Slab-lined burial

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on the summit of an esker. This marks the approximate location of three stone-lined graves found in the 1930’s during quarrying at the NW end of an esker. Two of the graves (MA021-077001-; MA021-077002-) were discovered in close proximity in 1931 (Morris 1932, 62, 191-200). This grave (L 1.85m; Wth 0.45m; D 0.45m) was discovered in 1938 about 6m distant from the earlier finds, at a depth of c. 0.3m below the surface finds (NMI Topographical Files). It was rectangular in plan and was constructed of stone slabs, a single slab forming the long N side and two slabs forming the S side, with a single slab closing each of the short E and W ends. Seven small, overlapping slabs roofed the grave. The floor was unpaved. The grave contained an extended skeleton, with head to the W, but the bones were poorly preserved. A bone sample taken from the skeleton in one (MA021-077001-) of the graves provided a radiocarbon date, suggesting date in the late Iron Age or Early Medieval date period: OxA-3226 human bone 1590±90 1 sigma = AD382-575, 2 sigma = AD256-640 (Hedges et al. 1993). No trace of the graves survives; at the location there are old quarry pits, several meters in diameter, and c. 2m deep, engulfed in overgrowth.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 1 July 2016

References

Hedges, R.E.M., Housley, R.A., Bronk Ramsey, C., & Van Klinken, G.J. Radiocarbon dates from the Oxford AMS system. Archaeometry datelist 17. Archaeometry 35, 2, 305-26.

Morris, H. 1932 The Belladooan skeleton. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 62, 191-200.