Barrow - ditch barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

On a S-facing slope. Archaeological excavation (E3270) during 2007 at Ardagawna 1 as part of the Athlone to Ballinasloe M6 road development revealed half of a small ring-ditch (int. diam. 4m; ext. diam. 5.35m NE-SW). The fosse (Wth c. 1m; D 0.4m) was round-bottomed and contained fragments of cremated human bone and a perforated stone. The fill of the fosse produced a C14 date of 1498-1466 cal. BC, and a C14 date from a tree-bole c. 22m to the N provided a C14 date of 1493-1429 cal. BC, suggesting that tree-clearance was connected with the barrow. The structure (RO052-031004-), c. 22m to the NNW, may be contemporary, but the ring-ditch is unassociated with the corn-drying kiln (RO052-031002-) c. 10m to the NW, the burial (RO052-031003-), and the three pits (RO052-031004-), c. 50m to the N and NE. Part of the ditch barrow survives outside the road at S. (Ó Séaghdha 2010a; 2010d, 8-9)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010
Amended: 25 November, 2013

References

Ó Séaghdha, L. 2010d N6 Ballinasloe–Athlone National Road Scheme. Final report on the excavation of multi-period prehistoric features, early medieval agri-industrial activity and early modern burial in the townland of Ardagawna, Co. Roscommon. E3270, Ardagowna 1. PDF report available on CD-ROM in N. Jackman, C. Moore and C. Rynne 2013 The Mill at Kilbegly: an archaeological investigation on the route of the M6 Ballinasloe to Athlone national road scheme. NRA Scheme Monographs 12. Dublin. National Roads Authority.

Ó Séaghdha, L. 2010a Ardagawna 1. Bronze Age ring-ditch/early medieval activity/human burial. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2007: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 288-9, No. 841. Dublin. Wordwell.