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. 5, located on the summit of the mound at the NE edge and it was completely excavated in 1941 (Roe 1943). It consists of a passage (L 4m; Wth 1m) entered at S with 2 surviving lintels at the N end as it entered a circular chamber (diam. 3.5m) that was probably of beehive construction (surviving H 0.75m). Artefacts recovered from the excavation in 1941 include a copper alloy bracelet, a bell pendant, bone stick-pins, a copper alloy tweezers, a tanged knife, a sickle, bone combs, gaming pieces and silver pennies. This souterrain could have been connected with the W end of Souterrain 3, and it was built later than medieval house 11. It has not been conserved. (Eogan 2012, 139-40)

True location: ITM (699620, 773471)

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, Knowth 5, Fig. 4:34

References

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

Roe, H. 1943, The summit structure. In Macalister 1943, 140-49.

Macalister, R.A.S. 1943 A preliminary Report on the excavation of Knowth. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 49C 131-66.