Cremation pit

The National Monuments Service's description

Cremation pits in area 3B was excavated in 2020 under licence 17E0292 by Muireann Ní Cheallacháin for IAC Archaeology during construction phase of residential development by Cairn Homes PLC.
Excavation was carried out in Area 3B following the identification of crop marks within the southwest corner of the proposed development a geophysical survey was carried out by Joanna Leigh in 2015 (Licence 15R0124). Detailed gradiometer survey in this area identified two clear circular ditch-type responses, correlating with the location of several curving crop marks, measuring c. 11.25m and 12.25m in diameter and several other responses of potential interest. The circular ditches appear to be contained within a larger ill-defined circular feature (possible enclosure). Following on from the geophysical survey, a programme of testing was undertaken in 2017 by Rob Lynch and Enda Lydon of IAC under licence no. 17E0292 (Lynch and Lydon 2017). Three areas of archaeology were identified in the testing assessment (Archaeological Areas 1–3).
Monument was described as following; 'There were three foci of activity in Area 3B, with cremation pit C602 and pit C609 located in the north of the site, pit C605 located in the eastern central area and postholes C600 and C607 located in the south of the site. Pit C602 contained a shallow cremation deposit consisting of a basal fill (C604) of friable silty sand with very frequent charcoal and large burnt bone fragments (Plate 35) which may represent a direct deposit from the funeral pyre. The upper fill (C603) was a friable silty sand which still contained charcoal and burnt bone fragments but to a lesser extent than C604 and may have been placed to seal the cremation. No other cremations were identified in this area. A large, shallow pit (C609) was located c. 2m east of the cremation and contained a single fill of friable silty sand with occasional charcoal and moderate stone inclusions. A circular pit (C605) was located c. 10.6m southeast of the cremation and contained a single fill of loose sandy silt with large charcoal fragments concentrated in the southwestern extent of the fill. C600 was a possible truncated posthole, c .12m south of pit C605, containing a single fill of friable silty sand with occasional charcoal fragments. Located c. 3.8m to the southwest, was a further possible posthole, C607, the single fill (C608) of which contained frequent charcoal inclusions and frequent stones particularly along the edge of the cut which may have originally acted as packing stones' (Ní Cheallacháin and Spencer 2020, 35).

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 10 November 2020

References

Ní Cheallacháin, M. and Spencer, D. 2020 Preliminary archaeological report monitoring and excavation at Farrankelly (Sites 1-6) Greystones, Co. Wicklow (Licence: 17E0292) Unpublished report prepared by IAC Ltd for Cairn Homes PLC.

Lynch, R. and Lydon, E. 2017 Archaeological Assessment at Farrankelly, Greystones, Co. Wicklow (Licence: 17E0292). Unpublished report prepared by IAC Ltd for Cairn Homes PLC.