Cist

The National Monuments Service's description

This cist was uncovered in 1975 during ground works in the garden of a dwelling; the location is now overlain by a farm shed. It was investigated later in that year by Raftery on behalf of the National Museum of Ireland (Licence no. E1045). Rectangular cist (dims. 0.94 ENE-WSW; 0.43m NNW-SSE; H 0.54m) whose sides were defined principally by four slabs. The E side of the floor was largely formed by a rock which protruded into the interior whilst the W side was composed of clay. The capstone was subrectangular (max. dims. 1.33m ENE-WSW; 0.85m NNW-SSE; T 0.12m). The cist contained a cremated material (NMI 1975:263.1) representing a minimum of two individuals, at least of one of whom was female. Three bipartite pots and a possible fourth pot were identified. Bones were found in the smallest pot (pot 3; NMI 1975:262). Otherwise they were concentrated at each end of the cist with a thin sprinkling over the whole of the bottom. The largest pot (pot 2; NMI 1975:260) and smallest one were placed at the E end whilst the other two were placed at the W end. The pots were upright with the exception of the smallest which the excavator described as ‘sitting on side, facing 4’. A plano-convex knife was discovered in the cremation deposit. A sample, also from the cremated deposit yielded a Bronze Age date of 2016-1739 BC. (Cahill and Sikora 2011, Vol. 1, 120-127). (Lacy et al. 1983, 64).

Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan

Date of upload: 18 February 2013

References

Cahill, M. and Sikora, M. (eds) 2011 Breaking ground, finding graves - reports on the excavations of burials by the National Museum of Ireland, 1927-2006, 2 vols. Dublin. Wordwell Ltd. in association with the National Museum of Ireland.

Lacy, B. with Cody, E., Cotter, C., Cuppage, J., Dunne, N., Hurley, V., O'Rahilly, C., Walsh, P. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1983 Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century A.D. Lifford. Donegal County Council.