Pit

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture 180m E of ringfort (LI039-025----). Not depicted on OSi historic maps. Identified as BGE 3/75/4-5 in 2002 by Ken Wiggins (Licence 02E0119) during topsoil-stripping on the Bord Gáis Éireann Pipeline to the West. Excavated in 2002 by Brian Halpin under licence No. 02E0394 the results of which were summarised as follows; ‘Topsoil-stripping of Bord Gáis Éireann’s Pipeline to the West in Rathcannon townland, Co. Limerick, uncovered a single pit measuring 1.12m east–west by 0.61m. The cut was sub-oval with a shallow and generally flat base. It had two fills. The upper was dark grey, silty clay with minor amounts of charcoal and sandstone; the lower was a brown/grey silty clay that was very rich in charcoal. There was no indication of in situ burning in the feature. Topsoil-stripping in the same townland uncovered two shallow pits. They were not associated with any other features. The pits were next to each other and aligned north–south. Both were subcircular and exhibited a gradual U-shaped cut in the yellow/orange boulder clay. They measured 1.4m east–west by 1.2m–1.5m. The fills were an almost identical, charcoal-rich, silty, sandy clay with burnt and heat-shattered sandstone. This is indicative of the fill of a fulacht fiadh, in which the local landscape is rich. It is not known whether these pits were purposely dug or natural depressions. There was no evidence of in situ burning (Halpin 2004, 342)’. Monument has been fully excavated and is not visible on aerial images.

Compiled by: Martin Fitzpatrick

Date of upload: 22 May 2021

References

Halpin, B. 2004 Rathcannon (BGE 3/75/4-5); Pits. In I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2002: Summary Accounts of Archaeological Excavations in Ireland, 342, No. 1245. Wordwell, Bray.