Cist

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on a rise in the middle of a plateau bounded by the Goulaun River on one side and by the steep rise of Letterkeen Hill on the other, in an area of mountainous and boggy terrain.
This cist was excavated (E000015) in 1950 by Ó 'Ríordáin and Mac Dermott (1950-51, 93-94). It consisted of a short, rectangular slab-lined cist, long axis roughly E-W, divided into two compartments by a transverse slab, and roofed by an irregular-shaped slab (1.2m x 0.8m; T 0.15m). The W compartment contained the cremated bones of a least one adult, possibly a male, some animal bone, a possible bone pin made from a bird bone, and much charcoal. The E compartment contained the cremated bones of an adult, and a child of about 10 years. The cist was dated to the Bronze Age. A possible burial cairn (MA046-004001-), two other cists (MA046-004002-; MA046-004003-) and two pit burials (MA046-004005-; MA046-004006-) were found in close proximity, also dating to the Bronze Age. At a later period, these features were overlain by a rath (MA046-004007-).

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 9 April 2019

References

Ó Ríordáin, S.P. and Mac Dermott, M. 1950-1 The excavation of a ringfort at Letterkeen, Co. Mayo. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 54, 89-119