhere. The break of slope base was sharp on north and west, gradual elsewhere. Base was oval in plan and pointed in profile. The pit measured 0.56m east west by 0.42 and had a maximum depth of 0.21m. The fill was a brown grey sandy silt.

Cut of pit/possible posthole, filled with C.155. Cut was located at northwest corner of Well C.25.


The pit was oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was gradual on east and north east, sharp elsewhere. Sides were moderate and irregular on north, moderate and convex on south and west, moderate and smooth on east. The break of slope base was gradual on northwest and north, imperceptible elsewhere. Base was oval in plan and flat in profile. The pit measured 0.84m north south by 0.74 and had a maximum depth of 0.45m. The fill was a soft, dark brownish black sandy silt with occasional pebbles and charcoal flecks.

Cut of pit, filled with C.209. Pit was located at western side of Well C.25. This fill contained burnt stones and charcoal flecks. It maybe related to trough C.24, and two possible postholes C.156 and C.189.


The pit was irregular in plan. The corners were rounded on south and southeast, square elsewhere. The break of slope top was imperceptible on east and southwest, sharp on north and northwest, gradual elsewhere. Sides were moderate and concave on north, moderate and convex on south and west, moderate and irregular on east. The break of slope base was imperceptible on northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest, gradual on north, south, east and west. Base was irregular in plan and flat in profile. The pit measured 1.2m east west by 0.94m and had a maximum depth of 0.55m. The fill was a soft, light grey silty clay with occasional stones and charcoal.

Pit located at the northeast side of Well C.25, where it cuts into the layer, C.136. This feature was visible in the west facing section of C.25.


The pit was oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was sharp. Sides were steep and smooth/stepped on north, moderate and smooth on south and east, steep on west. Base was sub-rectangular in plan and flat in profile. The pit was orientated northeast southwest. The upper fill was a soft, dark brownish black stony silt with fre-quent pebbles and charcoal. The basal layer was a soft, light yellowish grey sandy silt with occasional pebbles.


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Pit cut by pit C.103. Located in area of activity west and northwest side of large the well, C.25. The base of the pit was cut by posthole C.189.

General Interpretation

Six of the pits (C.103, C.141, C.156, C.210, C.222 and C.246) were located in the sides of the well. Two (C.141 and C.222) were located on the eastern side and four on the western. Two of the pits (C.55 and C.150) cut the fills of the well.

Subgroup 3:2 and 3 Pits associated with mound and troughContext Length (m) Width (m) Depth (m) Location5 1 0.7 0.18 External to mound49 1.15 0.61 0.12 Underlay mound50 1.12 0.82 0.38 Underlay mound53 1.1 1 0.3 External to mound74 1.2 0.9 0.32 Underlay mound104 0.34 0.3 0.1 External to mound203 0.7 0.4 0.21 Edge of trough C24

Table of dimensions of pits associated with burnt mound and trough


The pit measured 1.1m southeast northwest by 0.7m and had a maximum depth of 0.18m and was square in plan. The corners rounded on south, square elsewhere. The break of slope top was imperceptible on southeast, sharp on north and west, gradual elsewhere. Sides were vertical and smooth on north and west, moderate and convex on south and east. The break of slope base was imperceptible on northeast, southwest and northwest, gradual elsewhere. Base was square in plan and flat in profile. The fill was a firm, mid grey sandy silt with occasional pebbles, stones and charcoal.

A pit related to the burnt mound activities. It was located 3.4 m to the east of the main mound.


The pit measured 1.15 m by 0.61 m by 0.12 m in depth. It was oval in plan with sloping sides. Base was flat. The fill was a grey black stony silty sand. The pit was located north of the trough and parallel and E of pit C.50. The burnt mound material could have accumulated in a natural hollow.


The pit measured 1.12 by 0.82 by 0.38 m in depth. It was oval in plan with sloping sides and a rounded base. The fills were sandy silts derived from burnt mound material.

The pit was located 2 m W of pit C.49. It was similar to both pit C.49 and pit C.74. The burnt mound material could have accumulated in a natural hollow.

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The pit was circular in plan. The break of slope top was gradual on south, sharp/gradual on west, sharp elsewhere. Sides were steep and concave on north, gentle and concave on south, steep and smooth on east, steep and stepped on west. The break of slope base was gradual on north, sharp elsewhere. Base was oval in plan and flat in profile. The pit meas-ured 1.1m by 1m and had a maximum depth of 0.3m. The fill was a friable, compact, mid to dark brown sandy silt with frequent pebbles, stones and charcoal.

Cut of possible pit, filled with C.54 - a mix of sandy brown/black soil, charcoal and heat-shattered stones. There was no evidence of fire-reddened material to suggest burn-ing in situ. It was possible that this pit was the repository for the discarded remains of a hearth.


The pit was circular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was impercep-tible on west and northeast, gradual elsewhere. Sides were moderate and smooth on west, moderate and convex elsewhere. The break of slope base was imperceptible on northeast, gradual elsewhere. Base was circular in plan and flat in profile. The fill was soft, dark black sandy silt with frequent pebbles and occasional charcoal flecks. The pit measured 1.2m northwest southeast by 0.9m and had a maximum depth of 0.32m.

Cut of pit filled with C.62. The pit was similar to pits C.75 and C.50 and the fills were derived from burnt mound layers.


The small pit was oval in plan. The sides sloped to rounded base. It measured 0.34 by 0.3 by 0.1 in depth. The fill was a brown clay sand.

Small pit located 2 m to the south of the main mound of burnt material.


The cut of pit was oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was gradual on south, imperceptible elsewhere. Sides were moderate and convex. The break of slope base was gradual. Base was oval in plan and flat in profile. C.203 was truncated by C.24 at southeast corner. The pit measured 0.7m east west by 0.4m and had a maximum depth of 0.21m. The fill was a soft, light greyish brown sandy silt with pebbles.

Cut of possible pit, filled with C.205, located at southeast corner of trough C.24. Not visible in the EW section drawing of the trough. The northern and western sides were removed during excavation of trough C.24.


Three of the pits (C.5, C.53 and C.104) were not covered by the layers of burnt mound material and were located to the south-east, east and south of the mound respectively. Pit (C.74) was located 4.5 m south of the trough and pits C.49 and C.50 were located north of the trough and parallel to one another. The pit C.203 cut the fills of the trough C.24.


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Subgroup 4 Pits in Western part of siteContext Length (m) Width (m) Depth (m) 140 4 3 0.4 In W section of site228 5.9 5.6 1.55 In W section of site229 1 0.9 0.13 In W section of site

Table of dimensions of pits in western part of the site

Pit C.140 filled with C.131, C.145, C.148, C.151, and C.146

The pit was sub-oval and sub-rectangular in plan. The break of slope top was impercep-tible on northeast, gradual on north, south and west, sharp elsewhere. Sides were steep and smooth on south and east, gentle/moderate and smooth on north and west. The break of slope base was gradual. Base was sub-oval and sub-rectangular in plan and flat in profile. The pit measured 4m east west by 3m and had a maximum depth of 0.4m. The dimensions include the earlier pit C.152 to the west. The uppermost fill C.131 was a soft, loose, mid blackish brown silty sand with occasional pebbles and charcoal flecks. The next layer C.145 was a soft, loose, mid brownish black silty clay/sand with frequent pebbles and charcoal. Layer C.148 was a soft, compact, dark black silty clay/sand with frequent pebbles and charcoal. The next fill was a soft, loose, mid greyish black silty clay/sand. The basal layer was a soft, compact, dark black silty clay/sand with frequent pebbles and charcoal.

Cut of pit. Irregular in shape with an associated cluster of stakeholes to the northeast, where break of slope was imperceptible and natural was white/grey in colour. The fills were derived from burnt mound material. The pit cut the eastern edge of an earlier pit C.152.

Pit C.228 filled with C.132, C.233, C.234, C.235, C.236, C.237, C.238, C.239, C.240, C.241, C.242, C.243

The pit was oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was gradual on north, northeast and northwest, sharp elsewhere. Sides were steep and irregular. The break of slope base was sharp. The pit measured 5.9m north south by 5.6 and had a maxi-mum depth of 1.55m. The pit contained 12 fills in total. The upper five fills were all very similar in texture and composition with variation in colour being the only differential factor. The fills were silty clays with the colour ranging from light yellowish grey to a dark brown grey. The next six fills also had similar properties. The composition of the fills were predominantly a silty or clayey sand with slight variations in colour but generally a mid to dark brown. The basal fill was a soft, dark brown silty clay with moderate pebbles and occasional charcoal.

The cut of possible oval pit, located between a linear feature C.230 and a small pit C.229. The base of the pit could not be reached due to the depth in the section. The cut was truncated by a modern water pipe. Some wood was recovered from the basal fills of the pit.

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Pit C.229 fillled with C. 244 and C.245

The small pit was oval in plan with sloping sides and rounded base. The fills were a silty clay and a silty sand.

The pit was located to the immediate east of the large pit C.228.

Group 4 Stakeholes19 stakeholes were excavated in the area of the excavation. One of the stakeholes C.113 was associated with the burnt mound. The other 18 stakeholes were associated with pit C.140 at the western end of the site.

Stakehole C.113 filled with C.112

The feature was round in plan. The break of slope top was gradual on north and west, sharp on south and east. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was rounded in plan and pointed in profile. The stakehole measured 0.11m east west by 0.10m and had a maximum depth of 0.19m. The fill was a soft, mid grey silty clay.

Cut of possible stakehole. Located near to the pit C.50, but otherwise isolated.


The stakehole was oval in plan. The break of slope top was sharp. Sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. Base was tapered point and concave. Top was orientated to the south from base. The stakehole measured 0.11m east west by 0.10m and had a maximum depth of 0.14m. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand with occasional pebbles and charcoal.

Stakehole associated with the cut C.140.


The feature was round in plan. The break of slope top was sharp and the sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. The top was orientated southeast from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand. The cut measured 0.1m by 0.1m and had a maximum depth of 0.18m.



The feature was round in plan. The break of slope top was sharp to gradual. The sides were steep. The break of slope of the base was gradual. The base was tapered point. The top was vertically orientated from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey sandy silt. The cut measured 0.10m by 0.10m and had a maximum depth of 0.13m.



Sub-round in plan. The break of slope top was sharp. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. Top was orientated


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north from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand. The cut measured 0.09m by 0.09m and had a maximum depth of 0.20m.



Sub-round in plan. The break of slope top was sharp and the sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and gradual. The top was orientated southwest from the base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand. The cut measured 0.12m by 0.12m and had a maximum depth of 0.17m.



Sub-oval in plan. The break of slope top was sharp. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. The top was vertically orientated from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand. The cut measured 0.08m by 0.08m and had a maximum depth of 0.07m.



Sub-round in plan. The break of slope top was sharp. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was sharp. The base was flat and concave. The top was orientated vertically from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand. The cut measured 0.08m by 0.08m and had a maximum depth of 0.16m.



Round in plan with sharp corners. One side was missing making it difficult to determine shape. Sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. The top was orientated vertically from base. the fill was a soft, dark blackish grey clayey silty sand with occasional fine pieces of charcoal. The cut measured 0.16m by 0.13m and had a maximum depth of 0.34m.



Sub-oval to round in plan. The break of slope top was gradual. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was sharp. The base was flat and concave. The top was orientated verti-cally from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand. The cut measured 0.08m by 0.06m and had a maximum depth of 0.06m.



Oval in plan. The break of slope top was sharp. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. The top was orientated verti-

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cally from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand with occasional fine pieces of charcoal, mostly found at top of fill. The cut measured 0.13m by 0.11m and had a maximum depth of 0.11m



Rounded in plan. The break of slope top was sharp to gradual. The sides were steep to gradual. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was concave and flat. The top was orientated east from base.

The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey sandy silt with moderate fine sub-angular pebbles. The cut measured 0.10m by 0.10m and had a maximum depth of 0.10m.



Rounded in plan. The break of slope top was sharp. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. The top was orientated northeast from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand with occasional fine pieces of charcoal. The cut measured 0.10m by 0.10m and had a maximum depth of 0.19m.



Sub-oval in plan. The break of slope top was gradual to sharp. The sides were vertical. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was concave and tapered point. The top was orientated northwest from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand with occasional fine sub-angular pebbles and occasional fine pieces of charcoal, mostly found at top of fill.



Round in plan. The break of slope top was gradual. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. The top was orientated southwest from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand. The cut measured 0.07m by 0.07m and had a maximum depth of 0.06m.



Sub-rounded in plan, one side was missing. The break of slope top was gradual. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. The top was orientated southwest from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand.



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Rounded/irregular in plan with sharp corners. The break of slope top was sharp. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. The top was orientated north from base. the fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand with occasional fine sub-angular pebbles and occasional fine pieces of charcoal, mostly found at top of fill. The cut measured 0.10m by 0.09m and had a maximum depth of 0.18m.



Rounded in plan. The break of slope top was sharp. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered point and concave. The top was orientated northeast from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand. The cut measured 0.07m by 0.06m and had a maximum depth of 0.09m.



Rounded in plan. The break of slope top was sharp. The sides were steep. The break of slope base was gradual. The base was tapered rounded point. The top was orientated northeast from base. The fill was a soft, dark grey, clayey silty sand.The cut measured 0.08m by 0.08m and had a maximum depth of 0.16m.



Seven of the stakeholes (C.177, C.178, C.179, C.180, C.187, C.188 and C.190) are located on the base of pit C.140. Looks like they form wooden lining measuring 0.8 m north-south by 1.8 m east-west. Nine of the stake-holes (C.175, C.174, C.183, C.181, C.182, C.184, C.194, C.192 and C.173) are located in a line, 1.8 m long, at the eastern end of the northern side of pit C.140. Two of the stake-holes (C.176 and C.185) are located on the eastern edge of pit C.140.

Group 5 Well

Well C.25 filled with C.110, C.90, C.88, C.56, C.84, C.134, C.87, C.67, C.89, C.136, C.91, C.68, C.217, C.201, C.57, C.69, C.219, C.70, C.121, C.71, C.72, C.213, C.215, C.218, C.73, C.214, C.92, C.216, C.227,

The well was sub-circular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was sharp on north, gradual elsewhere. Sides were steep and stepped on north and south, steep and smooth/stepped on east, moderate and stepped on west. Base was sub-circular in plan. It was broad U-shape in profile. In total 29 fills were recorded in the excavation of the well. The 29 fills were primarily silts and clays. The hue of the colours varied between light to dark and yellow to blue while the primary colour was either brown or grey depending on the density of stone and organic inclusions. Animal bone was recovered from 11 of the

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fills (C.56, C.57, C.68, C.69, C.70, C.71, C.87, C.136, C.201, C.213 and C.218) of the well. Organic material, leaves, shells and wood was recovered from the fills at the base of the well (C.213, C.218 and C.227).

Cut of a well. Sides were stepped, facilitating access to lower portion, which held water. The lower fills are high in organic matter, which possibly indicates debris, which collected in the water and settled at the base of the well. Subsequent fills indicate both natural silting episodes and deposition of cultural fills containing bone and antler. Fills would indicate dumping of domestic materials, which would not necessarily be associ-ated with the primary use of the well. The well was related to pits C.103, C.122, C.56 and trough C.24. It was truncated to the north by a ditch C.20.

Group 6 Trough

Trough C.24 filled with C.98, C.85, C.93, C.95, C.94 and C.96

The trough was sub-rectangular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was gradual on east and west, sharp on north and south. Sides were steep and irregular/under-cut on north, gentle and smooth on east, steep and smooth on south and west. The break of slope base was gradual on east, sharp elsewhere. Base was sub-rectangular in plan and flat in profile. The trough measured 2.6m east west by 1.6m and had a maximum depth of 0.47m. In total six fills were recorded in the trough. The uppermost fill was a firm, dark greyish brown sandy silt with occasional pebbles. The next fill was a stiff, mid brownish grey sandy silt with occasional pebbles. The third fill was a firm, dark brown sandy silt with frequent pebbles and occasional charcoal flecks. The fourth fill was a weakly ce-mented, light orangish grey silty sand. The fifth fill was a soft, mid bluish brown stony silt with frequent pebbles and occasional charcoal flecks. The basal fill was a firm, mid bluish black silt with moderate pebbles and occasional charcoal flecks.

Cut of trough filled by C.98, C.85, C.93, C.95, C.94 and C.96. The fills of this con-text contain charcoal and heat-shattered stone, suggesting repeated periods of usage. This context was related to well C.25 and pit C.103 by function. The trough was the result of technology, which used hot stones to heat water.

Group 7 PostholesTwo of the postholes (C.75 and C.80) were located adjacent to each other and the third (C.189) was located on the western edge of the well C.25

Posthole C.75 filled with C.66

The post was circular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was impercep-tible on west and northeast, gradual elsewhere. Sides were moderate and smooth on west, moderate and convex elsewhere. The break of slope base was imperceptible on northeast, gradual elsewhere. Base was circular in plan and flat in profile. The post measured 0.55


50

m northwest southeast by 0.31m and had a maximum depth of 0.32m. The fill was a soft, dark black sandy silt with moderate pebbles and occasional stones and charcoal flecks.

Cut of posthole filled with C.66. Fills are similar to fills of pits C.74 and C.50 and were derived from burnt mound layers.


The posthole was a sub-circular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was gradual on north, sharp elsewhere. Sides were moderate and convex on north, moder-ate and smooth on south, vertical and smooth on east and west. The break of slope base was gradual on north and west, imperceptible on south, sharp elsewhere. Base was sub-circular in plan and pointed in profile. The posthole measured 0.24m north south by 0.2m and had a maximum depth of 0.18m. The fill was a soft, dark black sandy silt with occasional pebbles.

Cut of posthole and filled with C.79. The posthole is located south of posthole C.75.


Oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was gradual on southeast, sharp elsewhere. Sides were vertical and smooth on north and south, moderate and smooth on east and west. Base could not be excavated as it was under water. The posthole measured 0.61m east west by 0.52m. The fill was a very soft, mid brownish grey sandy silt.

Cut of posthole, filled with C.130. Posthole is located at northwest corner of Well C.25.

Group 8 Ditches and drainsContext Length (m) Width (m) Depth (m) Orientation7 37.5 1.96 1.1 NS18 40 0.28 0.28 NS19 5.9 5.6 1.55 EW20 17.5 1.52 0.5 EW47 7.88 1.23 0.27 NNW-SSE109 22 1.05 0.58 EW119 4 1.24 0.47 NNE-SSW212 21.5 1.15 0.22 NNW-SSE230 31.5 1.43 0.47 NNW-SSE

Table of dimensions of ditches

Ditch C.7 filled with C.8, C.9, C.10, C.11, C.12, C.14, C.15 and C.16

A linear ditch orientated north-south. The break of slope top was sharp on east and west. Sides were steep and smooth. The break of slope base was gradual on east and west. Base was concave in profile. The ditch measured 1.96m wide by 37.5 long and had a maximum depth of 1.1m. The five upper fills were all weakly cemented silty sands in a variety of different colours. The three lower fills including the basal fill were all silt based with a moderate density of stone inclusions.

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Cut of modern field boundary ditch. The cut was recorded in section; eight separate fills were recorded that included modern artefacts (mostly glass, but also a shoe-sole and a horseshoe).

Drain C.18 filled with C.17.

A linear stone filled drain orientated north-south. Located to the west of ditch C.7. It was over 40 m in length by 0.28 m wide by 0.28 m in depth.

Cut of modern drain. Extended beyond LMA to the south and truncated by ditch C.20 to the north.

Ditch C.19 filled with C.27, C.29, C.30 and C.33

Linear in plan and orientated east-west. The break of slope top and base was gradual on north and south. Sides were moderate and smooth on north, gentle and stepped on south. Base was concave in profile. Cut C.19 was truncated to the south by C.20 and to the north by C109. The ditch measured 2.15m wide by and had a maximum depth of 0.55m.

Cut of modern field boundary ditch.

Ditch C.20 filled with C.36, C.37 and C.39

Linear in plan and orientated NNW by SSE. The break of slope top and base was gradual on north and south. The sides were gentle, smooth on north, and south. Base was concave in profile. The ditch was truncated to the north side by C.19. The ditch measured 1.52m wide and had a maximum depth of 0.50m. The upper fill was a soft, weakly cemented, mid brownish grey sandy silt. The middle fill was a very soft compact grey silt. The basal fill was a very soft, weakly cemented, mid yellowish brown clayey silt.

Cut of modern field boundary ditch.

Ditch C.47 filled with C.46

Linear in plan and orientated NNW-SSE. Sides were moderate and irregular on north, gentle and stepped on south. The break of slope base was gradual on north and south. Base was concave in profile. This ditch truncates ditch C19. The ditch measured 7.88m by 1.23m wide and had a maximum depth of 0.27m. The fill was a soft, compact, silty sand with occasional medium and coarse sub-rounded pebbles.

Cut of modern field boundary ditch. The ditch truncates and terminates within ditch C.19.

Ditch C.109 filled with C.105, C.106, C.107 and C.108

Linear in plan and orientated east-west. The break of slope top was gradual on north, southern side was moderate and smooth. Base was linear in plan, concave in profile. The ditch measured 1.05m wide and had a maximum depth of 0.58m.

Cut of ditch, filled with C.105, C.106, C.107 and C.108. This was possibly the oldest of three ditches recorded north of the mound. It was truncated by ditch C.19.

Education

Archaeological Report - Clashnevin 1, Co. Tipperary (Ireland)