House - Neolithic

The National Monuments Service's description

Excavated in 2006 in advance of the N9/N10 Waterford to Kilcullen Road Scheme (Excavation licence no. E3005). One of two parallel rectangular houses (see KK036-068----), both orientated NW-SE and c. 4m apart. The houses were cut by a large boundary ditch (KK036-070----). The house to the SE (c. 11.5m x 7.8m) was constructed using deep stone-filled foundation trenches and post-holes. A possible entrance feature was at the E end of the NE wall. An internal foundation trench divided the house into two rooms and there were also internal post-holes either for supporting the roof or for creating a further division. All of the evidence recovered from the structure including ritually deposited lithics and domestic items such as sherds of carinated bowls confirm that it was of Early Neolithic date. The earliest radiocarbon date for this house was 3788-3659 cal BC (UBA-14155). (McKinstry 2009, 260, no. 1019; 2010)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 8 October 2013

References

Mckinstry, L. 2009 Earlsrath. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2006: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 260, no. 1019. Dublin. Wordwell.

McKinstry, L. 2010 N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme: Waterford to Knocktopher – Phase 2 Archaeological Resolution, Dunkitt to Sheepstown Co. Kilkenny Final Report A032/000, E3005 Site AR031, Earlsrath, Co. Kilkenny. Unpublished excavation report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.