Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Hut site
Brittas, County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Brittas
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.81750, -6.75595
- SMR number
- ME005-088013-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Vltoniae Orientalis Pars" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
The third occupation level of the crannog is constructed on a peat base and was the first major level encountered (Phase Y) when the crannog was excavated. It consists of a large and a small (ME005-088012-) hut, and a furnace (ME005-088014-). Most of the large circular hut (ext. diam. 11.2m) was built on a layer of compacted yellow gravelly earth which was on a bed of introduced peat. The peat was retained by a palisade (No. 1), and oak timbers from the palisade provide a dendrochronological felling-date of 748 AD. The hut was defined by a double row of posts with an entrance gap at E. Internally there were over 250 post and stake-holes forming lines parallel with and vertical to the outer wall, perhaps forming benches around an eccentrically-placed stone-edged hearth (1.1m x 0.88m), one of three relating to the use of the house, the others being earlier and more central. The house was finally burnt down. Finds from the house include an E-ware vessel, fragments of crucibles and tuyéres and a furnace bottom. Amongst completed items were a brooch-like pin, ring-headed pins, eight tanged knives, a socketed iron spearhead, bone pins, nails, a comb, fragments of jet bracelets, the terminal of a drinking horn, and glass beads. (Bradley 1982-3, 20-28; 1984, 88-90; 1990/1, 21-2; 1991, 13-18; O’Sullivan 1998, 107-08)
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 6 September
References
Bradley, J. 1990-91 Excavations at Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath 1985 and 1887. Ríocht na Mídhe vol. 8, No. 3, 21-35.
Bradley, J. 1984 Excavations at Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath 1982-83. Interim Report. Ríocht na Mídhe vol. 7, No. 3, 86-93.
Bradley, J. 1982-3 Excavations at Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath 1980-81. Interim Report. Ríocht na Mídhe vol. 7, No. 2, 12-32.
Bradley, J. 1991 Excavations at Moynagh Lough. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 111, 5-26.
O'Sullivan, A. 1998 The archaeology of lake settlement in Ireland. Discovery Programme Monograph No. 4. Dublin. Royal Irish Academy.
Nearby in the register
- Hut siteunder 1 mi
- Metalworking siteunder 1 mi
- Furnaceunder 1 mi
- Habitation siteunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.