Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

Nine souterrains have been recorded in excavation at the passage tomb complex. They are associated with the early medieval open settlement (ME019-030060-) and are placed largely on the sides and summit of the great mound. This is Souterrain No. 2, located on the E side of the mound at the entrance to Tomb 1C East. The passage (L 15m plus; Wth 0.7m; H 1m) connected with the tomb towards its S end where it takes a turn W but the original S end of the souterrain is destroyed by work connected with Souterrain 3. The passage extends N past this junction and slopes down to a large beehive chamber (diam. 2.7m; H 1.8m). There is no evidence of a house connected with this souterrain which pre-dated medieval houses 4 and 5 but precise relationships could not be established with any features. Some hearths in the vicinity that also pre-date these houses could be associated with the souterrain. (Eogan 2012, 109-11)

True location: ITM (699653, 773459)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 06 November 2013
Amended: 17 September 2020

See the attached illustrations:
_1 Early medieval features, from Knowth 5, Fig. 4:1
_2 Souterrain plan, from Knowth 5, Fig. 4:15

References

Eogan, G. 2012 Excavations at Knowth 5: the archaeology of Knowth in the first and second millennia AD. Dublin. Royal Irish Academy.