Cist

The National Monuments Service's description

On a gravel knoll, upon which three other prehistoric monuments: a mound barrow (SL040-155001-), a pit burial (SL040-155002-) and a short cist (SL040-155003-) have been identified. This monument was uncovered during sand extraction in 1972 and excavated by Ryan in the same year. Small, subrectangular short cist (dims. 0.54m NW-SE; 0.33m NE-SW; D 0.44m) whose sides are defined principally by five slabs set on edge augmented by smaller packing stones. The N, E and S sides are each formed by a single slab while the W side is delimited by of two thinner slabs placed parallel to each other. The landowner had displaced one of the end stones. He told the excavator that this end of the cist had been closed by two stones set on edge with one resting upon the other. These stones were not identified. The capstone was curvilinear (dim. 0.56m; T 0.19m). It only proved possible to guage one side of the pit (dim. 0.74m; D 0.45m) which had been dug to house the cist. The upper 0.35m beneath the capstone was filled with gravel. However upon the floor of the cist was a deposit containing cremated bone and flecks of charcoal. The cremated bone is thought to indicate the presence of two individuals: an adult male and second adult of indeterminate sex (1972:178). No artifacts were uncovered (Cahill and Sikora 2011, Vol. 1, 429-435).

Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan

Date of upload: 27 February 2013

References

Cahill, M. and Sikora, M. (eds) 2011 Breaking ground, finding graves - reports on the excavations of burials by the National Museum of Ireland, 1927-2006, 2 vols. Dublin. Wordwell Ltd. in association with the National Museum of Ireland.