Barrow - mound barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

On a broad col with slightly higher ground to the NW and SE, and slightly lower ground to the NE and SW. Subcircular grass-covered mound (dims 20.6m N-S; 17.3m E-W; H 1.2m) which was excavated and reconstructed in 1966-7 (Ó Ríordáin 1997). It consisted of a cairn (RO028-204002-) (diam. 13m N-S; 14m E-W; H 1.5m) defined by a drystone facing (H up to 0.5m) with a line of kerbstones E-SE where cremated bone was recovered. Eight cists were recovered under the cairn, within it, and outside it, containing a total of eight Bowl Food Vessels, a fragment of a bowl, the cremated remains of fourteen individuals, and three inhumations.

The cairn was covered in a clay mound (diam. c. 20m; H 1.5m), taking on the appearance of a mound barrow, and six secondary burial pits, largely in the mound, contained the cremated remains of ten individuals, fragments of two Vase Urns, an almost complete Vase Urn, a bowl, fragment of a bowl, a bone disc and a bronze dagger. Graves 1, 3, and 13 were in the old ground surface or the subsoil and probably pre-date the building of the cairn. Grave 2 was within the cairn close to its centre, and is probably contemporary with the building of the cairn. All the other cists and the pits appear to have been inserted in the cairn after the addition of the clay mantle.

Grave 1 is a cist (RO028-204003-) (int. dims 0.56m E-W; 0.5m N-S; H 0.3m) with a capstone (dims c. 1.45m x c. 0.8m) which contained a bowl food vessel and scattered cremation set into the old ground surface c. 2m inside the perimeter of the cairn at NE. Grave 2 is a cist (RO028-204004-) (int. dims 0.85m E-W; 0.6m N-S; H 0.45) with a large capstone (dims c. 1.75m x c. 1.45m) which contained two bowl food vessels and the inhumed remains of two individuals. It was close to the centre within the cairn. Grave 3 is a cist (RO028-204005-) (int. dims 0.38m E-W; 0.35m N-S; H 0.35m) with a double capstone (dims c. 0.87m x c. 0.8m; T 0.35m) which contained a bowl food vessel and an inhumed child. It was set in the subsoil c. 1.2m outside the kerb at N. Grave 13 is a cist (RO028-204010-) (int. dims 0.84 N-S; 0.57m E-W; H 0.52m) with a capstone (dims. c. 1.5m x 1.15m) which contained two bowl food vessels and a large deposit of cremated bone. It was set in the subsoil just NW of the centre of the cairn.

Grave 4 is a cist (RO028-204006-) (int. dims 0.5m N-S; 0.35m E-W; H0.3m) with a capstone (dims 0.8m x 0.75m) which contained a small amount of cremated bone. It had been inserted in the spill of the cairn at W, just outside the kerb. Grave 5 is a cist (RO028-204007-) (int. dims 0.7m NW-SE; 0.5m NE-SW; H 0.3m) with a capstone (dims 0.83 x 0.72m) which contained a cremation, a fragment of pottery and a bone pendant or bead. It was situated in the cairn spill at E and had been inserted into the mound. Grave 8 is a cist (RO028-204008-) (int. dims 1.17m N-S; 0.52m E-W; H 0.65m) with a capstone (dims. 2.25 N-S; 2m E-W; T 0.3m) which contained a bowl food vessel with a scattered cremation. It was inserted in the mound at E, inside the kerbstones of the cairn. Grave 8a is a cist (RO028-204009-) (int. dims 0.63m E-W; 0.44m N-S; H 0.27m) with a capstone (dims 1.05m x 0.95m) which contained a bowl food vessel and cremated deposit. Beneath the paving stones was further cremated material probably from the same event as those above. It is in the mound at SE.

Grave 6 is a pit burial (RO028-204011-) containing cremated remains, fragment of a Vase Urn, and a pygmy cup. It was in the mound at S. Grave 7 is a pit burial (RO028-204012-) containing cremated bone, unburnt human and animal bone and is situated in the mound at the centre. Grave 9 is a pit burial (RO028-204013-) containing fragments of a Vase Urn and a small cremation deposit. It was in the mound just SE of the centre. Grave 10 is a pit burial (RO028-204014-) containing a Vase Urn inverted over a stone and containing a large cremation deposit including a bronze dagger with its bone pommel. It was inserted in the mound at SE. Grave 11 is a pit burial (RO028-204015-) with a small cremated deposit and stones. It was in the mound at E. Grave 12 is a pit burial (RO028-204016-) with a small deposit of cremated bone, a cockle shell and what might be a small starfish. It was in the mound at E.

Radiocarbon determinations from graves 2, 3 and 10 provide a range from 2130-1850 Cal BC, or perhaps a wider range extending to 1700 Cal. BC. (Kavanagh 1977, 86-7; Waddell 1990, 130; Ó Ríordáin and Waddell 1993 128-9; Ó Ríordáin 1997)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

Kavanagh, R.M. 1977 Pygmy cups in Ireland. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 107, 61-95.

Ó Ríordáin, A.B. 1997 A Bronze Age cemetery mound at Grange, Co. Roscommon. Journal of Irish Archaeology 8, 43-72.

Ó Ríordáin, B. and Waddell, J. 1993 The funerary bowls and vases of the Irish Bronze Age. Galway University Press.

Waddell, J. 1990 The Bronze Age burials of Ireland. Galway University Press.