Flat cemetery

The National Monuments Service's description

In a valley overlooking a small stream. Excavated in 2007 in advance of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road improvement scheme (Licence no. E3616). A flat cemetery comprising a possible pit-circle and two ring-ditches. The possible pit-circle comprised a central pit (0.36m x 0.44m) surrounded by 6 larger pits (Wth up to 1m; D 0.8m) spaced 1.7-1.9m apart, none of which contained reliable evidence for supporting posts. These in turn were enclosed by a ring-ditch (diam. 10m) truncated at S by a post-medieval ditch. Early Bronze Age pottery was recovered from the central pit. The two ring-ditches were located c. 30m to the NE. The larger of the two (diam. 8.3m; D c. 0.5m) was cut into limestone bedrock and was filled with silty clays and sparse charcoal flecks. A cremation pit and a hearth were found within the interior. The smaller ring-ditch (diam. 5m) was V-shaped and was filled with silty clay deposits and had no internal features. Evidence of possible metalworking was found between the possible pit circle and the ring-ditches (KK023-156----). (Jennings 2009; 2010, 244-5, 919)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 2 December 2013

References

Jennings, R. 2009 N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme: Phase 4 – Knocktopher to Powerstown. Preliminary report. Ministerial Direction: A032. Registration No.: E3616 Site AR076, Danesfort 12. Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.

Jennings, R. 2010 AR076, Ennisnag. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavatios 2007: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 244-5, no. 919. Bray. Wordwell.