Excavation - miscellaneous

The National Monuments Service's description

Identified in centre-line testing (E4110) in advance of the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy road scheme, when two pits (dims 0.7m x 0.5m: 1-1.1m x 0.7m; D 0.2m) containing prehistoric pottery and some lithics were excavated. It was set aside for resolution as Ballynabarney 1 (Hardy et al. 2010, 101-02). The site is located on a level landscape in the valley of the N-S River Slaney, with the river c. 180m to the NW, and there is a small S-N stream c. 160m to the W. An extensive area (dims 25m x 17m) was excavated (E4338) by C. Hardy, but only a single oval, flat-bottomed pit (dims 0.7m x 0.6m; D 0.3m) was recorded. This had two fills, both with numerous sherds of Beaker pottery. A total of 128 fragments were recovered from this pit, representing at least ten fine and four domestic Beaker vessels, including a footed bowl. The pottery is stylistically dated to 2450-2200 BC, and a sample from the lower fill confirms this by producing a C14 date of Cal BC 2460-2209. The pits and related features (WX020-105----) are c. 145m to the E. (McNamara and Taylor 2012; Hardy 2013)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 28 November, 2013

References

Hardy, C. 2013 Ballynabarney 1. Pit with prehistoric pottery. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2010: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 225, No. 710. Dublin. Wordwell.

McNamara, M. and Taylor, K. 2012 M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme, Co. Wexford. E4338, Ballynabarney 1. Stage (IV) Final Excavation Report for Wexford County Council. Unpublished report, TVAS (Ireland).

Hardy, C., Nugent, L., Homan Reid, R; O'Liathain, N; Whitty, Y.; and Coleman, C. 2010 N11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. Archaeological Consultancy Services, Stage (1)a. E4110. Testing report for Wexford County Council. Unpublished. TVAS (Ireland).