Archaeological Report - Clynoe, Co. Offaly (Ireland)

Issue 11 [ISSN 2009-2237]

Archaeological Excavation Report

E3774 - Clynoe, Co Offaly

Enclosure

Eachtra Journal

July 2011


Co Offaly

Laois County Council and National Roads Authority

John Tierney and Nick Garland

Clynoe

EACHTRAArchaeological Projects

E No:

:

Project:

Client:

Date:

E3774

N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 1)

John TierneyExcavation Director

Written by:

Enclosure

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]


ClynoeCo Offaly

Excavation Director

John Tierney

Written By

John Tierney and Nick Garland

EACHTRAArchaeological Projects

© Eachtra Archaeological Projects 2011 The Forge, Innishannon, Co Cork

Set in 12pt Garamond

Printed in Ireland

i

Table of ContentsSummary��iii

Acknowledgements�� iv

1 Scopeoftheproject�� 1

2 Routelocation�� 1

3 Receivingenvironment�� 3

4 Archaeologicalandhistoricalbackground�� 4

5 SitelocationandTopography�� 7

6 Excavationmethodology�� 7

7 Excavationresults�� 10

8 Discussion�� 15

9 References�� 16

Appendix1 StratigraphicIndex�� 18

Appendix2 StratigraphicMatrix�� 19

Appendix3 Groupsandsubgroups��20

Appendix4 Plantremainsreport��23

Appendix5 Animalbonereport��25

ii

List of FiguresFigure1: Portion of map of Ireland showing the route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh

(DerrinsallaghtoBallintotty)RoadScheme(Contract1)�� 2

Figure2: DiscoveryseriesOrdnancesurvetmapshowingtherouteoftheN7CastletowntoNenagh(DerrinsallaghtoBallintotty)RoadScheme(Contract1)andthelocationofallexcavationsites�� 5

Figure3: PortionoftheIsteditionOrdnanceSurveyMapOF46showingthelocationofClynoe�8

Figure4: LocationandextentofCloyneE3774ontheN7CastletowntoNenagh�� 9

Figure5: Post-excavationplanofCloyneE3774�� 12

Figure6: SectionoftheditchC�3andC�16�� 13

List of PlatesPlate1: ViewofringfortatClynoefromsouth-east�� 11

Plate2: Post-excavationviewofpitC�17�� 14

Plate3: ViewofsouthernportionofditchC�3fromnorth�� 14

List of TablesTable1Radiocarbondates�� 11

Clynoe-e3774

iii

http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e3774-clynoe-co-offaly/

SummaryThe excavation at Clynoe revealed the western arc of a small ditched enclosure, previously classified as a ringfort (RMP OF046-013). The earthwork had been truncated on the western side by the construction of a 3rd class road and on the southern and eastern sides by a farm yard and farm access road. No radiocarbon date was obtained for the site as the charcoal was contaminated and no artefacts were recovered.

Road project name N7 Castletown to Nenagh Site name Clynoe 2E no. E3774Site director John TierneyTownland ClynoeParish CullenwaineCounty OffalyBarony ClonliskOS Map Sheet No. OF 46National Grid Reference 200173 181436Elevation

118 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 and GIS are by Maurizio Toscano, photographs by John Sunderland and Eagle Photography and aerial photography by StudioLab. Specialist analysis was carried out by Mary Dillon and Penny Johnston and the 14 Chrono Centre at Queen’s University Belfast.

Issue 11 [ISSN 2009-2237]


E3909 - Castleroan, Co. Cork

Bronze Age houses and Iron Age pits

Eachtra Journal

Clynoe-e3774

1


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 in area. Contract 1 comprises the western half of the scheme and runs from Clashnevin townland to Castleroan passing along the Tipperary North and Offaly county border regions; 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 excavation 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 Silvermine Mountains, to the south, and small hills extending towards the 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 centres in the area are Nenagh to the southwest and Roscrea it . 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% basis 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 500BC)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, Cul-lenwaine E3741 and six others at three separate locations in Greenhills, E3638, E3637 and E3658. Evidence of nine roundhouses or incomplete round structures were recorded; two at Castleroan E3909, Derrybane 2 E3591 and Drumbaun 2 E3912 and one each at Clash E3660, Drumroe E3773 and Moatquarter E3910.

Iron Age (c. 500 BC to AD 500)Until 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).

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 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

Clynoe-e3774

7


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 structures, vernacular buildings and field systems (Figure 3). A small demesne associated with a country house was recorded at Greenhills.

5 Site location and TopographyThe site at Clynoe was located on the eastern edge of a third class road between 110 and 120 m OD. The townland boundary between Clynoe and Park, to the west, is also the county bounds between Offaly and Tipperary. The surrounding land is farmland with some pockets of wet boggy land.

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 in November 2007. Only areas within the LMA (lands made available) were resolved. The full extent of the area of excavation measured over 400 m sq (Figure 4).

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

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7 Excavation resultsThe excavation at Clynoe revealed the western arc of the ditch of a small enclosure (RMP OF046-013) (Figure 5, Plate 1). The enclosure had been truncated on the western side by the construction of a 3rd class road and on the southern and eastern sides by a farm yard and access road. The road was not marked on the first edition (1835) Ordnance Survey of Co. Offaly sheet 46. The interior of the enclosure has been raised in modern times. Only the western portion of the present site was located within the LMA.

EnclosureThe topsoil covering the area was a dark greyish brown clayey silt and the natural subsoil across the area of excavation was a mid yellowish orange silty clay.

Two segments of the enclosure ditch (C.3 and C.16) were recorded within the area of excavation. The southern ditch C.3 extended from underneath the southern baulk and terminated 8 m to the north (Plate 2). It measured 2.2 m in width by up to 0.49 m in depth. The ditch was narrower at the terminal. Two fills were recorded in the ditch cut. A radiocarbon date was obtained from charcoal from fill C.8. The date was invalid as the charcoal was contaminated. Modern glass and pottery (E3774:8:1-3) was recovered from one of the fills of the ditch.

The northern ditch C.16 measured 12 m by 2.1 m by up to 0.55 m in depth (Figure 6). It extended from underneath the northern baulk (and modern field bank). Three layers of modern material overlay the fills of the northern segment of the ditch, on the interior of the ringfort. Clay pipe stems (E3774:13:1 and 2) were recovered from one of the fills of the ditch.

The gap between the termini of the two ditches measured 6.9 m in width. It faced west and may have represented the entrance to the enclosure.

A single shallow pit (C.17) was recorded within the interior of the ringfort (Plate 3). It was sub-circular in plan and measured c. 0.55 m in diameter.

Plant remainsSmall amounts of uncharred seeds were recovered from the fills of the ditch C.3 and the pit C.17.

Charcoal The charcoal was examined by Mary Dillon in advance of radiocarbon dating.

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.

Clynoe-e3774

11


Lab code Context Material Un-calibrated date δ 13 C

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Clynoe-e3774

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8 DiscussionRingforts are the classic early medieval settlement type and are among the most com-mon archaeological monument in the country. They consist of circular areas, defined by banks and external ditches. Excavation of ringforts usually reveals the remains of dwell-ing houses and outbuildings. According to Stout (1997, 20) ringforts were not built to repel prolonged sieges or designed to annex territories and populations but rather as a defence against lightening raids for cattle and slaves. The success of the ringfort as a set-tlement form is best evidenced by the amount of them that were built.

A range of similar monuments are classified as enclosures and curvilinear earthworks. These sites may originate from a wider date range than ringforts and may have had more varied functions.

The site at Clynoe was marked on the first edition (1835) Ordnance Survey of Co. Of-faly sheet 46 and had the appearance of a standard ringfort. However, very little evidence of a ringfort at Clynoe was recorded during the excavation due to the disturbance of the site by the construction of the third class road in the late nineteenth century and the farm yard and access road in the late 20th century. The road is marked on the second edition (1901-2) Ordnance Survey of Co. Offaly sheet 46.

A ditch, c. 26 m in length, defined the western part of the site at Clynoe. A gap in the ditch measured 6.9 m in width. A single small pit was recorded in the interior. The two portions of the ditch appeared to curve to the east outside the area of excavation which would suggest that the remainder of the site remains in situ beyond the LMA to the east. Three trenches were excavated in the field to the west of the site (on the western side of the third class road) during a programme of archaeological testing for the Nenagh NRA Service Area project (Frazer 2009). No archaeological remains were recorded in any of the trenches.

A substantial ringfort was excavated at Camlin 3 E3580 c. 14 km further east on the route of the N7 CN (Contract 2). A cemetery, with over 150 burials, and five structures were recorded in the interior. Evidence of metal-working activity and bone, stone, wood and metal artefacts was recorded in the ringfort (Flynn 2009). In contrast, no evidence of occupation or domestic and industrial activity was recorded in the site at Clynoe. Was the paucity of evidence of activity at the site due to modern disturbance, or an indication that the site functioned as a cattle enclosure? Or was the main area of the site located outside the LMA.


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9 ReferencesFarrelly, J., and O’Brien, C. (2002) Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary Vol. 1 -

North Tipperary, The Stationery Office Dublin.

Flynn, C. (2009) Preliminary archaeological assessment report Camlin 3 E3580. Unpublished report Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.

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

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.

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.

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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.


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Appendix 1 Stratigraphic Index

Please see attached CD.

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Appendix 2 Stratigraphic Matrix


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Appendix 3 Groups and subgroups

Group 1: Natural Deposits

Topsoil C.1Description:The topsoil was a soft, dark greyish brown clayey silt with moderate medium and coarse sub-angular pebbles and occasional small sub-angular stones. Had a maximum depth of 0.18m.

Interpretation:This context represents the topsoil covering the area of excavation. It is a dark greyish brown clayey silt. Represents dumped modern material over area of excavation. Modern finds (iron objects and glass) suggest a modern date of deposition.

Subsoil C.2Description:A stiff mid yellowish orange silty clay with occasional coarse sub-angular and sub-round-ed pebbles. Occasional small sub-angular and sub-rounded stones.

Interpretation:This context represents the natural subsoil covering the area of excavation. All features truncated this context. Naturally formed. Overlain by topsoil.

Group 2: Modern features/material

Layer of modern material C.10

Subgroup 2ADescription:Strongly cemented, light orange silty sand. Occasional fine angular pebbles. The layer measured 0.4m east west and had a maximum depth of 0.03m.

Interpretation:Layer of material located to E of ringfort ditch cut C16. Contained burnt roots which has been overlain by topsoil C1 since deposition. Modern material dumped in area over the top of ringfort ditch cut C16.

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Layer of modern material C.11

Subgroup 2BDescription:A firm, dark black silty sand with occasional fine sub-angular pebbles. Moderate flecks and small pieces of charcoal present.

Interpretation:Layer of modern material dumped within hollow and overlying fill of ringfort ditch. It has been overlain by C10 since deposition. Charcoal in the fill may be indicative of hu-man activity - most probably dumped in modern times.

Pit C.17 filled with C.18

Subgroup 2CDescription:The pit was sub-circular in plan. Break of slope top and base was sharp on N and W; gradual on S and E. Sides: steep and concave on N and W; moderate and smooth on S; moderate and concave on E. Base was sub-circular in plan; concave in profile. The pit measured 0.51m by 0.58m east west and had a maximum depth of 0.16m. The fill was a firm, dark greyish brown silty clay.

Interpretation:This context represents the cut of a possible small pit. Located in the interior of ringfort. The fill appears quite modern in date as do metal finds possibly indicating this feature is modern.

Group 3: Enclosing ditch C.3 filled with C.6/C.8, C.7/C.9 and C.16 filled with C.13 and C.14

Subgroup 3ADescription:Linear in plan. Break of slope top is sharp on NE and SW. Sides are steep and smooth. Break of slope base is sharp. Base is linear in plan; concave in profile. Southern cut (C.3) measured was 1.2m wide was 2.3m long, ran north-south and had a maximum depth of 0.49m. The upper fill C.6 (C.8) was a soft, mid brown sandy clay with occasional char-coal flecks. The basal fill C.7 (C.9) was a soft, light brown pebbly clay. The northern cut (C.16) measured 12m by 2.1m, had a maximum depth of 0.55m and was orientated east


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west. The upper fill was a firm, dark brown clayey silt. The basal fill was a stiff, light yel-lowish grey stony clay.

Group 4: Natural Features C.19 filled with C.4 and C.5

Subgroup 4ADescription:Sub-rectangular in plan. Break of slope top and base is imperceptible on W; sharp on N; gradual on S and E. Sides: gentle and smooth on N and W; gentle and concave on S; moderate and concave on E. Base is irregular in plan and profile. The feature measured 4.38m east west by 1.86m and had a maximum depth of 0.16m. The upper fill was a firm, light yellowish brown silty sand. The basal fill was a firm, mid greyish brown silty sand.

Interpretation:This context represents the cut of a natural feature containing two fills. Located to the north of the site. Naturally occurring - vegetation bowl of possibly a tree. Root material within primary fill suggests it is a natural feature.

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Appendix 4 Plant remains report

IntroductionThis report details the results of preliminary assessment work carried out on sieved sam-ples from Clynoe 2, Co. Offaly. The site comprised a portion of a ringfort with a ditch and possible entrance found. A single pit was the only interior feature noted.

MethodologyThe samples were collected on site as bulk soil and were processed using machine-as-sisted floatation (following guidelines in Pearsall 2000). The floating material (or ‘flot’) from each sample was collected in a stack of geological sieves (the smallest mesh size was 250mm).

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. The samples were scanned un-der low-powered magnification (x 10 to x 40) using a binocular microscope. The results of preliminary scanning are presented in Table 1 at the end of this report. A total of 7 samples were scanned.

CharcoalCharcoal was not common in the deposits from this site. It was entirely absent from one sample, found in low frequencies in 5 samples, and only found in high frequencies in 1 sample (C.18, S.13). Charcoal from C.8, S.8 was sent for radiocarbon dating but returned an invalid date was it was contaminated.

Plant remainsCharred seeds were present in low frequencies in 2 of the samples from this site. Seeds were absent from the remaining five samples.

Sample Context Charcoal Seeds Percentage3 6 Low Absent 1008 8 Low Absent 1009 9 Low Low 10010 13 Absent Absent 10011 14 Low Absent 10012 15 Low Absent 10013 18 High Low 100

Table1:ScannedsamplesfromClynoe2,Co�Offaly(E3774)


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ReferencesPearsall, D. 2000 Paleoethnobotany: a Handbook of Procedures. New York, Academic

Press.

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Appendix 5 Animal bone report

The remnants of a possible ringfort that was severely damaged during the construction of a nineteenth century farmyard and road were exposed at this site. Animal bones came from three fills (C7, C8 & C9) of the enclosure ditch and from the fill of an undated hollow. A total of nine bones were presented for examination with seven of these com-ing from the enclosure ditch. Identified mammalian species include cattle, horse, sheep/goat and rabbit and a wing bone of a crow or rook represents the only species of bird. The fused distal potion of a humerus provided the only evidence for cattle at the site. A tibia from an adult horse was found in fill (C7) but it was damaged proximally so could not be used to estimate the withers height of the animal. A sheep/goat metatarsus from a juvenile individual was found in fill (C15) and three rabbit limb bones were present in fills C8 and C15. The presence of rabbits in the ditch is of potential value in terms of dating the enclosure as it is generally accepted that this species was not introduced into Ireland until the thirteenth century. The monument was severely damaged however during the construction of the farmyard and the rabbit bones could therefore represent later intru-sions into the ditch. Just two bones were found in the fill (C5) of an undated hollow (C9) and these were identified as fragments of a rib from a medium-sized animal such as sheep/goat or pig.

Education

Archaeological Report - Clynoe, Co. Offaly (Ireland)