Archaeological Excavation Report - E2443 Mackney, Co. Galway

Archaeological Excavation ReportE2443 - Mackney, Co. Galway

Bronze Age hearth, pits & post-medieval ditches

Issue 2 [ISSN 2009-2237]

Eachtra Journal

Contact details:The Forge,Innishannon, Co. Cork.Tel.: 021 470 16 16Fax: 021 470 16 28E-mail: [email protected] Site: www.eachtra.ie

June 2009

Written by:

Client:

Archaeological Excavation Report,Mackney,Co. Galway

Bronze Age hearth, pits & post-medieval ditches

National Roads Design Office,Galway County Council

John Tierney

David FallonJohn Tierney

Licensee:

A024Ministerial Order No.:

E2443E No.:

Permalink: http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e2443-mackney-co-galway/

Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2443 | A024/31

iii

Table of Contents

1 Introduction ........................................................................................................1

2 Site Location, Topography and Soils ....................................................................1

3 Background to the Development .........................................................................1

4 Archaeological and Historical Background .........................................................2

4.1 Prehistoric period ...............................................................................................2

5 Results of Excavation ...........................................................................................4

5.1 Artefacts .............................................................................................................6

5.2 Charred plant remains .......................................................................................6

5.3 Charcoal ...........................................................................................................6

5.4 Industrial residues ..............................................................................................6

5.5 Radiocarbon dates ..............................................................................................6

6 Discussion ...........................................................................................................7

7 Bibliography ........................................................................................................8

8 Figures ................................................................................................................10

9 Plates ..................................................................................................................14

10 Appendices .........................................................................................................17

10.1 Appendix 1: Stratigraphic Register ....................................................................18

10.2 Appendix 2: Stratigraphic Matrix ......................................................................23

10.3 Appendix 3: Groups and sub-groups text ..........................................................24

10.4 Plant remains analysis ......................................................................................27

10.5 Charcoal analysis .............................................................................................29



iv

List of FiguresFigure 1: Discovery series OS map showing the route of the new N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road (Contract 4) and the location of all excavation sites .............................................................. 10

Figure 2: The route of the new N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road (Contract 4) overlaid on the 1st edition OS map..................................................................................................................... 11

Figure 3: The route of the new N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road (Contract 4) overlaid on the RMP map ............................................................................................................................. 12

Figure 4: Post-excavation plan of the site at Mackney E2443 ............................................... 13

List of PlatesPlate 1: Working shot of site with curving field drains clearly visible, from west .................. 14

Plate 2: Pre-Ex of isolated hearth C.119, from east ............................................................... 14

Plate 3: Mid-excavation of large pit C.115, north ................................................................. 15

Plate 4: Mid-Ex of C.104 showing stone lining, from west ................................................... 15

Plate 5: Mid-ex of modern field drain C.154 cutting earlier drains C.104, from north ........ 16



v

i Summary

The site excavated at Mackney E2443 represented the remains of Middle to late Bronze Age occupation. The prehistoric features included pits and a hearth while later features included a gully, a field boundary and drains. There were no artefacts from the site to complement the interpretation of the archaeological features. This site is one of five sites with material dating to the Bronze Age that were found during these works. Their existence indicates the popular-ity of this area for settlement during the Bronze Age.

Townland MackneyCivil Parish ClontuskertBarony ClonmacnowenCounty GalwayMinisterial Order no. A024E no. E2443OS Map Sheet GA087National Grid Reference 183703 229503Elevation 50 m ODSite type Bronze Age hearth and post-medieval drains and

ditches

ii Acknowledgements

The excavation director was John Tierney and the senior supervisor was David Fallon. Field crew included Lesley Davidson, Joanna Pilszyk and Rafal Wolanski. Illustrations are by Ben Blakeman, Lesley Davidson, Enda O’Mahony and Robin Turk. Report compilation was by Anluan Dunne. Specialist analysis was carried out by Mary Dillon and the 14 Chrono Cen-tre at Queen’s University Belfast. The project was commissioned by Galway County Council and was funded the National Roads Authority under the National Development Plan (2000-2006). The project archaeologist was Jerry O’Sullivan and the assistant project archaeologist was Martin Jones.



1

1 Introduction

This report comprises the final excavation report for a site found at Mackney, Co. Galway, during archaeological testing within the lands acquired for the new N6 Galway to Ballinasloe dual carriageway road scheme (O’Donoghue et al. 2006, Figure 1). The site comprised both prehistoric and post-medieval features, including a small isolated hearth, pits and a post-hole and a series of linear features. Charcoal from the site yielded two Middle to Late Bronze Age radiocarbon dates.

2 Site Location, Topography and Soils

The site was located in the townland of Mackney at NGR 183703 229503, c. 1km west of Ballinasloe. The site was situated in a natural hollow within a landscape of gently undulating hills. It was low-lying and the area of excavation was prone to flooding apart from the higher, stonier ground found to the south-east of the site. The local soils are classified as grey brown podzolics, with associated brown earths, gleys and basin peat. They have a moderately wide use range and are good for cereal, fruit and vegetable cultivation (Gardiner & Radford 1980). The solid bedrock is Middle to Upper Carboniferous Limestones, with Calp Limestones predominating in the area of this site. The Quaternary deposits in the region are undulating glacial drift with some post-glacial peat and alluvial deposits. Trial pitting for the Environ-mental Impact Assessment report indicated that the subsoil in the area this site at Mackney was sandy till.

3 Background to the Development

The excavation was undertaken by Eachtra Archaeological Projects for Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority and forms part of wider archaeological excavation programme undertaken by Eachtra within approximately 15 km of the proposed N6 Galway to Ballinasloe dual carriageway scheme (Contract 4, Figures 1-3).



2

4 Archaeological and Historical Background

4.1 Prehistoric period

Mesolithic material has now been identified from a small number of sites in western Con-nacht and in particular material has been identified on the major river and lake systems. Lough Corrib stands out as a centre of outstanding importance for looking at both Mesolith-ic settlement and the Mesolithic/Neolithic transition (Gibbons et al. 2004). The artefactual location bias suggests that the Lough Corrib catchment area was a population centre in the later Mesolithic period. The finding of a Bann flake at Oranmore confirms that there was a human presence to the east of the Corrib in the late Mesolithic. No definite Mesolithc site has as yet been identified in east Galway but there are flint artefacts that probably date to the Mesolithic from burnt mound sites excavated by Eachtra Archaeological Projects at Barnac-ragh (E2446) and Urraghry (E2449).

The Neolithic or new stone age began around 4000 BC when the first farmers came in search of pasture for their livestock and arable land in which to grow their grain. Ireland was then heavily forested so it was necessary for these farmers to engage in forest clearance. This they did with polished stone axeheads hafted in wooden handles. A number of stone axes have been recovered from along the valley of the river Suck and around the Ballinasloe area in general (Henry 1992, 37-38), indicating activity in the area during the Neolithic.

The Neolithic period also saw new developments in ritual activity, in particular the build-ing of megalithic tombs. Only seven Neolithic tombs are recorded for the whole of north Galway (as defined by Vol 2 of the Archaeological inventory of Co. Galway), which includes the barony of Clonmacowen, and these are limited to court tombs and wedge tombs (Alcock et al. 1999, 1). There is no published inventory for south Galway. No megalithic tombs are recorded from the area around Balinasloe and Aughrim; the closest concentration is a group of four tombs identified around the limestone plains of Monivea.

The erection of large more or less unhewn stones, often in prominent locations, was a wide-spread custom in prehistoric Ireland and elsewhere in western Europe. These take the form of stone circles, stone rows, stone pairs and single or isolated standing stones. Single standing stones may have had a wide variety of uses ranging from route or boundary markers to burial memorials. Two standing stones (RMP GA098:031 and GA087:023) are located around Aughrim, one of which is reputed to be associated with a stone axehead (Alcock et al. 1999,



3

17).

During the Bronze Age metal was extracted and worked for the first time. Bronze Age axes and a dagger have been found in the area round Ballinasloe and a bronze spear head (NMI 1986:19) and dirk (NMI 1986:16) were recovered from the river Suck during drainage opera-tions in the 1880s (information from the National Museum of Ireland Topographical files). Underwater investigation of the site of Correen Ford, on the river Suck, identified a Late Bronze Age sword which was found close to a portion of a pottery vessel, perhaps of the same age (Kelly 1989). Coreen Ford was probably one of the main crossing points on the Suck in prehistory and early history.

A variety of burial monuments date to the Bronze Age period, including cairns, tumuli and barrows. A cairn is a mound of stone often used to cover burials, and a tumulus is a mound of earth used for the same purpose. Barrows are burial monuments which usually consist of a circular central area, which may be flat or slightly dished (a ring ditch), or domed (a ring barrow), and which is enclosed by a ditch and occasionally by an external bank. Excavated Bronze Age burials include interments in cists, in pits lined with stone flags, and in simple pits, some of which were accompanied by pottery or other grave goods. These can be placed in tumuli, cairns or barrows, but can also be set within ‘natural’ monuments, such as sand ridges, or can appear in flat cemeteries, with no above ground marker at all (Waddell 1990, 1).

A total of 22 cairns and tumuli, 10 isolated cist and pit graves and 31 barrows are known from north Galway (Alcock et al. 1999, 4 & 12). A significant concentration of Early Bronze Age features can be recognised in the area between Athenry, Tuam and Headford; however, very few burials or cairns have been identified in the areas around Ballinasloe and Aughrim.

The most common Bronze Age monuments are burnt mounds. They are represented by small mounds of burnt stone, which were fired in order to heat water in a pit dug into a marshy area, the stones being discarded once they had cooled. The function of these monuments has been the source of much debate with various theories being expounded including cooking, washing and relaxation. Three burnt mounds have been excavated by Eachtra Archaeologi-cal Projects during the course of the present excavation programme: at Barnacragh (E2446), Cooltymurraghy (E2448) and Urraghry (E2449). A Bronze Age settlement site (E2445) was excavated in Mackney townland as well as the Bronze Age dates retrieved from this site in



4

Mackney (E2443). These are important additions to the recorded prehistoric landscape in east Galway.

We know almost nothing of Irish Iron Age settlement and burial outside the major complexes of royal ritual sites and a small number of burial sites that may be Iron Age in date. Deficien-cies in our knowledge of the settlements and habitations of ordinary people are so marked that Raftery referred to the majority of the population as the ‘invisible people’ (1994, 112). The majority of the evidence for the Iron Age period consists of finds of La Tène decorated metalwork and some pieces of stone sculpture. Examples of La Tène artefacts/monuments from east Galway include the Turoe Stone located close to Loughrea and a Late La Tène metal artefact found at. Rahally hillfort. This hillfort was excavated along the route of the new N6 Galway to Ballinalsoe road (Contract 3) and the evidence indicates settlement in prehistoric and medieval times (Mullins in progress). Iron Age radiocarbon dates were ob-tained from excavations at an enclosure site at Loughbown 2, also excavated along the route of the new N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road (Contract 4). However, medieval dates were also obtained from Loughbown 2 and the exact nature of occupation at the site during the Iron Age is uncertain.

5 Results of Excavation

This site comprised a small isolated hearth, three pits, an isolated post-hole, a shallow linear gully, a field/property boundary ditch, an 18th century curvilinear stone field drain and a modern field drain (Figure 4, Plate 1). These features were found within an area of excavation that measured 484 sq m. The detailed results from this site are presented in the stratigraphic index (Appendix 1), the stratigraphic matrix (Appendix 2) and the groups and sub-groups text (Appendix 3). The following is an interpretative summary.

Hearth

A small circular hearth pit (C.119) was situated on a well-drained area at the south-east of the site, on higher, stonier ground (Plate 2). It measured 0.6 m in length, 0.52 m wide and 0.2 m in depth. There was no evidence for habitation associated with this feature but hazel charcoal from the hearth fill (C.120) yielded a Middle Bronze Age radiocarbon date of cal BC 1433-1270 (UB-7354).



5

Pits

A total of three pits (C.111, C.113 and C.115/161) were excavated at the site. All three were truncated by the gully (C.108). On average these measured 0.8 m in length, 0.49 m in width and 0.17 m in depth. Hazel charcoal, from the fill of one pit (C.115, fill C.116, see Plate 3) produced a Middle to Late Bronze Age radiocarbon date of cal BC 1047-848 (UB-7353).

Post-hole

A post-hole (C.139) was an isolated find. It contained a post-pipe (C.150) and seven fills, mostly grey silts and some fine gravels. It was U-shaped in profile and measured 0.44 m in length, 0.42 m in width and 0.23 m in depth. A pad-stone (C.170) provided support for the post that originally stood in this place.

Gully

The gully (C.108) was aligned north-west to south-east and it was 13.7 m in length, between 0.6 and 0.9 m wide and 0.12 to 0.3 m deep. It was filled by three silt deposits C.109/C.133/C.134/C.158/C.168, C.159 and C.167, all. It drained the higher, drier ground to the south-east of the excavation site and terminated at the lowest point in the immediate area. It trun-cated at this point by the modern field drains. The gully truncated three pits (C.111, C.113 and C.115/161) and it was therefore later than these Middle to Late Bronze Age features. At the south of the site this gully joined the larger ditch (C.102), interpreted as a boundary.

Property boundary

The large ditch (C.102) may have acted as a field or property boundary, possibly even associ-ated with Mackney ringfort (A024/10 E2444), located c. 150 m to the south. It measured 21.5 m in length, 0.8–1.1 m wide and 0.43 m in maximum depth and was aligned east/west across the southern part of the area of excavation.

Field drains

Two field drains were recognised at the site (C.104 and C.154). The earliest of these (C.104) was an 18th century masonry field drain, aligned north/south, with a return to the west (see Plate 4). The base was flat and contained stone sockets. In total this feature measured 25 m in length within the area of excavation (it continued outside the road take at both the north and the west) and was 0.63 m wide and 0.4 m deep. The second drain (C.154) was modern and it cut the earlier drain C.104 (Plate 5). It was U-shaped in profile with a concave base and its



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length within the area of excavation totaled 21 m.

5.1 Artefacts

No artefacts were retrieved during excavation of this site.

5.2 Charred plant remains

A total of 12 samples from this site were examined by Mary Dillon (Appendix 4). No charred seeds were found.

5.3 Charcoal

A total of 12 charcoal samples were examined from this site (Appendix 5). The identification was carried out by Mary Dillon and hazel was the most common type found. Apple type, sloe/cherry, hazel/alder, oak, ash, willow/aspen, holly, birch and alder were also found in the samples.

5.4 Industrial residues

A single piece of iron slag was recovered from the eastern end of the east/west ditch. This was retained but not subjected to further analysis.

5.5 Radiocarbon dates

Radiocarbon analysis was carried out by the 14 Chrono Centre in Queen’s University Belfast. Dates were calibrated using Calib Rev5.0.2 (©1986-2005 M.Stuiver & P.J. Reimer) and in conjunction with Stuiver & Reimer 1993 and Reimer et al. 2004.

Lab. code

Con-text

Sample Material (charcoal)

Years BP

δ 13 C 1 sigma calibrated date

2 sigma calibrated date

Period

UB-7353

Fill of pitC.116

113 Hazel, 39 frags, 3.99g

2804+/-33

-25.0cal BC998-918

cal BC 1047-893876-848

Middle to Late Bronze Age

UB-7354

Fill of hearthC.120

104 Hazel,4 frags, 0.4g

3093+/-34 BP

-26.0cal BC1416-13701349-1316

cal BC 1433-12901281-1270

Middle Bronze Age



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6 Discussion

Deposits from the hearth and pits were the earliest features excavated at the site; the radiocar-bon dates from these features indicated Middle to Late Bronze Age occupation. Although a hearth was excavated at the south of the site, there was no structure associated with this and it may be the product of a temporary camp. This may be contemporary with the settlement, possibly domestic, at the site excavated at Mackney E2445. Bronze Age settlement sites have not been widely excavated in County Galway. A search of the online excavations database for 1970-2003 (www.excavations.ie) revealed a few potentially comparable sites such as Late Bronze Age hut sites excavated at Dún Aonghasa, Inishmór and stone remains of structures possibly dating to the Early Bronze Age at Lettershea. Three midden sites with Bronze Age dates were excavated at Omey Island, False Bay, Truska and Doonloughan. There are few comparative pits and hearth sites that date to Bronze Age occupation in the county.

This site is one of five Bronze Age sites excavated within 8 km along the route of the new road. These included burnt mound sites at Urraghry, Cooltymurraghy and Barnacragh and another site traces of Bronze Age occupation at Mackney E2445. Many of the sites are within the catchment zone of the River Suck or just to the west; they indicate widespread use of this part of the landscape during the Bronze Age.

The Bronze Age features at the site were truncated by a later gully (C.108). The gully appears to lead into the field boundary (C.102) and these features are probably contemporary. While it is possible that these are the result of early land management associated with the ringfort at Mackney, they may also be features of post-medieval enclosure. They probably acted as sub-divisions of the land but were no dount also useful in attempts to drain the land, which was relatively low-lying and marshy. Poor drainage continued at the site and drains were sub-sequently dug. A masonry drain (C.104) was probably 18th century, based on typology, and it was cut by a later drain (C.105) that was probably put in the modern period.



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7 Bibliography

Alcock, O., de hOra, K. and Gosling, P. 1999 Archaeological Inventory of County Galway, Vol. 2 North Galway. Dublin, The Stationery Office.

Gardiner, M.J. and Radford, T. 1980 Soil Associations of Ireland and Their Land Use Potential. Dublin, An Foras Talúntais.

Gibbons, M., Gibbons, M. and Higgins, J. 2004 Mapping the Mesolithic in Western Connacht, IQUA Newsletter 32, 4-7.

Henry, M. 1992 Prehistoric Life in Co. Galway: A Distributional Analysis, Journal of the Galway Hist and Archaeol Society, Vol. 44 (1992), 29-46.

Kelly, E.P. 1989 Ford, in Bennett, I. (ed.) Excavations 1989. Bray, Wordwell.

Mullins, G. In progress Rahally, in Bennett, I. (ed.) Excavations 2006.

O’Donoghue, J., Tierney, J. and Doolan, A. 2006 N6 Galway to Ballinasloe test excavations report, Centreline testing 4.0, Contract 4 Cloghagalla Eighter Co. Galway to Beagh, Co. Roscommon. Unpublished report for Eachtra Archaeological Projects submitted to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Raftery, B. 1994 Pagan Celtic Ireland: the enigma of the Irish Iron Age. London, Thames and Hudson.

Reimer, P.J., Baillie, M.G.L., Bard, E., Bayliss, A., Beck, J.W., Bertrand, C., Blackwell, P.G., Buck, C.E., Burr, G., Cutler, K.B., Damon, P.E., Edwards, R.L., Fairbanks, R.G., Friedrich, M., Guilderson, T.P., Hughen, K.A., Kromer, B., McCormac, F.G., Manning, S., Bronk Ramsey, C., Reimer, R.W., Remmele, S., Southon, J.R., Stuiver, M., Talamo, S., Taylor, F.W., van der Plicht, J. and Weyhenmeyer, C.E. 2004 IntCal04 Terrestrial Radiocarbon Age Calibration, 0–26 Cal Kyr BP, Radiocarbon 46, 1029-1058.

Stuiver, M., and Reimer, P.J. 1993 Extended (super 14) C data base and revised CALIB 3.0 (super 14) C age calibration program, Radiocarbon 35, 215-230.

Wadddell, J. 2000 The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland. Bray, Wordwell.



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Websites

Database of Irish excavation reports www.excavations.ie

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9 Plates

Plate 1: Working shot of site with curving field drains clearly visible, from west

Plate 2: Pre-Ex of isolated hearth C.119, from east



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Plate 3: Mid-excavation of large pit C.115, north

Plate 4: Mid-Ex of C.104 showing stone lining, from west



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Plate 5: Mid-ex of modern field drain C.154 cutting earlier drains C.104, from north



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10 Appendices

Appendix 1 Context Register

Appendix 2 Stratigraphic matrix

Appendix 3 Groups and sub-groups text

Appendix 4 Plant remains report

Appendix 5 Charcoal report



18

Con

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00/0

5, 0

5/05

, 10/

05,

10/1

0, 1

0/15

-10

5=14

1, 1

17=1

42=1

69,

118=

143=

164,

132

=144

=165

, 13

5=16

6

18th

C c

urvi

linea

r dra

in m

ason

ry fi

eld

drai

n al

igne

d N

/S w

ith a

retu

rn to

the

W, f

lat b

ase

with

st

one

sock

ets-

-squ

are

with

roun

ded

corn

ers i

n pr

ofile

, 21.

00m

with

in li

mit

of e

xcav

atio

n. b

y 0.

63m

by

0.40

m10

4, sl

ot I

05/0

5-

105,

117,1

18,1

32,1

351s

t of 3

slot

s acr

oss a

n 18

th C

cur

vilin

ear d

rain

, fla

t bas

e w

ith st

one

sock

ets-

-squ

are

with

roun

ded

corn

ers i

n pr

ofile

,1.0

0m N

E/SW

by

0.60

m b

y 0.

42m

-

104,

slot

II10

/05

-14

1,14

2,14

3,14

42n

d of

3 sl

ots a

cros

s an

18th

C c

urvi

linea

r dra

in, f

lat b

ase

with

ston

e so

cket

s--s

quar

e w

ith ro

unde

d co

rner

s in

prof

ile, 1

.00m

N/S

by

0.66

m b

y 0.

42m

104,

slot

III

10/1

010

5,16

4,16

5,16

6,16

9Fi

nal o

f 3 sl

ots a

cros

s an

18th

C c

urvi

linea

r dra

in, f

lat b

ase

with

ston

e so

cket

s--s

quar

e w

ith

roun

ded

corn

ers i

n pr

ofile

, 1.3

0m N

/S b

y 0.

62 b

y 0.

3210

505

/05

104,

slot

I-

Poss

ible

tert

iary

fill

of a

n 18

th C

ston

e dr

ain

[104

], slo

t I, l

ight

gre

y br

own

sand

y cl

ayey

silt

20 3

0 50

with

mal

l rou

nded

ston

e pa

ckin

g, 0

.90m

E/W

by

0.60

m b

y 0

.06m

, 105

=141

106

VO

ID-

--

-10

7V

OID

--

--

108

10/1

0,10

/15,

15/

05,

15/0

0-

NW

-SE

alig

ned

linea

r slo

ping

gul

ly, U

-sha

ped

base

, con

cave

in p

rofil

e, 1

3.70

m N

W/S

E by

0.9

0m

at w

ides

t, 0.

60m

at n

arro

wes

t by

0.30

m a

t dee

pest

, 0.1

2m a

t sha

llow

est

108,

slot

I15

/5-

109

1st o

f 5 sl

ots a

cros

s a N

W/S

E al

igne

d lin

ear s

lopi

ng g

ulle

y, sh

allo

w U

-sha

ped

base

--co

ncav

e pr

o-fil

e, 1

.00m

N/S

by

0.55

m b

y 0.

10m

108,

slot

II15

/0,1

5/5

-13

32n

d of

5 sl

ots a

cros

s a N

W/S

E al

igne

d lin

ear s

lopi

ng g

ulle

y, sh

allo

w U

-sha

ped

base

--co

ncav

e in

pr

ofile

, 1.0

0m N

/S b

y 0.

84m

by

0.10

m10

8, sl

ot II

I15

/5, 1

0/5,

15/

10,

10/1

0-

134

3rd

of 5

slot

s acr

oss a

NW

/SE

alig

ned

linea

r slo

ping

gul

ley,

mor

e pr

onou

nced

bas

e--c

onca

ve in

pr

ofile

, 1.0

0m N

/S b

y 0.

60m

by

0.12

m a

t SE

and

0.23

m a

t NW

108,

slot

IV5/

0-

168

4th

of 5

slot

s acr

oss a

NW

/SE

alig

ned

linea

r slo

ping

gul

ley,

mor

e pr

onou

nced

bas

e--c

onca

ve in

pr

ofile

, 1.2

0m N

W/S

E by

0.6

0m b

y 0.

16m

108,

slot

V10

/10

-15

8,15

9,16

7Fi

nal o

f 5 sl

ots a

cros

s a N

W/S

E al

igne

d lin

ear s

lopi

ng g

ulle

y, m

ore

pron

ounc

ed b

ase-

-con

cave

in

prof

ile, 1

.50m

NW

/SE

by 0

.70m

by

0.30

m10

2

109

15/5

108

-Fr

iabl

e m

id g

rey

whi

te sa

nd si

lt 30

70,

with

occ

asio

nal i

nclu

sions

of m

ediu

m su

b-an

gula

r sto

nes,

0.1.

00m

N/S

by

0.84

m b

y 0.

10m

(in

slot I

)

10.1

Ap

pend

ix 1:

Stra

tigra

phic

Reg

ister



19

Con

text

No.

Grid

Fill

ofFi

lled

with

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Sam

ple

No.

110

05/0

010

2, sl

ot I

-Po

ssib

le p

rimar

y fil

l mid

gre

y sa

nd si

lt 40

60-

-oxi

dise

s to

a m

id w

hitis

h gr

ey, 1

.20m

E/W

by

0.86

m b

y 0.

06m

111

-11

2Sh

allo

w re

mai

ns o

f a su

b-ci

rcul

ar sh

aped

rubb

ish p

it (o

r pos

sibly

the

rem

ains

of a

‘bru

sh h

ole’

), tr

unca

ted

by [1

08],

flat b

ase

in p

rofil

e, 1

.52m

N/S

by

1.05

m b

y 0.

10m

112

111

-Fi

ll of

pos

sible

rubb

ish p

it [1

11],

soft

bla

ck c

lay

silt 3

0 70

--ch

arco

al ri

ch d

epos

it, 1

.52

m N

/S b

y 1.

05m

by

0.10

m11

3-

114

Shal

low

rem

ains

of a

rubb

ish p

it, c

onca

ve, h

eavi

ly tr

unca

ted

by [1

08],

0.62

m N

W/S

E by

0.4

0m b

y 0.

14m

114

10/1

011

3-

Fill

of ru

bbish

pit,

dar

k gr

eyish

bla

ck c

lay

silt 3

0 70

--ch

arco

al ri

ch d

epos

it, ).

62m

NW

/SE

by

0.40

m b

y 0.

14m

112

115

10/1

0-

116

Hea

vily

trun

cate

d re

mai

ns o

f a ru

bbish

pit

trun

cate

d by

[108

], [1

54],

and

[104

], c

ircul

ar b

ase

in

plan

, con

cave

in p

rofil

e, 1

.10m

NE/

SW b

y 0.

30m

by

0.32

m, 1

15 =

161

-

116

10/1

011

5-

Fill

of ru

bbish

pit,

soft

bla

ck c

lay

silt 4

0 60

, ver

y oc

casio

nal a

ngul

ar st

ones

-- c

harc

oal r

ich

depo

sit,

1.10

m N

E/SW

by

0.30

m b

y 0.

20m

, 116

= 1

6211

3

117

05/0

510

4 slo

t ISt

one

pack

ing,

fill

of 1

8th

C c

urvi

linea

r sto

ne d

rain

[104

], co

nsist

ed o

f sm

all r

ound

ed w

ell s

orte

d st

ones

, 0.9

0m E

/W b

y 0.

60m

by

0.06

m 1

17=1

42=1

69-

118

05/0

510

4 slo

t I-

Larg

e an

gula

r/sub

-ang

ular

ston

e ca

ppin

g of

18t

h C

cur

vilin

ear s

tone

dra

in [1

04],

slot I

, 0.9

0m

E/W

by

0.60

m b

y 0.

15m

118

=143

=164

-

119

20/0

0 20

/05

-12

0Fi

re/h

eart

h, U

-sha

ped

in p

rofil

e w

ith c

onca

ve b

ase,

0.6

0m E

/W b

y 0.

52m

by

0.20

m-

120

20/0

0 20

/05

119

-Fi

ll of

[119

], in

situ

bur

ning

, sof

t bla

ck c

lay

silt 4

0 60

freq

uent

hea

t affe

cted

ang

ular

sub-

angu

lar

ston

e --

a c

harc

oal r

ich

depo

sit, 0

.60m

E/W

by

0.52

m b

y 0.

20m

104

x 2

121

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

-U

pper

mos

t fill

of [

102]

, slo

t II,

soft

ligh

t yel

low

bro

wn

clay

silt

40 6

0 --

oxid

izes

to m

id w

hitis

h gr

ey I.

33m

N/S

by

1.00

m b

y 0.

33m

121

=12

210

5

122

15/0

0 20

/00

102,

slot

III

-U

pper

mos

t fill

of [

102]

slot

III,

soft

ligh

t yel

low

bro

wn

clay

silt

40 6

0 --

oxid

izes

to m

id w

hitis

h gr

ey 1

.33m

N/S

by

1.10

m b

y 0.

11m

121

=12

210

6

123

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

-Po

ssib

le se

cond

ary

fill o

f [10

2],sl

ot II

, fria

ble

light

gre

y sa

nd si

lt 40

60

-- o

xidi

zes t

o m

id w

hitis

h gr

ey, 1

.33m

N/S

by

1.00

m b

y 0.

20m

123=

127

-

124

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

-Ba

sal f

ill o

f [10

2] sl

ot II

, fria

ble

light

gre

y sa

nd si

lt 40

60

-- w

ith fr

eque

nt c

oars

e gr

avel

, 1.3

3m N

/S

by 1

.00m

by

0.13

m, 1

23 =

128

-

125

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

-Se

cond

ary

fill o

f [10

2] sl

ot II

--slu

mp

of n

atur

al, f

riabl

e ba

nd o

f coa

rse

grav

el, 1

.33m

N/S

by

1.00

m

by 0

.02m

, 125

= 1

30-

126

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

-Se

cond

ary

fill o

f [10

2], s

lot I

I--s

lum

p of

nat

ural

, an

ephe

mer

al b

and

of c

oars

e gr

avel

, 1.3

3m N

/S

by 0

.43m

by

0.03

m, 1

26=1

29-

127

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

I-

Poss

ible

seco

ndar

y fil

l of [

102]

,slot

III,

fria

ble

light

gre

y sa

nd si

lt 40

60

-- o

xidi

zes t

o m

id w

hitis

h gr

ey, 1

.33m

N/S

by

1.00

m b

y 0.

10m

, 123

=127

-

128

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

I-

Basa

l fill

of [

102]

slot

III,

fria

ble

light

gre

y sa

nd si

lt 40

60

-- w

ith fr

eque

nt c

oars

e gr

avel

, 1.3

3m

N/S

by

1.00

m b

y 0.

14m

, 124

=12

8-

129

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

I-

Seco

ndar

y fil

l of [

102]

, slo

t II-

-slu

mp

of n

atur

al, a

n ep

hem

eral

ban

d of

coa

rse

grav

el, 1

.33m

N/S

by

1.1

0m b

y 0.

03m

, 126

=129

-



20

Con

text

No.

Grid

Fill

ofFi

lled

with

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Sam

ple

No.

130

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

I-

Seco

ndar

y fil

l of [

102]

slot

III-

-slu

mp

of n

atur

al, f

riabl

e ba

nd o

f coa

rse

grav

el, 1

.33m

N/S

by

1.00

m b

y 0.

02m

, 125

= 1

30-

131

15/0

010

2, sl

ot II

I-

Fill

of fi

eld

prop

erty

bou

ndar

y [1

02],

slot I

II, b

row

n cl

ay w

ith p

ebbl

es,1

.33m

.N/S

by

1.00

m b

y 0.

25m

-

132

05/0

510

4, sl

ot I

-M

ediu

m ro

unde

d an

d su

brou

nded

ston

es li

ning

the

basa

l edg

es o

f the

long

axi

s of 1

8th

C st

one

drai

n [1

04],

slot I

, 0.9

0m E

/W b

y 0.

60m

by

0.20

m, 1

32=1

44=1

65-

133

15/0

010

8, sl

ot II

-Fi

ll of

line

ar sl

opin

g gu

lley

[108

] slo

t II,

fria

ble

mid

gre

y w

hite

sand

silt

30 7

0, w

ith o

ccas

iona

l in

clus

ions

of m

ediu

m su

b-an

gula

r sto

nes,

1.00

m N

W/S

E by

0.7

3m b

y 0.

13m

, 133

= 1

34-

134

15/0

510

8, sl

ot II

I-

Fill

of li

near

slop

ing

gulle

y [1

08] s

lot I

II, f

riabl

e m

id g

rey

whi

te sa

nd si

lt 30

70,

with

occ

asio

nal

incl

usio

ns o

f med

ium

sub-

angu

lar s

tone

s, 1.

90m

NW

/SE

by 0

.70m

by

0.16

m, 1

33 =

134

108

135

05/0

510

4, sl

ot I

-Fi

ll/sil

ting

up o

f 18t

h C

ston

e dr

ain

[104

], slo

t I, s

oft m

id re

d br

own

clay

silt

40 6

0, 0

.90m

E/W

by

0.6

m b

y 0.

12m

, 135

=16

611

4

136

VO

ID-

--

-13

7V

OID

--

--

138

15/0

510

8-

Fill

of g

ulle

y [1

08],

(Fou

nd in

[102

]slo

t III

as [

108]

was

trun

cate

d by

[102

]), so

ft m

id re

d br

own

sand

y cl

ayey

silt,

0.6

9m N

W/S

E by

0.5

4m b

y 0.

16m

-

139

--

140

Post

hol

e, U

-sha

ped

in p

rofil

e, 0

.44m

E/W

by

0.42

m b

y 0.

23m

-14

0-

139

-Fi

ll of

pos

t hol

e [1

39],

soft

dar

k gr

ey b

lack

cla

y sil

t 30

70, 0

.44m

E/W

by

0.42

m b

y 0.

23m

109

141

-10

4, sl

ot II

-Po

ssib

le te

rtia

ry fi

ll of

an

18th

C st

one

drai

n [1

04],

slot I

I, lig

ht g

rey

brow

n sa

ndy

clay

ey si

lt 20

30

50 w

ith m

all r

ound

ed st

one

pack

ing,

0.9

0m N

/S b

y 0.

60m

by

0.0

6m, 1

05=1

41-

142

-10

4, sl

ot II

-St

one

pack

ing,

fill

of 1

8th

C c

urvi

linea

r mas

onry

dra

in [1

04],

cons

isted

of s

mal

l rou

nded

wel

l so

rted

ston

es, 1

.20m

N/S

by

0.60

m b

y 0.

10m

117

=142

=169

110

143

-10

4, sl

ot II

-La

rge

angu

lar/s

ub-a

ngul

ar st

one

capp

ing

of 1

8th

C c

urvi

linea

r sto

ne d

rain

[104

], slo

t II,

1.20

m

N/S

by

0.60

m b

y 0.

15m

118

=143

=164

-

144

-10

4, sl

ot II

-M

ediu

m ro

unde

d an

d su

brou

nded

ston

es li

ning

the

basa

l edg

es o

f the

long

axi

s of 1

8th

C st

one

drai

n [1

04],

slot I

I, 1.

20m

N/S

by

0.60

m b

y 0.

20m

, 132

=144

=165

-

145

15/0

510

8, sl

ot II

I-

Upp

erm

ost f

ill o

f lin

ear s

lopi

ng g

ulle

y[10

8], s

lot I

II, l

ight

gre

y cl

ayey

silt,

few

smal

l to

med

ium

siz

ed ro

cks 1

.90m

NS/

SE b

y 0

.62m

by

0.11

m-

146

15/0

510

8, sl

ot II

I-

Low

est f

ill o

f [10

8], s

lot I

II, l

ight

gre

y w

ith y

ello

w/o

rang

e m

ottli

ng c

laye

y sa

ndy

silt,

pebb

les,1

.90m

NW

/SE

by 0

.70m

by

0.6m

by

-

147

05/0

013

9-

Mid

gre

yish

bla

ck fi

ne g

rave

l tip

line

of a

pos

sible

pos

t-hol

e/sm

all p

it 0.

44m

E/W

by

0.42

m b

y 0.

23, 1

47 =

148

-

148

05/0

013

9-

Mid

gre

yish

bla

ck fi

ne g

rave

l tip

line

of a

pos

sible

pos

t-hol

e/sm

all p

it 0.

44m

E/W

by

0.42

m b

y 0.

23m

, 147

= 1

48-

149

05/0

013

9-

Initi

al fi

ll of

a sm

all p

it/po

st-ho

le, s

oft m

id g

rey

blac

k cl

ay si

lt 40

60,

0.4

4m E

/W b

y 0.

42m

by

0.23

m-

150

05/0

0-

151,

152

, 153

, 140

, 171

, 147

, 14

8C

ut o

f pos

t pip

e w

ithin

[139

] or l

ater

feat

ure,

V-s

hape

d w

ith fl

at sq

uare

bas

e in

pro

file,

0.4

5m N

/S

0.21

m b

y 0.

18m

-



21

Con

text

No.

Grid

Fill

ofFi

lled

with

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Sam

ple

No.

151

05/0

015

0-

Mid

gre

yish

bla

ck fi

ne g

rave

l tip

line

of a

smal

l pos

t-pip

e [1

50],

0.45

m N

/S b

y 0.

20m

by

0.01

m-

152

05/0

015

0-

Back

fill o

f a p

ost-p

ipe

[150

], so

ft li

ght g

rey

blac

k cl

ay si

lt 40

60,

?m N

/S b

y 0.

15m

by

0.5m

-15

305

/00

150

-Po

ssib

le b

ack

fill o

f [15

0], s

oft l

ight

gre

y bl

ack

clay

silt

40 6

0,O

.45m

N/S

by

0.20

m b

y 0.

20m

-15

410

/10

10/0

5-

155

Mod

ern

field

dra

in, U

-Sha

ped

in p

rofil

e, c

onca

ve b

ase,

dim

ensio

ns o

f unc

over

ed a

rea

10m

E/W

(b

ends

to th

e N

E at

the

wes

tern

end

) and

c. 1

1 m

NE/

SW

-

155

10/1

0 10

/05

154

-Fi

ll of

mod

ern

field

dra

in [1

55],s

mal

l-med

ium

roun

ded/

sub-

roun

ded

ston

es, 1

.20m

NE/

SW b

y 60

m b

y?11

1

156

00/0

010

2 slo

t IV

Fill

of [1

02] s

lot I

V, so

ft m

id w

hite

gre

y cl

ay si

lt 30

70,

ver

y oc

casio

nal m

ediu

m su

b-an

gula

r sto

ne-

-oxi

dize

d to

a m

id re

d br

own,

2.1

0m N

/S b

y 1.

00m

by

0.60

m ,

156

=103

116

157

--

-La

yer s

ubso

il/ac

tivity

hor

izon

(Pre

-hist

oric

)?--s

oft d

ark

red

brow

n sa

nd si

lt 40

60

occa

siona

l fle

cks

of c

harc

oal o

ccas

iona

l med

sub-

angu

lar a

nd ro

unde

d st

ones

. Mac

hine

d aw

ay a

cros

s mos

t of s

ite

exce

pt in

the

sout

h w

este

rn c

orne

r whe

re it

was

cut

by

ditc

h [1

02]

115

158

-10

8-

Fria

ble

mid

gre

y w

hite

with

ferr

ous m

ottli

ng sa

nd si

lt 30

70-

-gre

y du

e to

leec

hing

of p

it [1

15],

with

oc

casio

nal i

nclu

sions

of m

ediu

m su

b-an

gula

r sto

nes

1.85

m N

E/SW

by

0.30

m b

y 0.

28m

-

159

10/1

010

8-

Prim

ary

fill o

f lin

ear g

ully

[108

],sof

t lig

ht g

rey

with

occ

asio

nal y

ello

w m

ottli

ng c

lay

silt 4

0 60

, 1.

20m

NE/

SW b

y 0.

45m

by

0.8m

-

160

10/1

016

1-

Seco

ndar

y fil

l of [

115]

, firm

ligh

t gre

y sa

nd si

lt 30

70,

0.3

m N

E/SW

by

0.34

m b

y 0.

06m

, 160

=

163

-

161

10/1

0-

162

Hea

vily

trun

cate

d re

mai

ns o

f a ru

bbish

pit

trun

cate

d by

[108

], [1

54],

and

[104

], c

ircul

ar b

ase

in

plan

, con

cave

in p

rofil

e, O

.3m

NE/

SW b

y 0.

34m

by

0.06

m, 1

15=1

61-

162

10/1

016

1-

Fill

of ru

bbish

pit,

soft

bla

ck c

lay

silt 4

0 60

, ver

y oc

casio

nal a

ngul

ar st

ones

-- c

harc

oal r

ich

depo

sit,

0.3m

NE/

SW b

y 0.

34m

by

0.06

m, 1

16 =

162

-

163

10/1

016

1-

Seco

ndar

y fil

l of [

115]

, firm

ligh

t gre

y sa

nd si

lt 30

70,

0.2

0m N

E/SW

by

0.32

m b

y 0.

04m

, 160

=

163

-

164

10/1

010

4, sl

ot II

I-

Larg

e an

gula

r/sub

-ang

ular

ston

e ca

ppin

g of

18t

h C

cur

vilin

ear s

tone

dra

in [1

04],

slot I

II, 1

.31m

N

/S b

y 0.

70m

by

0.15

m 1

18=1

43=1

64-

165

10/1

010

4, sl

ot II

I-

Med

ium

roun

ded

and

subr

ound

ed st

ones

lini

ng th

e ba

sal e

dges

of t

he lo

ng a

xis o

f 18t

h C

ston

e dr

ain

[104

], slo

t III

, 1.3

1m N

/S b

y 0.

70m

by

0.20

m, 1

32=1

44=1

65-

166

10/1

010

4, sl

ot II

-Fi

ll/sil

ting

up o

f 18t

h C

ston

e dr

ain

[104

], slo

t II,

soft

mid

red

brow

n cl

ay si

lt 40

60,

0.1

.20m

N/S

by

0.6

m b

y 0.

19m

, 135

=16

6-

167

10/1

010

8-

Dar

k bl

ack

brow

n cl

ay si

lt 40

60

seco

ndar

y fil

l--a

slum

p of

116

, , 0

.20m

NE/

SW b

y 0.

15m

by

0.04

m

-

168

10/1

010

8-

Fria

ble

mid

gre

y w

hite

sand

silt

30 7

0, w

ith o

ccas

iona

l inc

lusio

ns o

f med

ium

sub-

angu

lar

ston

es1.

05m

NE/

SW b

y 0.

40m

by

0.30

m-

169

-10

4, sl

ot II

I-

Ston

e pa

ckin

g, fi

ll of

18t

h C

cur

vilin

ear m

ason

ry d

rain

[104

], slo

t III

, con

siste

d of

smal

l rou

nded

w

ell s

orte

d st

ones

, 1.3

1m N

/S b

y 0.

70m

by

0.07

m 1

17=1

42=1

69-

170

05/0

015

0-

Poss

ible

pos

t-pad

, med

ium

ang

ular

ston

e at

bot

tom

of p

ossib

le p

ost-h

ole,

0.1

6m E

/W b

y ?m

, by

0.10

m-



22

Con

text

No.

Grid

Fill

ofFi

lled

with

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Sam

ple

No.

171

05/0

013

9-

Fill

of [0

39],

soft

dar

k gr

ey b

lack

cla

y sil

t 30

70, 0

.90m

N/S

by

0.20

m b

y 0.

10m

…po

ssib

ly th

e sa

me

as 1

40-

[…] =

Cut



23

100

109/133/134/158/168 103/156 105/141 151

159 110 142/117/169 152

167 121/122 143/118/164 153

108 123/127/128/124 144/132/165 170

135/166

112 114 116/162 150104

111 113 115/161 140

147125/130

148126/129

149131 119 155

139102 120 154

101

cut

deposit

10.2 Appendix 2: Stratigraphic Matrix



24

10.3 Appendix 3: Groups and sub-groups text

10.3.1 Group 1 Natural deposits

This group describes the natural subsoil identified across the excavated area.

10.3.1.1 Natural subsoil

Subsoil C.101

Description: This was a yellow sandy clay.

Interpretation: This is natural subsoil.

Group 1 Interpretation

These were all deposits that formed naturally.

10.3.2 Group 2 Circular Cut Features

This group describes circular cut features such as an isolated hearth, a series of pits and a post-hole.

10.3.2.1 Hearth

Cut C.119, Fill C.120

Description: The hearth pit measured 0.60 m in length, 0.52 m wide and 0.2 m in depth. It contained a single fill (C.120), a charcoal rich deposit with evidence for in situ burning and frequent heat affected angular sub-angular stone.

Interpretation: There was no evidence for habitation associated with this feature and this was interpreted as an isolated hearth.

10.3.2.2 Pits

Cuts C.111, C.113, C.115/161, C.139, Fills C.112, C.114, C.116/162, C.149, C.148, C.147, C.140 Description: A total of four pits (C.111, C.113, C.115/161 and C.139) were excavated at the site. On average these measured 1.08 m in length, 0.58 m in width and 0.19 m in depth. The



25

fills of the pits were generally dark silts and many were charcoal rich. Three of the pits (C.111, C.113 and C.115/161) were truncated by the gully (C.108).

Interpretation: These features have been interpreted as waste disposal pits with the charcoal rich deposits suggesting that they were used for the disposal of hearth waste.

10.3.2.3 Post-hole

Cuts C.139 and C.150 (post-pipe), Fills C.140, C.147, C.148, C.149, C.151, C.152, C.153, C.170.Description: A U-shaped post-hole with a flat square base in profile, this measured 0.44 m in length, 0.42 m in width and 0.23 m in depth. It contained a post-pipe C.150 which meas-ured 0.45 m in length, 0.21 m in width and 0.18 m in depth. The fills were generally fine clay silts. In the post-pipe there was a post-pad stone (C.170) that originally provided support for a post.

Interpretation: This was an isolated post-hole. There were no archaeological remains that suggest that it was associated with any structure.


This group describes an isolated hearth that was situated on the well drained ground to the south-east of the main activity at the site, four pits that were interpreted as waste disposal pits and an isolated post-hole.

10.3.3 Group 3 Linear Features

This group describes a series of linear features that traversed the site.

10.3.3.1 Gully

Cuts C.108, Fills C.109/C.133/C.134/C.158/C.168, C.159, C.167

Description: The gully (C.108) was aligned north-west to south-east and it was 13.70 m in length, between 0.6 and 0.9 m wide and 0.12 to 0.3 m deep. It was filled by three deposits C.109/C.133/C.134/C.158/C.168, C.159 and C.167. The gully truncated three pits (C.111, C.113 and C.115/161). At the south of the site this gully joined the larger ditch (C.102). It terminated at the lowest point in the landscape. It was truncated by modern field drains.

Interpretation: This gully was a drainage feature and it drained the higher, drier ground to the south-east of the area of excavation.



26

10.3.3.2 Property Boundary

Cuts C.102, Fills C.103, C.110, C.121, C.122, C.123, C.124, C.125, C.126, C.127, C.128, C.129, C.130, C.131Description: This linear feature measured 21.5 m in length, 0.8–1.1 m wide and 0.43 m maximum depth and it was aligned east to west across the southern part of the area of excavation.

Interpretation: The large ditch (C.102) may have acted as a field or property boundary, pos-sibly even associated with Mackney ringfort (A024/10 E2444).

10.3.3.3 Field drains

Cuts C.104, C.154, Fills C.105/141, C.117/142/169, C.118/143/164, C.132/144/165, C.135/166, C.155Description: A total of two field drains were recognized at the site (C.104 and C.154). The earliest of these (C.104) was aligned north to south, with a return to the west. The base was flat and contained stone sockets. In total this feature measured 25 m in length within the area of excavation (it continued outside the road take at both the north and the west) and it was 0.63 m wide and 0.40 m deep. It was filled by C.105/141, C.117/142/169, C.118/143/164, C.132/144/165 and C.135/166. The second drain (C.154) was U-Shaped in profile with a concave base and its length within the area of excavation totaled 21 m (c. 10 m running east to west and c. 11 m running north-east to south-west). It was filled by C.155.Interpretation: The earliest drain (C.104) was an eighteenth century masonry field drain. The second drain (C.154) was a modern agricultural feature.


This group describes linear features that traversed the site. The area is quite low-lying and prone to water-logging. The linear features all probably fulfilled a drainage function.



27

10.4 Plant remains analysis

By Mary Dillon

Introduction

The site excavated at Mackney E2443 featured the remains of Middle to Late Bronze Age oc-cupation. Twelve samples were submitted for plant remains analysis. The prehistoric features included pits and a hearth while later features included a gully, a field boundary and drains. There were no artefacts from the site to complement the interpretation of the archaeological features.

Methodology

Bulk soil samples were collected on site and were processed post-excavation using a simple flotation method. Each sample was saturated in water to allow the carbonised plant material to float. This was then poured off into a series of sieves (1 mm and 250 µm), trapping the ‘flot’ (floating material) which was air-dried and stored in air-tight plastic bags. The flots were sort-ed and scanned for plant material and charcoal using a low-powered binocular microscope (magnification x 10 to x 40). Nomenclature and taxonomic orders follows Stace (1997).

Results

None of the samples produced plant remains.

Discussion

It is interesting to compare this site to other Bronze Age sites. Haugheys Fort is a Late Bronze Age hillfort in Ulster. Here large amounts of uncontaminated charred barley was found in pits in the interior along with some hazel nut shells, and in the innermost ditch weed seeds and an intact apple were found (Mallory 1995, 29). At False Bay in Co. Galway a Bronze Age midden was excavated. Small amounts of charred barley grain were identified here (McCor-mick 1995, 13). At Ballynattin in Co. Wicklow Bronze Age structures and associated features produced emmer wheat grains, barley grains (probably naked barley), and indeterminate wheat grains, which were also probably emmer. Nine emmer wheat spikelets and knotgrass seeds were also identified (Dillon 2006a). Area 1 at Tawlaght in Co. Kerry dated to the Bronze Age. Plant remains came from a variety of features, including postholes, pits, a stakehole and



28

a slot trench. They were dominated by barley grains, cereal grains that could not be identified to type and weed seeds including those from the knotgrass family (Dillon 2006b). A burnt mound site at Doughiska, Co. Galway produced one hazelnut shell fragment and one cereal grain cf. barley (Dillon 2007a). A nearby Bronze Age site, Mackney E2445, produced just one possible nut shell fragment (Dillon 2007b).

The lack of plant remains from this site may indicate a non-domestic use for the site. As il-lustrated above many Bronze Age settlement sites do produce plant remains, while at burnt mound sites plant remains are rare.

ReferencesDillon, M. 2006a. Analysis of plant remains from Ballynattin, Co. Wicklow. Unpublished

technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Dillon, M. 2006b. Analysis of plant remains from Tawlaght, Co. Kerry. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Dillon, M. 2007a. Analysis of plant remains from Doughiska, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Valerie J. Keeley ltd.

Dillon, M. 2007b. Analysis of plant remains from Mackney E2445, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

McCormick, F. 1995. False Bay, Co. Galway, in the Bronze Age, Archaeology Ireland, 9 (1), 12-13.

Mallory, J. 1995. Haugheys Fort – Macha’s other twin?, Archaeology Ireland, 9 (1), 28-30.

Stace, C.A. 1997 New Flora in the British Isles (2nd edition), Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.



29

10.5 Charcoal analysis

By Mary Dillon

Introduction

The site excavated at Mackney E2443 featured the remains of Middle to Late Bronze Age occupation. Twelve samples were submitted for charcoal analysis. The prehistoric features included pits and a hearth while later features included a gully, a field boundary and drains. Most of the charcoal analysed came from pits.

Methodology

Bulk soil samples were collected on site and were processed post-excavation using a simple flotation method. Each sample was saturated in water to allow the carbonised plant material to float, which was then poured off into a series of sieves (1 mm and 250 µm), trapping the ‘flot’ (floating material). This was air-dried and stored in air-tight plastic bags. The flots were sorted and scanned for plant material and charcoal using a low-powered binocular micro-scope (magnification x10 to x 40). All charcoal fragments of 2 mm or greater were identified. Each fragment was prepared for microscopic examination by fracturing it by hand and there-by exposing a clean surface along transverse, radial and tangential planes. All three planes were examined at a range of magnifications (x 5 to x 100) under a Nikon stereo microscope. For reference literature the website ‘wood anatomy’ was consulted. The number and weight of fragments were recorded for each charcoal type.

Results

In all, 163 charcoal fragments were identified from six samples (Table 1).

In Figs 1 and 2 percentage frequencies of the various charcoal types based on fragment count and dry weight, respectively, are shown. The most frequent charcoal type overall is hazel at 63% or 59% by weight. This is followed in descending frequency by pomoideae 17% / 16%, Prunus 7% / 14%, hazel/alder 3% / 4%, oak 3% / 3% ash 3%/ 1%, willow/aspen 3% / 1%, holly 1% / 1%, birch 1% / 1% and alder 1% / 0.5%.

Discussion



30

Hazel was the most common wood type in the Mackney E2443 assemblage. It was widely exploited in both prehistory and historical times for its nutritious nuts and supple rods which were widely used for building. Its coppice-like growth form makes it relatively easy to cut and there are normally substantial quantities of dead wood available near ground level for fuel wood. A pollen diagram from Mongon Bog, near Clonmacnoise in Co. Offaly (Parkes & Mitchell 2000) indicates that during the Bronze Age hazel was one of the most prominent trees.

Pomoideae type charcoal - Sorbus (rowan/whitebeam), Crataegus (hawthorn), Malus (crab apple - formed 17% / 16% of the assemblage. Woodlands and woodland-related environ-ments are the normal habitats for the various woody plants that may be represented in this wood type, although Sorbus includes trees with quite different ecological preferences such as rowan (S. aucuparia) and whitebeams (e.g. S. hibernica, S. aria and S. rupicola. An important habitat, especially for hawthorn (Crataegus), is the so-called Mantel or edge communities of woodlands (cf. Wilmanns & Brun-Hool 1982). The spines of hawthorn afford it a degree protection from grazing and enable it to establish and survive in the face of light grazing. Pomoideae was poorly represented in the pollen record (it is insect pollinated).

Hazel/Alder2.45%

Holly1.23%

Ash3.07%

Hazel63.19%

Oak2.45%

Willow/Aspen2.45% Birch

0.61%Alder

0.61%

Prunus7.36%

Pomoideae16.56%

Fig. 1 Percentage fragment count of wood types from Mackney E2443



31

Oak2.70%

Birch0.85%Ash

1.11%

Willow/Aspen1.27% Alder

0.11%

Prunus13.64%

Pomoideae16.12%

Hazel/Alder3.96%

Holly1.22%

Hazel59.04%

Fig. 2 Percentage weight of wood types from Mackney E2443

Prunus type - P. avium (wild cherry) P. padus (bird cherry) and P. spinosa (blackthorn) - formed 7% / 14% of the assemblage. Blackthorn may have been common in Mantel vegeta-tion while wild cherry would be expected to occur in the woodlands. Bird cherry may also have been represented. Today, it is largely confined to the northern part of Ireland (Preston et al., 2002). Webb et al. (1996) regard it as introduced though this view is not universally accepted. Prunus was poorly represented in the pollen record (it is insect pollinated). All of the other wood types represented were recorded at under 3% of the total assemblage.

It is interesting to compare the charcoal from Mackney E2443 with that from other Bronze Age sites. For example, at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick, several Bronze Age structures have been excavated by R.M Cleary. Hazel, willow/aspen, ash, oak and alder charcoal were recovered from the postholes with blackthorn, birch and elm charcoal in smaller amounts (McKeown 2003, 149-151; Cleary 2003, 109-147). While the ash and oak were evidently used as struc-tural posts, it is suggested that other woods, in particular hazel, are the burnt remains of wattles. Charcoal analysis from burnt mounds excavated along the Gas Pipeline to the West demonstrates that a range of trees were gathered as firewood, particularly alder (Alnus glu-tinosa), hazel (Corylus avellana), oak (Quercus spp.) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior) (O’Donnell 2005). O’Donnell’s studies suggest the same wood types were used as fuel in burnt mounds across the country, which suggest that a selection process of some kind was in place. These



32

trees were also common at Kiltotan Colinstown burnt mound in Co. Westmeath (Dillon 2006) and nearby burnt mound sites at Cooltymurraghy, Urraghy and Barnacragh (Dillon 2007a, 2007b, 2007c). At neighbouring Bronze Age site Mackney E2445, the assemblage was dominated by oak, followed by hazel, pomoideae, ash and Prunus (Dillon 2007d). Alder, yew and willow were also recorded. Apart from the dominance of oak, largely due to the presence of charcoal from structural wood, the assemblage is somewhat similar to Mackney E2443.

It is likely that the assemblage from Mackney E2443 reflects the remains of locally gathered wood i.e. hazel, pomoideae type such as hawthorn, rowan, whitebeam and Prunus species such as blackthorn and cherry were growing around the site. Oak, ash, willow/aspen, holly, birch and alder were probably also present in the immediate locality. The presence of wet lov-ing trees such as willow/aspen, birch and alder indicates that the site may have been situated near damp ground.

Summary

Hazel dominated the assemblage followed by pomoideae wood type and Prunus species. Oak, ash, willow/aspen, holly, birch and alder were present in small amounts. It is likely the as-semblage reflects locally gathered wood.

Table 1 Charcoal fragment count and weightFrag. CountSample Context Hazel Hol-

lyHazel/Alder

Pomoideae Prunus Oak Ash Willow/Aspen

Birch Al-der

113 116 30 1 4 15

104 120 4 2 4 3

113b 116 39 7 3 1

112 114 21 5 4 3

113c 116 9 1 3 1 1 1 1

Weight in gramsSample Context Hazel Hol-

lyHazel/Alder

Pomoideae Prunus Oak Ash Willow/Aspen

Birch Al-der

113 116 4.44 0.17 0.75 1.68

104 120 0.4 0.6 0.51 0.03

113b 116 3.99 0.86 1.28 0.12

112 114 1.58 0.51 0.39 0.14

113c 116 0.76 0.06 0.31 0.06 0.1 0.16 0.02



33

ReferencesCleary, R.M. 2003. Enclosed late Bronze Age habitation site and boundary wall at

Lough Gur, Co. Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 103C, 109-47.

Dillon, M. 2006. Analysis of charcoal from Kiltoton Colinstown, Co. Westmeath. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Dillon, M. 2007a. Analysis of charcoal from Cooltymurraghy, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Dillon, M. 2007b. Analysis of charcoal from Urraghry, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Dillon, M. 2007c. Analysis of charcoal from Barnacragh, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Dillon, M. 2007c. Analysis of charcoal from Mackney E2445, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

McKeown, S. 2003. The charred wood. In: Cleary R.M. (2003) Enclosed late Bronze

Age habitation site and boundary wall at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 103C, 149-151.

O’Donnell, L. 2005 Environmental Archaeology from the Gas Pipeline to the West. On http://www.mglarc.com.

Parkes H.M & Mitchell FJG 2000 Vegetation History at Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly in Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Vol. 100B, No. 1, 35-40

Preston, C.D., Pearman, D.A. & Dines, T.D. (eds.) 2002. New atlas of the British and Irish flora. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Webb, D.A., Parnell, J. & Doogue, D. 1996 An Irish flora, 7th edn. Dundalgan Press, Dundalk.

Wilmanns, O. & Brun-Hool, J. 1982. Irish Mantel and Saum vegetation. In: J. White (ed.) Studies on Irish vegetation, Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, 167-174.

‘Wood Anatomy’ at http//:www.woodanatomy.ch.

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Archaeological Excavation Report - E2443 Mackney, Co. Galway

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