Excavation - miscellaneous

The National Monuments Service's description

In an undulating area under pasture and tillage. Excavated in 2007 in advance of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road improvement scheme (Licence no. E3854). A series of pits clustered in an area of approximately 7m square. Lithic debitage was recovered from many of the pits and prehistoric pottery that has been interpreted as being from middle Bronze Age domestic vessels was found within two of these pits. The precise function of the pits is unknown and it seems likely, given their clustering, that they are related, possibly forming a small temporary structure. One of the pits has been dated to the late Neolithic (2860-2480 cal BC (SUERC-30110)) while the lithics have been interpreted as being diagnostically from the middle Neolithic. This may suggest that the features are unrelated or that there has been re-use or disturbance of some of the pits. (Whitty 2010, 248, no. 940; Whitty and Coughlan 2012)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 10 December 2013

References

Whitty, Y. 2010 AR099, Holdenstown. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2007: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 248, no. 940. Bray. Wordwell.

Whitty, Y. and Coughlan, T. 2012 N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme: Phase 4 - Knocktopher to Powerstown. Ministerial Direction: A032. Site name: AR099, Holdenstown 3. Registration No. E3854. Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.