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Excavation Report of archaeological site at Mackney, Co. Galway. A group of Bronze Age pits, post-holes and stake-holes.
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Archaeological Excavation Report E2445 - Mackney, Co. Galway Group of Bronze Age pits, post-holes and stake-holes Issue 2 [ISSN 2009-2237]
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Page 1: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

Archaeological Excavation ReportE2445 - Mackney, Co. Galway

Group of Bronze Age pits, post-holes and stake-holes

Issue 2 [ISSN 2009-2237]

Page 2: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

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

Group of Bronze Age pits, post-holes and stake-holes

Roads Design Office,Galway County Council

John Tierney

David FallonJohn Tierney

Licensee:

E2445E No.:

A024/32Ministerial Order:

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Table of Contents

i Summary ............................................................................................................ iv

ii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. iv

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 Hearth ...............................................................................................................4

5.2 Post-holes ...........................................................................................................5

5.3 Burnt soil spread ................................................................................................5

5.4 The pits ..............................................................................................................5

5.5 Isolated pits ........................................................................................................6

5.6 Lithics ................................................................................................................6

5.7 Charred plant remains .......................................................................................6

5.8 Charcoal ...........................................................................................................6

5.9 Radiocarbon dates ..............................................................................................7

6 Interpretation ......................................................................................................7

7 Bibliography ........................................................................................................9

7.1 Websites ............................................................................................................10

8 Figures ................................................................................................................11

9 Plates .................................................................................................................. 15

10 Appendices .........................................................................................................18

10.1 Appendix 1: Stratigraphic Register ...................................................................19

10.2 Appendix 2: Stratigraphic Matrix .....................................................................26

10.3 Appendix 3: Groups and sub-groups text .........................................................27

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10.4 Appendix 4: Lithics Finds Report for E2445 Mackney .....................................32

10.5 Appendix 5: Plant remains analysis .................................................................34

10.6 Appendix 6: Charcoal analysis ........................................................................36

Table of contents cont.

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 .............................................................. 11

Figure 2: The route of the new N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road (Contract 4) overlaid on the 1st edition OS map..................................................................................................................... 12

Figure 3: The route of the new N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road (Contract 4) overlaid on the RMP map ............................................................................................................................. 13

Figure 4: Figure 4: Post-excavation plan of the Bronze Age site at Mackney .......................... 14

List of PlatesPlate 1: Working shot of site, facing W ................................................................................ 15

Plate 2: Post-excavation of hearth (C001), facing NE ........................................................... 15

Plate 3: Post-excavation of Bronze Age rubbish pit (C019), facing N ................................... 16

Plate 4: Mid-excavation of stone-lined post hole (C034), showing in-situ lining, Facing E .. 16

Figure 5: Saddle quern from the fill of pit C.93 (E2445:92:1) Photo: John Sunderland. ........ 17

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i Summary

The site excavated at Mackney E2445 represented the remains of Middle to late Bronze Age occupation, with potential evidence for a structure made from timber uprights. The excavated features included a hearth, post-holes and pits. There were no artefacts from the site to com-plement the interpretation of the archaeological features. This is one of five sites dating to the Bronze Age that were found by Eachtra Archaeological Projects during work on Contract 4 of the N6 Galway to Ballinasloe new road. Their existence indicates widespread settlement in the area during the Bronze Age, with a potential focus of local activity in the catchment area of the river Suck.

Townland MackneyCivil Parish ClontuskertBarony ClonmacnowenCounty GalwayMinisterial Order no. A024/32 E no. E2445OS Map Sheet GA 87National Grid Reference 183704 229507Elevation 50 m ODSite type Bronze Age settlement

ii Acknowledgements

The excavation director was John Tierney and the senior supervisor was Mick Drumm. Field crew included Lesley Davidson, Joanna Pilszyk, Amanda Boechler, Rafal Wolanski and Luke Ryalls. 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, Farina Sternke and the 14 Chrono Centre at Queen’s University Belfast. The project was commissioned by Galway County Council and was funded the National Roads Author-ity under the National Development Plan (2000-2006). The project archaeologist was Jerry O’Sullivan and the assistant project archaeologist was Martin Jones.

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1 Introduction

This report comprises the final excavation report for a prehistoric settlement 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 a large hearth, a spread of burnt soil, 13 pits and five post-holes. 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 183704 229507 on the western outskirts of modern day Ballinsaloe. The site is situated within a gently undulating glacial landscape overlooking the valley of the River Suck c. 4 km to the east. The land is used as open pastureland and there are isolated areas of peat. 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 Environmental Impact Assessment report indicated that the subsoil in the area of this site at Mackney was sandy till.

Much of the site was located in land that was relatively low-lying and prone to flooding (Plate 1). It was located on soils classified as grey brown podzolics, with associated brown earths, gleys and basin peat. These soils have a moderately wide use range and are good for cereal, fruit and vegetable cultivation (Gardiner & Radford 1980). At the time of excavation the land was in pasture enclosed by drystone field boundaries of 18th or 19th century date.

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).

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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,

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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). Bronze Age dates were retrieved from a possible settlement site in Mackney townland (E2443) and this present site, again in Mack-

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ney townland (E2445), also revealed evidence associated with Bronze Age settlement. 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 large hearth, a spread of burnt soil, 13 pits, three large stone-lined post-holes and two smaller post-holes. These were found within an area of excavation that measured 571 sq m (Figure 4). An un-stratified chert chunk was originally interpreted as an artefact but specialist examination indicated that it was natural. There were no artefacts from the site. Archaeological activity was concentrated to the west, north-west and south-west of the large hearth. Detailed results are available in the context register (Appendix 1), the stratigraphic matrix (Appendix 2), the groups and sub-groups text (Appendix 3), the finds register (Appendix 4) and specialist results (Appendices 5-7). The following is an interpreta-tive summary.

5.1 Hearth

The hearth (C.1) was found within a large pit that measured 2.5 m long, 2.0 m wide and 0.45 m deep (Plate 2). It had moderately sloping sides and a shallow concave base. The basal

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fill (C.79) was confined to the eastern half of the pit and was overlain by a charcoal-flecked deposit (C.71) that was 0.1 m deep. The main fill (C.2) was 0.2 m deep and it contained oc-casional charcoal flecks. Hazel charcoal from this context yielded a Middle to Late Bronze Age radiocarbon date of cal BC 1117-915 (UB-7355). There was evidence for in situ scorching of the edges of the pit.

5.2 Post-holes

A total of five post-holes (C.5, C.34, C.39, C.42 and C.49) were found in the area around the hearth. On average these measured 0.73 m long, 0.55 m wide and 0.24 m deep. There was evidence for stone packing in three of the post-holes; C.34, C.39 and C.42 (see Plate 4). The fact that stone packing was still in place indicates that these posts must have rotted in situ, as removal of the posts would have disturbed the packing. Three post-holes (C.5, C.42 and C.34) were positioned in a straight line to the south-west of the hearth. These may form the partial remains of a wall or structure that surrounded or shielded the hearth.

5.3 Burnt soil spread

A spread of burnt soil (C.12/C.83) was found 2.5 m to the west of the hearth, outside the line of post-holes. It was characterized by evidence for scorching, a concentration of charcoal flecks and very small fragments of burnt stone. This was interpreted as hearth rake-out and it measured 4.4 m north to south and 2.6 m east to west.

5.4 The pits

A total of 10 pits (C.3, C.13, C.15, C.17, C.19, C.32, C.39, C.47, C.49 and C.90) were found in the area around the hearth (see Plate 3 for an example). On average these measured 1.07 m long, 0.87 m wide and 0.35 m deep. There were no finds from these pits and there was little indication of their original use. The fill of one of the pits (pit C.13, fill C.14) produced hazel charcoal which yielded a Middle to Late Bronze Age radiocarbon date cal BC 1114-919 (UB-7356), demonstrating that use of the pits was contemporary with use of the hearth.

Some of the pits may represent disturbed post-holes. For example the pits C.3 and C.32 were found along the same line as the post-holes by the hearth (C.5, C.34 and C.42) and they may have formed part of a wall or structure.

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Three pits (C.39, C.49 and C.90) were found in close proximity to the hearth. These may also have originally been post-holes, perhaps acting as internal supports in a structure. Alterna-tively, they may simply represent hearth furniture.

There were five external pits (C.13, C.15, C.17, C.19 and C.47) located c. 1 m outside the wall, to the south-west. These may have been associated with any external activities arising during occupation of the possible structure. Two of the pits (C.13 and C.19) cut the occupa-tion surface (C.12/C.83).

5.5 Isolated pits

A total of three pits (C.85, C.86 and C.88) were located in the north-west corner, c. 5 m from the main area of activity. There was no evidence for a relationship between these pits and the other archaeological features discovered at the site. The function of these pits is obscure, although the retrieval of 100% oak charcoal from one of the pits (C.88) suggests that this is the remains of an oak post that burnt in situ (see Appendix 7).

5.6 Lithics

One lithic find from the site was examined by Farina Sternke (Appendix 5). Although origi-nally interpreted as a flint blade, this was in fact one natural chunk of chert, retrieved from the topsoil, and of no archaeological significance. A stone fragment identified as part of a saddle quern was also retrieved (Plate 5).

5.7 Charred plant remains

A total of 29 samples from this site were examined by Mary Dillon (Appendix 6). Only one sample produced charred plant remains, an indeterminate nut shell fragment.

5.8 Charcoal

Charcoal from this site was identified by Mary Dillon (Appendix 7). A total of 10 samples were examined and the most frequent charcoal type was oak followed in descending fre-

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quency by hazel, apple type, ash, sloe/cherry/plum, alder, yew and willow/aspen.

5.9 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 using calibration data set Intcal04.14c (Reimer et al. 2004).

Lab. code

Context Sample Material (charcoal)

Years BP δ 13 C

1 sigma calibrated date

2 sigma calibrated date

Period

UB-7355

2 (hearth) 27 Hazel, 7 frags, 0.58g

2842 ±35 BP

-27.0cal BC1048-971960-934

cal BC 1117-915

Middle - Late Bronze Age

UB-7356

14 (pit) 16 Hazel, 22 frags, 1.8g

2844 ± 32 BP

-25.0cal BC1048-972959-937

cal BC 1114-919

Middle - Late Bronze Age

6 Interpretation

This site comprised a cluster of prehistoric features, including a hearth, a burnt soil spread, pits and post-holes. The features represented the partial remains of a Bronze Age occupation site. A line of posts (C.5, C.42 and C.34) may have formed a wall and another two pits (C.3 and C.32) also found along this line may represent disturbed post-holes. If these features formed part of a wall they were located c. 1 m from the edge of the hearth. It is possible that the structural features around the hearth represent the partial remains of a building and radi-ocarbon dates indicate a period of occupation in the Middle to Late Bronze Age. As the post-holes are set in a straight line it appears that they could form part of a rectangular building. This is relatively unusual because circular structures were the norm by the Middle Bronze Age (Doody 2000, 137; Doody 2007, 91). However, some examples of rectilinear houses are known and Doody (2007, 92) estimates that these account for 16% of the excavated Middle Bronze Age house sites. Alternatively, the features define a roughly circular occupation space, and this is a more common floor plan for domestic structures in the Irish Bronze Age. The enclosing elements may not have survived because they did not cut the subsoil. For example, they could have been made from sod or from canvas.

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Recent excavations along the new N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road (Contracts 1-4) indicate that Bronze Age activity in the area was widespread. Burnt mounds were found in all sectors of the new road, but ritual sites such as cremations and burials were only found in the middle sectors of the road (including Newford, Deerpark, Curragh More, Carrowkeel, Ballykeeran, Cross, Rathglass, Treanbaun I and Treanbaun III). Evidence for domestic occupation was rare and this site at Mackney E2445 is one of the few examples. In this respect the pattern from the N6 Galway to Ballinasloe mirrors the general record of the Irish Bronze Age, where ritual sites are more widely recognised than domestic sites (Doody 2007, 97). There are rela-tively few excavated Bronze Age occupation sites in County Galway. A search of the online excavations database for 1970-2003 (www.excavations.ie) revealed a few potential sites such as the two Bronze Age midden sites excavated at Omey Island and False Bay, Truska, stone remains of structures possibly dating to the Early Bronze Age at Lettershea and Late Bronze Age stone hut sites excavated at Dún Aonghasa. The excavations database suggests therefore that Mackney E2445 is the first record of a Bronze Age building made from timber uprights in the county.

This site is one of five Bronze Age sites excavated by Eachtra Archaeological Projects within 6.5 km along the route of the new road covered by Contract 4. These included burnt mound sites at Urraghry, Cooltymurraghy and Barnacragh and another site with ephemeral traces of Bronze Age occupation at Mackney E2443. These sites are broadly within the catchment zone of the river Suck and they indicate widespread use of this part of the landscape during the Bronze Age.

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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.

Bennett, I. (ed.) 2006 Excavations 2003. Bray, Wordwell.

Doody, M. 2007 Excavations at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary. Cork, UCC Department of Archaeology Archaeological Monograph.

Doody, M. 2000 Bronze Age houses in Ireland, in Desmond, A., Johnson, G., McCarthy, M., Sheehan, J. and Shee Twohig, E. New Agendas in Irish Prehistory. Bray, Wordwell.

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

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IntCal04 Terrestrial Radiocarbon Age Calibration, 0–26 Cal Kyr BP, Radiocarbon 46, 1029-1058.

Waddell, J. 1990 The Bronze Age Burials of Ireland. Galway.

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.

7.1 Websites

Database of Irish excavations www.excavations.ie

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

11

Figu

re 1

: Dis

cove

ry s

erie

s O

S m

ap s

how

ing

the

rout

e of

the

new

N6

Gal

way

to B

allin

aslo

e ro

ad (C

ontr

act 4

) and

the

loca

tion

of a

ll ex

cava

tion

site

s

8 Figures

Page 17: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

E24

48 A

024/

35

Coo

ltym

urra

ghy

Bu

rnt

mo

un

d

E24

47 A

024/

34

Coo

lolla

Lim

e ki

ln &

forg

e

E24

49 A

024/

36U

rrag

hyB

urn

t m

ou

nd

E24

42 A

024/

09Lo

ughb

own

IR

ing

fort

& f

org

e

E24

46 A

024/

33B

arna

crag

hB

urn

t m

ou

nd

E20

54 A

024/

21Lo

ughb

own

II

Rin

gfo

rt

E24

45 A

024/

32M

ackn

ey

Pits

E24

43 A

024/

31M

ackn

eyPi

ts &

dit

ches

E24

44 A

024/

10M

ackn

eyR

ing

fort

wit

h s

kele

tal r

emai

ns

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

12

Figu

re 2

: The

rout

e of

the

new

N6

Gal

way

to B

allin

aslo

e ro

ad (C

ontr

act 4

) ove

rlai

d on

the

1st

edi

tion

OS

map

Page 18: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

E24

48 A

024/

35

Coo

ltym

urra

ghy

Bu

rnt

mo

un

d

E24

47 A

024/

34

Coo

lolla

Lim

e ki

ln &

forg

e

E24

49 A

024/

36U

rrag

hyB

urn

t m

ou

nd

E24

42 A

024/

09Lo

ughb

own

IR

ing

fort

& f

org

e

E24

46 A

024/

33B

arna

crag

hB

urn

t m

ou

nd

E20

54 A

024/

21Lo

ughb

own

IIR

ing

fort

E24

45 A

024/

32M

ackn

eyPi

ts

E24

43 A

024/

31M

ackn

eyPi

ts &

dit

ches

E24

44 A

024/

10M

ackn

eyR

ing

fort

wit

h s

kele

tal r

emai

ns

Sto

ne G

roup

/Insc

ibed

Sto

ne

Togh

er

Can

al

Bur

ial G

roun

d/G

rave

yard

Folly

Fiel

d sy

stem

Ear

thw

ork

Ecc

lesi

astic

al S

ite/H

oly

wel

lC

astle

/Tow

er

Enc

losu

reM

otte

Mon

umen

t

Rin

gfor

t

Lege

nd

0 K

m2

Km

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

13

Figu

re 3

: The

rout

e of

the

new

N6

Gal

way

to B

allin

aslo

e ro

ad (C

ontr

act 4

) ove

rlai

d on

the

RM

P m

ap

Page 19: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

C.8

8

C.8

5C

.86

C.3

4

C.3

2

C.4

2

C.1

3

C.1

9C

.90

C.1

5

C.3

9

C.1

C.5

C.4

9

Lim

it of

ex

cava

tion

C.1

7C.3

C.9

3

Key

Pit

Post

-ho

le

Hea

rth

Bu

rnt

Soil

Spre

ad0

5 m

1 m

N

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

14

Figu

re 4

: Fig

ure

4: P

ost-

exca

vati

on p

lan

of t

he B

ronz

e A

ge si

te a

t Mac

kney

Page 20: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

15

Plate 1: Working shot of site, facing W

Plate 2: Post-excavation of hearth (C001), facing NE

9 Plates

Page 21: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

16

Plate 3: Post-excavation of Bronze Age rubbish pit (C019), facing N

Plate 4: Mid-excavation of stone-lined post hole (C034), showing in-situ lining, Facing E

Page 22: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

17

Figure 5: Saddle quern from the fill of pit C.93 (E2445:92:1) Photo: John Sunderland.

Page 23: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

18

10 Appendices

Appendix 1 Stratigraphic index

Appendix 2 Stratigraphic matrix

Appendix 3 Groups and sub groups text

Appendix 4 Lithics report

Appendix 5 Plant remains

Appendix 6 Charcoal

Page 24: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

19

Con

text

N

o.G

ridC

onte

xt

type

Fill

of…

Fille

d w

ith…

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Find

s no.

Sam

ple

No.

Dra

win

g N

o.

001

110/

105

Hea

rth

-00

2H

eart

h, ir

regu

lar s

hape

in p

lan,

shal

low

con

cave

pro

file,

2.5

0m

N/S

by

2.0m

by

0.41

m00

211

0/10

5H

eart

h de

posit

001

-Fi

ll of

hea

rth

[001

]mid

gre

y br

own

clay

silt.

Occ

asio

nal s

ub-

angu

lar a

nd su

b -r

ound

ed st

ones

and

mod

erat

e m

ediu

m p

eb-

bles

, 2.0

m N

/S b

y 1.

81m

by

0.19

m

027

003

110/

105

Pit

-00

4, 0

25Pi

t [00

3], U

-sha

ped

prof

ile, c

ircul

ar in

pla

n, 0

.48m

N/S

by

0.44

m b

y 0.

12m

00

411

0/10

5Pi

t fill

003

-Fi

ll of

pit

[003

]fria

ble

blac

k cl

ay si

lt 30

70

-- d

ump

of b

urnt

m

ater

ial,

0.48

m N

/S b

y 0.

35m

by

0.07

m00

1

005

110/

100

Post-

hole

-00

6, 0

54

= 05

7,

055=

056

Cut

of p

ost-h

ole

[005

], sq

uare

U-S

hape

d pr

ofile

--ov

er c

ut

sligh

tly so

pro

babl

y a

shal

low

con

cave

, rec

tang

ular

with

roun

d-ed

cor

ners

in p

lan,

0.8

2m N

/S b

y 0.

56m

by

0.20

m00

611

0/10

0Po

st-ho

le

fill

005

-Fi

ll of

pos

t-hol

e [0

05] f

riabl

e da

rk g

reyi

sh b

lack

cla

y sil

t occ

a-sio

nal s

ub-r

ound

ed m

ediu

m st

ones

mod

erat

e sm

all s

ub-a

ngul

ar

stone

s occ

asio

nal f

ragm

ents

of b

urnt

ston

e oc

casio

nal f

ragm

ents

of

pot

tery

0.8

2m E

/W b

y 0.

42m

by

0.04

m

E244

5:6:

1 po

tter

y sh

erd

009,

010

, 01

1

007

VO

ID00

8V

OID

009

Exte

nsiv

eTo

p so

il-

-To

p So

il, m

id b

row

n cl

ay si

lt 30

70

E244

5:9:

1 na

tura

l ch

ert c

hunk

010

Exte

nsiv

eSu

bsoi

l-

-Su

bsoi

l, w

hitis

h ye

llow

sand

y cl

ay 4

0 60

011

VO

ID01

210

5/10

5O

ccu-

patio

n su

rfac

e

011

-Su

rfac

e--a

con

cent

ratio

n of

cha

rcoa

l fle

cks a

nd v

ery

smal

l fr

agm

ents

of b

urnt

ston

e 01

2 w

ithin

a m

id re

d br

own

sand

silt

40 6

0 de

posit

083

ther

e w

as so

me

scor

chin

g of

the

natu

ral t

oo.

Prob

ably

a su

b so

il bu

t pos

sibly

a p

rehi

storic

act

ivity

hor

izon

--c

ut b

y [0

13] a

nd[0

19],

1.28

m N

/S b

y 1.

12m

by

0.06

m, 0

12 =

08

3

003

10.1

Ap

pend

ix 1:

Stra

tigra

phic

Reg

ister

Page 25: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

20

Con

text

N

o.G

ridC

onte

xt

type

Fill

of…

Fille

d w

ith…

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Find

s no.

Sam

ple

No.

Dra

win

g N

o.

013

105/

105,

10

5/11

0Pi

t-

014

Cut

of p

it [0

13],

U-s

hape

d pr

ofile

with

con

cave

bas

e, c

ircul

ar in

pl

an, 1

.60m

E/W

by

1.00

by

0.78

m

014

105/

105,

10

5/11

0Pi

t fill

013

-Fi

ll of

pit

[013

], so

ft m

id re

d br

own

clay

silt

30 7

0, 1

.60m

E/W

by

1.0

0m b

y 0.

78m

016,

019

, 03

401

510

5/10

0Pi

t-

016

Cut

of p

it [0

15],

shal

low

con

cave

pro

file-

-trun

cate

d th

roug

h th

e ce

ntre

by

an a

nim

al b

urro

w, su

b-ci

rcul

ar in

pla

n, 1

.20m

N/S

by

1.10

m b

y 0.

16m

[015

] = [0

17]

016

105/

100

Pit f

ill01

5=01

7-

Fill

of p

it [0

15] =

[017

] sof

t dar

k gr

eyish

bla

ck c

lay

silt 4

0 60

, 1.

20m

N/S

by

1.10

m b

y 0.

16m

, 01

6 =

018

023

017

105/

100

Pit

-01

8, 0

28C

ut o

f pit

[015

], sh

allo

w c

onca

ve p

rofil

e--tr

unca

ted

thro

ugh

the

cent

re b

y an

ani

mal

bur

row,

sub-

circ

ular

in p

lan,

1.2

0m N

/S b

y 1.

10m

by

0.16

m [0

15] =

[017

]01

810

5/10

0Pi

t fill

015=

017

-Fi

ll of

pit

[015

] = [0

17] s

oft d

ark

grey

ish b

lack

cla

y sil

t 40

60,

1.20

m N

/S b

y 1.

10m

by

0.16

m,

016

= 01

800

2

019

105/

105

Pit

-02

0, 0

44,

045,

046,

05

1, 0

53

Cut

of p

it [0

19] s

quar

e U

-sha

ped

prof

ile, c

ircul

ar in

pla

n, 1

.10m

E/

W b

y 1.

02m

by

0.64

m. C

ut b

y po

stho

le [0

29]

020

105/

105

Pit f

ill01

9-

Fill

of p

it [0

19]fr

iabl

e da

rk re

ddish

bro

wn

sand

cla

y, 1.

10m

E/W

by

1.0

2 m

E/W

by

1.02

m b

y 0.

22m

, 020

= 0

5100

4

021

VO

ID02

2V

OID

023

VO

ID02

511

0/10

5Pi

t fill

003

-Ba

sal f

ill p

uddl

ing?

of [

003]

fria

ble

mid

gre

yish

bla

ck sa

ndy

silt

30 7

0, 0

.48m

N/S

by

0.44

m b

y 0.

05m

026

100/

115

Hea

rth

pit

fill

085

-Fi

ll of

pit

poss

ible

hea

rth

[085

]/Spr

ead

of sc

orch

ed fi

ll of

pit

[085

] sof

t dar

k re

d br

own

clay

silt

40 6

0 m

oder

ate

med

ium

sub-

angu

lar s

tone

s, 1.

57 m

N/S

by

0.58

m b

y 0.

28m

032

027

95/1

10,

95/1

15Pi

t fill

088

-ar

ea o

f con

cent

rate

d bu

rnin

g de

bris

fill o

f [08

8], s

oft m

id g

rey

brow

n cl

ay si

lt 25

75

occa

siona

l med

ium

(lim

e?) s

tone

freq

uent

ch

arco

al fl

ecks

and

med

ium

cha

rcoa

l fra

gmen

ts, 1

.18m

E/W

by

1.03

m b

y 0.

26m

031

Page 26: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

21

Con

text

N

o.G

ridC

onte

xt

type

Fill

of…

Fille

d w

ith…

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Find

s no.

Sam

ple

No.

Dra

win

g N

o.

028

105/

100

Pit f

ill01

7-

basa

l fill

of [

017]

029

105/

105

Post-

hole

-03

0Po

st-ho

le [0

29] u

-sha

ped

prof

ile, c

ircul

ar in

pla

n, 0

.24m

N/S

by

0.24

m b

y 0.

08m

. Cut

upp

er fi

ll of

pit

[019

]03

010

5/10

5Po

st-ho

le

fill

029

-Fi

ll of

pos

thol

e [0

29] f

irm m

id g

reyi

sh w

hite

cla

y sil

t 40

60--

freq

uent

larg

e an

gula

r sto

nes,

0.24

m N

/S b

y 0.

24m

by

0.08

m00

5

031

VO

ID03

211

0/11

0Pi

t-

033

Cut

of p

it [0

32] v

ery

shal

low

squa

re U

-sha

ped

prof

ile su

b-ci

rcu-

lar i

n pl

an,1

.23m

N/S

by

0.82

m b

y 0.

2303

311

0/11

0Pi

t fill

032

-Fi

ll of

pit

[032

], fr

iabl

e m

id g

rey

blac

k sil

t cla

y oc

casio

nal s

ub-

angu

lar s

tone

s, 1.

23m

N/S

by

0.82

m b

y 0.

15m

03

411

0/11

0Po

st-ho

le-

035,

036

Cut

of p

ost h

ole

[034

] squ

are

u-sh

aped

pro

file,

sub-

circ

ular

in

plan

, 0.8

2m E

/W b

y 0.

60m

by

0.35

m03

511

0/11

0Po

st-ho

le

stone

pa

ckin

g

034

-St

one

pack

ing

for a

pos

t hol

e [0

34],

freq

uent

sub-

roun

ded

stone

s, la

rges

t sto

ne a

ppro

x 0.

45m

,

036

110/

110

Post-

hole

fil

l03

4-

Fill

of p

ost h

ole

[034

], so

ft da

rk b

lack

bro

wn

silt c

lay

30 7

0,

0.85

m E

/W b

y 0.

72m

by

0.29

m03

711

0/11

0Po

st-ho

le-

038,

080

Cut

of p

ost h

ole

[037

] con

cave

in p

rofil

e, c

ircul

ar in

pla

n, 0

.18m

N

/S b

y 0.

12m

0.0

8m03

811

0/11

0Po

st-ho

le

fill

-02

7To

p fil

l of p

ost h

ole

[037

], D

ark

grey

ish b

lack

fria

ble

clay

ey si

lt,

0.18

m N

/S b

y 0.

12m

by

0.08

m02

8

039

110/

110,

11

5/11

0Po

st-ho

le04

0, 0

41C

ut o

f pos

t hol

e [0

39] s

quar

e w

ith v

ertic

al e

dges

, sub

-circ

ular

in

plan

, 0.8

0m E

/W b

y 0.

51m

by

0.20

m04

011

0/11

0,

115/

110

Post-

hole

sto

ne

pack

ing

039

Ston

e pa

ckin

g fo

r pos

t[039

]

041

110/

110,

11

5/11

0Po

st-ho

le

fill

039

Fill

of st

one

lined

pos

t hol

e [0

39],

mid

bro

wni

sh o

rang

e fr

iabl

e cl

ayey

silt

with

occ

asio

nal s

ub-a

ngul

ar st

ones

, 0.9

0m E

/W b

y 0.

70m

by

0.40

m04

210

5/11

0,

110/

110

Post-

hole

Cut

of p

ost h

ole

[042

] u-s

hape

d pr

ofile

, circ

ular

in p

lan,

0.8

0m

E/W

0.7

3m b

y 0.

28m

Page 27: Archaeological Excavation Report - E2445 Mackney, Co. Galway

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

22

Con

text

N

o.G

ridC

onte

xt

type

Fill

of…

Fille

d w

ith…

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Find

s no.

Sam

ple

No.

Dra

win

g N

o.

043

105/

110,

11

0/11

0Po

st-ho

le

fill

084

Fill

of p

ost h

ole

[084

] ver

y so

ft da

rk b

row

nish

bla

ck c

lay

silt--

resu

lt of

pos

t bur

ning

in-s

itu?,

0.58

m N

/S b

y 0.

50m

by

0.14

m00

8

044

105/

105

Pit f

ill01

9Fi

ll of

pit

[019

] ver

y so

ft lig

ht b

row

nish

yel

low

cla

y--s

econ

dary

fil

l hig

h w

ater

con

tent

, 110

m E

/W b

y 1.

03m

by

0.40

mE2

445:

44:1

po

tter

y01

3

045

105/

105

Pit f

ill01

9Le

ns o

f cha

rcoa

l ric

h bu

rnt m

ater

ial f

ound

in p

it [0

19]v

ery

soft

blac

k cl

ay si

lt, 0

.20m

N/S

by

0.17

m. b

y 0.

10m

006

046

105/

100

Pit f

ill01

9Le

ns o

f cha

rcoa

l ric

h bu

rnt m

ater

ial f

ound

in p

it [0

19]v

ery

soft

blac

k cl

ay si

lt, 0

.14m

N/S

by

0.10

m. b

y 0.

7m00

7

047

105/

100

Pit

048,

078

Cut

of p

it [0

47] c

onca

ve in

pro

file,

sub-

circ

ular

in p

lan,

trun

-ca

ted

by p

its [0

15] a

nd [0

17]0

.70

N/S

by

0.62

m b

y 0.

36m

04

8-

Pit f

ill04

7Fi

ll of

pit

[048

] lig

ht g

reyi

sh w

hite

stiff

fria

ble

clay

ey si

lt, 0

.70m

N

/S b

y 0.

62m

by

0.36

m

014,

017

049

-Po

st-ho

le05

0C

ut o

f pos

t hol

e [0

49] c

onca

ve p

rofil

e, c

ircul

ar in

pla

n, t

run-

cate

d by

[074

], 0.

40m

N/S

by

0.35

m b

y 0.

15m

050

105/

105

Post-

hole

fil

l04

9Fi

ll of

pos

t hol

e [0

49] f

riabl

e m

id g

rey

blac

k sa

nd si

lt 40

60,

0.

40m

N/S

by

0.40

m b

y 0.

03m

024

051

110/

105

Pit f

ill01

9Fi

ll of

pit

[019

]fria

ble

dark

redd

ish b

row

n sa

nd c

lay,

1.10

m E

/W

by 1

.02m

by

0.22

m, 0

20 =

051

053

110/

100

Pit f

ill01

9Ba

sal f

ill o

f [01

9] fr

iabl

e m

id g

reyi

sh c

lay

silt,

1.10

m E

/W b

y 1.

02m

by

0.10

m01

5

054

110/

100

Post-

hole

fil

l00

5Ba

ckfil

l of p

ost-h

ole

[005

] sof

t mid

bro

wn

oran

ge c

lay

silt o

c-ca

siona

l sm

all s

ub-a

ngul

ar a

nd m

ediu

m su

b-ro

unde

d sto

nes,

0.47

m E

/W b

y 0.

46m

by

0.18

m

011

055

110/

100

Post-

hole

fil

l00

5Pr

imar

y fil

l of p

ost h

ole

[005

] ver

y so

ft m

id b

row

n or

ange

sand

sil

t, 0.

54m

N/S

by

0.45

m b

y 0.

13m

055

=056

056

110/

100

Post-

hole

fil

l00

5Pr

imar

y fil

l of p

ost h

ole

[005

] ver

y so

ft m

id b

row

n or

ange

sand

sil

t, 0.

81m

E/W

by

0.06

m b

y 0.

01m

, 055

=056

057

110/

100

Post-

hole

fil

l00

5Se

cond

ary

fill o

f pos

t hol

e [0

05]so

ft m

id b

row

nish

ora

nge

clay

sil

t occ

asio

nal s

mal

l to

med

ium

sub-

roun

ded

stone

s, 0.

81m

E/

W b

y 0.

09m

by

0.13

m

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Mackney, Co. Galway ISSUE 2: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237E2445 | A024/32

23

Con

text

N

o.G

ridC

onte

xt

type

Fill

of…

Fille

d w

ith…

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Find

s no.

Sam

ple

No.

Dra

win

g N

o.

059

110/

100

Post-

pipe

fil

lFi

ll of

pos

sible

pos

t pip

e [0

89],

light

gre

yish

whi

te st

iff si

lty c

lay

with

freq

uent

sub-

roun

ded

stone

s, m

oder

atel

y so

rted

, 0.8

1m

E/W

by

0.17

m b

y 0.

19 m

, 059

=006

060

110/

105

Poss

ible

su

rfac

e-

-po

ssib

le m

etal

led

surf

ace

061

VO

ID06

2V

OID

063

VO

ID06

4V

OID

065

105/

110,

11

0/11

0Po

st-ho

le

stone

pad

042

Poss

ible

ston

e po

st p

ad o

f pos

t hol

e [0

42],

0.36

m E

/W b

y 0.

22

m b

y 0.

20m

066

105/

110,

11

0/11

0Po

st-ho

le

fill

042

Post

pac

king

of p

ost h

ole

[042

] med

ium

peb

bles

, 0.6

8m E

/W

by 0

.30m

by

0.17

m06

710

5/11

0,

110/

110

Post-

hole

sto

ne p

ad04

2Po

ssib

le p

ost p

ad a

t bas

e of

pos

t-pip

e fo

r pos

t hol

e [0

42] m

e-di

um su

b-an

gula

r sto

ne, 0

.10M

N/S

by

?m b

y 0.

06m

068

105/

110,

11

0/11

0Po

st-ho

le

fill

042

Back

fill o

f pos

t hol

e [0

42] s

oft m

id y

ello

w b

row

n cl

ay si

lt 30

70,

0.

80m

E/W

0.5

5m b

y 0.

10m

06

910

5/11

0,

110/

110

Post-

hole

fil

l04

2Pr

imar

y fil

l of p

ost h

ole

[042

]com

pact

ligh

t gre

y br

own

coar

se

grav

el sa

nd, 0

.09m

N/S

by

?m b

y 0.

18m

070

105/

110,

11

0/11

0Po

st-ho

le

fill

042

Back

fill o

f pos

t hol

e [0

42] m

id y

ello

wish

bro

wn

soft

sand

y sil

t, 0.

11m

N/S

by

?m b

y 0.

11m

071

110/

105

Hea

rth

depo

sit00

1Fi

ll of

hea

rth

[001

]ver

y so

ft da

rk b

lack

cla

y sil

t, oc

casio

nal l

arge

su

b-an

gula

r sto

nes,

wel

l sor

ted

occa

siona

l fle

cks o

f cha

rcoa

l, m

oder

ate

smal

l fra

gmen

ts o

f cha

rcoa

l ver

y fr

eque

nt fr

agm

ents

of

hea

t affe

cted

ston

e--c

once

ntra

ted

at b

otto

m o

f dep

osit,

2.1

0m

N/S

by

2.00

m b

y 0.

09m

018

072

VO

ID07

3V

OID

074

110/

105

Post-

pipe

07

5U

-sha

ped

post-

pipe

[074

] for

pos

t hol

e [0

49],

tape

red

blun

t po

int i

n pr

ofile

, circ

ular

in p

lan,

0.2

2m N

/S b

y 0.

12m

by

0.15

m

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24

Con

text

N

o.G

ridC

onte

xt

type

Fill

of…

Fille

d w

ith…

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Find

s no.

Sam

ple

No.

Dra

win

g N

o.

075

110/

105

Post-

pipe

fil

l07

4fil

l of p

ost-p

ipe

[074

] pos

t hol

e [0

49] f

riabl

e m

id b

row

n or

ange

cl

ay si

lt oc

casio

nal s

mal

l ang

ular

ston

es, 0

.22m

by

0.10

m b

y 0.

10m

021

076

VO

ID07

7V

OID

078

105/

100

047

079

110/

105

Hea

rth

depo

sit00

1Fi

ll of

hea

rth

[001

] ver

y so

ft m

id b

row

n sa

nd c

lay,

mod

er-

ate

fine

sub-

angu

lar a

nd su

b-ro

unde

d pe

bble

s, 2.

50m

N/S

by

2.00

m b

y 0.

15m

030

080

110/

110

Post-

hole

fil

l03

7Bo

ttom

fill

of p

ost h

ole

[037

], m

id b

row

nish

ora

nge,

fria

ble

clay

ey si

lt, 0

.18m

N/S

by

0.12

m b

y 0.

05m

029

081

VO

ID08

2V

OID

083

105/

105

Occ

u-pa

tion

Surf

ace

Surf

ace-

-a c

once

ntra

tion

of c

harc

oal f

leck

s and

ver

y sm

all

frag

men

ts o

f bur

nt st

one

012

with

in a

mid

red

brow

n sa

nd si

lt 40

60

depo

sit 0

83 th

ere

was

som

e sc

orch

ing

of th

e na

tura

l too

. Pr

obab

ly a

sub

soil

but p

ossib

ly a

pre

histo

ric a

ctiv

ity h

oriz

on-

-cut

by

[013

] and

[019

], 1.

28m

N/S

by

1.12

m b

y 0.

06m

, 012

=

083

084

110/

110

Post-

pipe

043

Poss

ible

pos

t-pip

e le

ft af

ter p

ost w

as re

mov

ed/b

urnt

? [08

4],

squa

re u

-sha

ped

prof

ile, c

ircul

ar in

pla

n, 0

.24m

N/S

by

?m

by0.

18m

085

105/

115

Pit

-02

6C

ut o

f pit

[085

] con

cave

pro

file,

ova

l in

prof

ile, t

runc

ated

by

[086

], 1.

57m

N/S

by

0.58

m b

y 0.

28m

086

105/

115

Pit

087

Cut

of p

it [0

86] c

onca

ve p

rofil

e, o

val i

n pl

an, t

runc

ates

[085

], 0.

93m

N/S

by

0.62

m b

y 0.

31m

087

105/

115

Pit f

ill08

6Fi

ll of

pit

[086

] sof

t dar

k re

d br

own

clay

silt

40 6

0 m

oder

ate

med

ium

sub-

angu

lar s

tone

s, 0.

93m

N/S

by

0.62

m b

y 0.

31m

033

088

95/1

10Pi

t02

7C

ut o

f pit

[088

] squ

are

U-s

hape

d pr

ofile

, circ

ular

in p

lan,

1.1

8m

E/W

by

1.03

m b

y 0.

26m

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25

Con

text

N

o.G

ridC

onte

xt

type

Fill

of…

Fille

d w

ith…

Basic

Des

crip

tion

Find

s no.

Sam

ple

No.

Dra

win

g N

o.

089

110/

100

Post-

pipe

fil

l00

5Po

st p

acki

ng to

form

pos

t pip

e [0

05] s

tiff l

ight

gre

yish

whi

te si

lt cl

ay m

oder

ate

sub-

roun

ded

stone

s, po

stpi

pe sq

uare

U-s

hape

d pr

ofile

side

s slo

ping

stee

ply,

0.05

m N

/S b

y ?m

by

0.03

m09

011

5/11

0Po

st-ho

le09

1Po

ssib

le p

ost h

ole

[090

], sh

allo

w w

ith v

ertic

al si

des i

n pr

ofile

, ci

rcul

ar in

pla

n, p

ossib

ly u

sed

to fo

rm st

ruct

ure

with

[039

] and

[0

42]

091

115/

110

Post-

hole

fil

l09

0Fi

ll of

pos

sible

pos

t hol

e [0

90],

fria

ble

mid

yel

low

bro

wn

sand

y sil

t, w

ith fr

eque

nt c

oars

e gr

avel

, and

med

ium

sub-

angu

lar

stone

s, 0.

085m

E/W

by

0.08

by

0.08

m09

2Pi

t fill

093

Fill

of p

it [0

93],

mid

bro

wn

silty

cla

y w

ith fr

eque

nt c

harc

oal

fleck

s and

occ

asio

nal s

mal

l sto

nes.

0.4

m d

iam

eter

and

0.2

m

deep

E244

5:92

:1

093

Pit

092

Pit w

ith U

-sha

ped

prof

ile, f

illed

by

092,

0.4

m d

iam

eter

and

0.

2m d

eep

[…] =

Cut

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26

9

216

186

3375

4387

30

71

15

28

54/5 7

32

74

84

86

29

79

17

55/5 6

38

59

20/51

14

36

189

80

89

44

13

35

6059

37

45

434

48

4169

46

25

2750

78

40

68

53

388

49

47

39

70

26

19

83

12

567

85

91

42

90

10

cut

deposit

10.2

Ap

pend

ix 2:

Stra

tigra

phic

Mat

rix

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27

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 C10

Description: White yellow sand clay beneath topsoil C.9.

Interpretation: This subgroup describes the natural subsoil which was a white yellow sand clay. This is natural subsoil.

10.3.2 Group 2 Features around hearth

This group describes a series of Bronze Age features identified across the excavated area. These include a possible occupation surface, a hearth, five post-holes and a number of pits.

10.3.2.1 Possible occupation surface

Spread C.12

Description: Oval shaped spread of red brown sand silt with frequent charcoal flecking and burnt stone inclusions. The spread measured 1.28 m north/south, 1.12 m east/west and was quite shallow with an average depth of 0.06 m. The surface was cut by two large pits C.13 and C.19 described in subgroup 2.4. Interpretation: The spread is probably associated with the large hearth {group 2.2} located 2.5 m to the east. The spread is similar to the surrounding natural subsoil {group 1.1} how-ever the burnt stones and charcoal flecking suggest an anthropogenic formation.

10.3.2.2 Hearth

Cut C.1, Fills C.2, C.71, C.79

Description: Large sub-circular hearth or fire pit. The pit C.1 containing the hearth meas-ured 2.5 m north/south by 2.0 m east/west and was 0.45 m deep. It had moderately sloping sides and a shallow concave base. The basal fill C.79 was confined to the eastern half of the pit and was a soft mid brown sand clay with moderate amounts of pebble inclusions. This

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28

was covered by a 0.1 m deep band of dark black silt C.71 with moderate amounts of charcoal flecking and occasional large stones. The main fill was a 0.2 m deep mid grey brown clay silt C.2 with pebble and stone inclusions and occasional charcoal flecking. The hearth or fire pit is associated with a series of rubbish pits and post-holes {subgroup 2.3}.

Interpretation: This pit contained a burnt fill and is interpreted as a hearth or fire-pit.

10.3.2.3 Post-holes

Cuts C.5, C.34, C.37, C.39, C.42, C.49, Fills C.40, C.41, C.35, C.36, C.66, C.84, C.43, C.80, C.38, C.6, C.54/57, C.55/56, C.50.Description: A total of five post-holes were also found in the area around the hearth (C.5, C.34, C.39, C.42 and C.49). A shallow feature (C.37) was also a possible truncated post-hole. On average the post-holes measured 0.73 m long, 0.55 m wide and 0.24 m deep. There was evidence for stone packing in three of the post-holes; C.34, C.39 and C.42. The fact that stone packing was still in place indicates that these posts must have rotted in situ, as removal of the posts would have also disturbed the packing. Three (C.5, C.42 and C.34) were posi-tioned in a straight line to the south-west of the hearth.

Post-hole cut C.5, filled with C.6, C.54/57, C.55/56. Post-pipe cut C.89 is filled with C.59. It had a square U-Shaped profile and was rectangular with rounded corners in plan. It measured 0.82m N/S by 0.56m by 0.20m. The fill of the post-hole C.6 was a friable dark greyish black clay silt occasional sub-rounded medium stones moderate small sub-angular stones. Another fill C.54/57 and it was a soft mid brown orange clay silt occasional small sub-angular and medium sub-rounded stones. The primary fill was C.55/56 a very soft mid brown orange sand silt.

Post-hole C.39 was sub-circular in shape with smooth moderately sloping sides and a flat base. It measured 0.9 m by 0.7 m by 0.4 m deep. Filled with mid brown orange clay silt C.41 with occasional large sub-angular stones. The post-pipe was packed in place by stone packing C.40.

Post-hole C.34 was sub-circular in shape with smooth moderately sloping sides and a flat base. It measured 0.8 m by 0.6 m by 0.35 m deep. The sides of the post-hole were lined with large sub-rounded stones C.35 which would have acted as packing stones for the post. The fill was mid brown orange silt clay C.36 which contained moderate amounts of small to large stones.

Post-hole C.42 was sub-circular in shape with concave steep sides and a flat base. It measured 0.8 m by 0.73 m by 0.28 m deep. The sides of the post-hole were lined with peb-bles, packing stones and a mid yellowish brown sandy silt C.66. A post-pipe C.84 located in

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29

the southern half of the post-hole measuring 0.58 m by 0.5 m by 0.14 m was identified and was filled with a very soft dark brown black silt C.43, it was also filled with C.70. There were two stone-pads in the base of the post-hole, C.65 and C.67.

Post-hole cut C.49 filled with C.50. C.74 Post-pipe cut in post-hole C.49. C.75 Fill of post-pipe C.74. The post-hole C.49 had a concave profile, was circular in plan, and was truncated by C.74 and measured 0.40m N/S by 0.35m by 0.15m. The fill C.50 was friable mid grey black sand silt.

The shallow remains of possible small post-hole C.37 were identified to the east of post-hole C. 34. It had smooth steep sides and a flat base and measured 0.18 m by 0.12 m by 0.08 m deep. The lowest fill was a mid brown orange clay silt C.80 with occasional medium sized stone inclusions. The upper fill was dark grey black clay silt C.38 which possibly repre-sents the decayed remains of a small post.

Post-hole cut C.29 was filled with C.30, a firm mid greyish white clay silt with fre-quent large angular stones. The post-hole was circular in plan and U-shaped in profile. It measured 0.24 m in diameter and was 0.08 m deep. The post-hole cut the upper fill of pit C.19.

Post-hole cut C.90 was filled with C.91, a friable mid yellow brown sandy silt, with frequent coarse gravel, and medium sub-angular stones. The post-hole was shallow with vertical sides in profile. It was circular in plan and measured 0.085 m E/W by 0.08 m and it was 0.08 m deep. Interpretation: The occasional large sub-angular stones present in fill C.41 of post-hole C.39 are possibly the remains of packing material which were used to support a post and have now mixed with the fill of the post-hole. This suggests that the post was removed from the post-hole and not left to rot in situ. The same appears to have been the case for post-hole C.34. However, post-holes C.42 and C.37 appear to have rotted in situ. Post-hole C.90 was possibly used to form structure with post-holes C.39 and C.42. These post-holes are asso-ciated with the hearth C.1. Post-holes and stake-holes are often found in association with hearths. The post-holes may denote the presence of a screen or a structure to shield the fire from the prevailing south-westerly wind.

10.3.2.4 Pits

Cuts C.3, C.13, C.15, C.17, C.19, C.32, C.47, Fills C.4, C.25, C.14, C.16, C.28, C.18, C.20, C.51, C.44, C.45, C.56, C.53, C.33, C.78, C.48.Description: This subgroup describes a series of seven pits situated near the hearth C.1.

Pit C.3 was circular in plan, and it measured 0.48 m N/S by 0.44 m by 0.12 m deep.

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The fills (C.4 and C.25) were friable black clay silt constituting a dump of burnt material and friable mid grey black sand silt, possibly representing natural silting up of the base of the pit. Pit C.13 was circular in plan and measured 1.6 m E/W by 1.0 m by 0.78 m. It was filled by C.14 a soft mid red brown clay silt. Pit C.15 was sub-circular in plan and measured 1.2 m N/S by 1.1 m by 0.16 m deep. It was filled by C.16 a soft dark grey black clay silt. Pit C.17 was sub-circular in plan and measured 1.2 m N/S by 1.1 m by 0.16 m deep. It was filled by C.28, the basal fill and C.18, a soft dark grey black clay silt.

Pit C.19 was circular in plan and measured 1.1 m E/W by 1.02 m by 0.64 m deep. It was filled by deposits of friable dark red brown sand clay, C.20 and C.51, light brown yellow clay C.44, two lenses of charcoal rich burnt material C.45 and C.46, very soft mid brown orange sand silt C.56 and a friable mid grey clay silt C.53. Pit C.32 was sub-circular in plan and measured 1.23 m N/S by 0.82 m by 0.23 deep. It was filled by a friable mid grey black silt clay C.33. Pit C.47 was sub-circular in plan, truncated by pits C.15 and C.17. Despite trunca-tion it measured 0.7 m N/S by 0.62 m by 0.36 m deep. It was filled by light grey white stiff friable clayey silt C.48 and C.78. Interpretation: A total of seven pits (C.3, C.13, C.15, C.17, C.19, C.32 and C.47) were found in the area around the hearth C.1. On average these measured 1.07 m long, 0.87 m wide and 0.35 m deep. There were no finds from these pits and there was no indication of their original use. The fill of one of the pits (C.13, fill C.14) produced hazel charcoal which yielded a Middle to Late Bronze Age radiocarbon date cal BC 1114-919 (UB-7356), demonstrating that use of the pits was contemporary with use of the hearth. These pits were interpreted as either rubbish pits, or possible early structural features that have been truncated.

10.3.3 Group 3 Group of pits to the north-west

This group describes three pits that were in the northwest corner of the site, c. 5 m from the main area of activity.

10.3.3.1 Pits

Cuts: C.85, C.86, C.88, Fills: C.26, C.87, C.27.

Description: Pit C.85 was oval in plan. It was truncated by C.86. The remaining dimensions were 1.57 m N/S by 0.58 m by 0.28 m deep. It was filled by C.26 a deposit with evidence for in situ burning. The deposit was a soft dark red brown clay silt with moderate small to me-dium sub-angular stones. Pit C.86 was oval in plan. It truncated C.85 and measured 0.93 m N/S by 0.62 m by 0.31 m deep. It was filled by C.87 a dark red brown clay silt. Pit C.88 was circular in plan and measured 1.18 m E/W by 1.03 m by 0.26 m deep. It was filled by C.27 a

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soft mid grey brown clay silt.

Interpretation: A total of three pits (C.85, C.86 and C.88) were located in the northwest corner, c. 5 m from the main area of activity. Fill C.26 of pit cut C.85 has evidence of in situ burning. This may have been a hearth or a pit used for disposal of hearth waste. Pit C.86 truncates pit C.85. There was no evidence for a relationship between these pits and the other archaeological features discovered at the site. These pits are possibly rubbish pits, with C.85 interpreted as a possible hearth.

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10.4 Appendix 4: Lithics Finds Report for E2445 Mackney

By: Dr. Farina Sternke, MA, PhD, Department of Archaeology, University College Cork

Introduction

One lithic find from the archaeological investigations along the route of the N6 Galway-Ballinasloe Road at Mackney, Co. Galway, were presented for analysis. The find is associated with a possible Bronze Age habitation site.

Find

Num

ber

Cont

ext

Mat

eria

l

Type

Corte

x

Cond

ion

Leng

th (m

m)

Wid

th (m

m)

Thic

kn. (

mm

)

Com

plet

e

Reto

uch

Com

men

t

E2445:9:91 9 Chert Natural Chunk Yes Slightly weathered 5 16 11 Yes No some edge damage

Table 1 Composition of the lithic assemblage from Mackney (E2445)

Methodology

All lithic artefacts were examined visually and catalogued using Microsoft Excel. The follow-ing details were recorded for each artefact: context information, raw material type, artefact type, the presence of cortex, artefact condition, length, with and thickness measurements, fragmentation and the type of retouch (where applicable). The technological criteria recorded are based on the terminology and technology presented in Inizan et al. 1999. The general typological and morphological classifications are based on Woodman et al. 2006.

Quantification

The lithics are one natural chunk of chert (Table 1).

Provenance

The find was recovered from the topsoil.

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Condition:

The lithics survives in slightly weathered complete condition.

Technology/Morphology:

The lithic is a natural chunk of chert which displays some edge damage on its right edge.

Conservation

Lithics do not require specific conversation, but should be stored in a dry, stable environment. Preferably, each lithic should be bagged separately and contact with other lithics should be avoided, so as to prevent damage and breakage, in particular edge damage which could later be misinterpreted as retouch. Larger and heavier items are best kept in individual boxes to avoid crushing of smaller assemblage pieces.

Discussion

The lithic find from the archaeological investigations at Mackney, Co. Galway, along the route of the N6 Galway - Ballinasloe Road is a natural chunk of chert which has no archaeo-logical significance.

Bibliography

Inizan, M.-L., M. Reduron-Ballinger, H. Roche and J. Tixier 1999. Technology and Terminology of Knapped Stone 5. CREP, Nanterre.

Woodman, P. C., Finlay, N. and E. Anderson 2006. The Archaeology of a Collection: The Keiller-Knowles Collection of the National Museum of Ireland. National Museum of Ireland Monograph Series 2. Wordwell, Bray.

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10.5 Appendix 5: Plant remains analysis

By Mary Dillon

10.5.1 Introduction

The site excavated at Mackney E2445 represented the remains of Middle to Late Bronze Age occupation. The site comprised a large hearth, nine pits, three large stone-lined post-holes, and two smaller post-holes. Charcoal from the site yielded two Middle to Late Bronze Age radiocarbon dates.

10.5.2 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).

10.5.3 Results

Only one sample out of 29 produced plant remains. S31 from pit fill C27 contained an inde-terminate nut shell fragment.

10.5.4 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 (Mc-Cormick 1995, 13). At Ballynattin in Co. Wicklow Bronze Age structures and associated features produced emmer wheat grains, barley grains (probably naked barley), and indeter-minate 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 post holes, pits, a stakehole and a slot trench. They were dominated by barley grains, cereal grains that could

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not be identified to type and weed seeds including those from the knotgrass family (Dillon 2006b). A burnt mound site at Doughiska E2052, Co. Galway produced one hazelnut shell fragment and one cereal grain cf. barley (Dillon 2007a). A similar site nearby, Mackney E2443, produced no plant remains (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.

10.5.5 Summary

Only one indeterminate nut shell fragment was recovered from the 29 soil samples taken at this site. In comparison to Bronze Age settlement sites this is rare, although some Bronze Age sites, such as burnt mounds, rarely produce plant remains. The lack of plant remains may indicate a non-domestic use for the site.

10.5.6 References

Dillon, 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 E2052, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Valerie J. Keeley ltd.

Dillon, M. 2007b. Analysis of plant remains from Mackney E2443, 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.

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10.6 Appendix 6: Charcoal analysis

By Mary Dillon

Introduction

The site excavated at Mackney E2445 represented the remains of Middle to Late Bronze Age occupation. The site comprised a large hearth, nine pits, three large stone-lined post-holes, and two smaller post-holes. Twenty-nine samples were submitted for analysis and 10 samples contained charcoal.

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 x 10 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 (x5 to x100) 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, 181 charcoal fragments were identified from 10 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 oak at 47% or 77% by weight. This is followed in descending frequency by hazel 28% / 14%, po-moideae 8% / 3%, ash 7%/ 2%, Prunus type 4% / 1%, alder 3% / 2%, yew 2%/ 0.5% and willow/aspen 1% / 0.5%.

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Discussion

Oak (Quercus) was the most common wood type in the Mackney E2445 assemblage, mak-ing up 47% (or 77% by weight). It forms 100% of S31 from C27, which was recorded as a pit, but given the charcoal evidence was probably a post-hole. The charcoal was from a large trunk or branch of a slow-growing oak (indicated by the wide and also straight tree rings), and the wood was slightly vitrified, indicating that it was possibly charred while below the soil. The indications are that this sample of oak charcoal was the remains of an oak post. Oak is a slow-burning wood and gives out substantial heat as it burns. Its dominance in an assemblage usually indicates the smelting of metals (which it was widely used for) or the re-mains of oak posts. There are two native species of oak in Ireland, namely Q. petraea and Q. robur. Unfortunately, it is difficult to distinguish these species on the basis of wood anatomy (Grosser 1977). Oak would have become widespread and common in the Bronze Age but not dominant according to a pollen diagram from Mongon Bog near Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly (Parkes & Mitchell 2000).

Fig. 1 Percentage fragment count of wood types from Mackney E2445

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Fig. 2 Percentage weight of wood types from Mackney E2445

Hazel (Corylus avellana) formed 28% (or 14% by weight) of the 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 (Parkes & Mitchell 2000, 35-40) indicates that during the Bronze Age hazel was one of the most prominent trees.

Pomoideae type charcoal - including Sorbus (rowan/whitebeam), Crataegus (hawthorn) and Malus (crab apple) - formed 8% / 3% of the assemblage. Woodlands and woodland-related environments 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 com-munities 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 from Mongon Bog (it is in-sect pollinated).

Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), accounting for 7%/ 2% by weight, is present in small amounts in many of the samples. Ash makes great fuel, burned green or dead, and this may have influ-

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enced its selection. According to the pollen diagram it was readily available in the locality.

Prunus type charcoal - including P. avium (wild cherry), P. padus (bird cherry) and P. spinosa (blackthorn) - formed 4% / 1% of the assemblage. Blackthorn may have been common in Mantel vegetation while wild cherry would be expected to occur in the woodlands. Bird cherry may also have been represented but today it is largely confined to the northern part of Ireland (Preston et al. 2002). Webb et al. (1996) regards it as introduced though this view is not universally accepted. Prunus was poorly represented in the Mongon Bog pollen record (it is insect pollinated).

Alder (Alnus glutinosa), yew (Taxus baccata) and willow/aspen (Salix/populus) were recorded at under 3% of the total assemblage.

The charcoal came from the hearth, post-holes and pits. There was no notable difference between the hearth samples and samples from the post-holes and pits, implying perhaps that the charcoal from the post-holes and pits came from the hearth originally. The only exception to this was S31 from C27. This sample was 100% oak. The charcoal was from a large trunk or branch of a slow growing oak (indicated by the wide and also straight tree rings), and the wood was slightly vitrified, indicating that it was possibly charred whilst below the soil. The indications are that this sample of oak charcoal was the remains of an oak post. While this context was recorded as a pit, it was possibly a post-hole. It is almost unknown to find a sample of 100% mature oak wood, unless it is the burnt remains of a structure or oak that was used to fire smelting works. Oak is a strong, durable wood. The anatomy of oak wood lends itself excellently to wood working. It is easily split into planks, as it has large multiseri-ate rays. Tyloses form in the vessels of heartwood, and along with tannin deposits, make the wood virtually impenetrable (cf. Wilson & White 1986). It has been widely used in construc-tion throughout prehistory and also in the historical period. The use of oak in Bronze Age structures is widely documented e.g. at Ballinderry 2 (Hencken 1942, 8) and at Raffin Fort (Newman 1995, 175). However, it is suspected that many of the older excavations that claim to have wetland settlement sites built entirely of oak are biased. There is a danger that hard timbers were automatically regarded as oak which, on account of its hardness, was also more likely to be preserved under wet conditions. There was therefore a bias towards oak in both sampling and identification.

The rest of the assemblage is probably the remains of locally gathered wood used to fire small

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fires, exploiting easily available hazel, ash, pomoideae type such as hawthorn, rowan, white-beam and Prunus species such as blackthorn and cherry which were growing around the site. Alder, yew and willow/aspen were probably also present in the immediate locality. The pres-ence of wet-loving trees such as willow/aspen and alder indicates that the site may have been situated near damp ground.

Comparative studies

It is interesting to compare the charcoal from Mackney E2445 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 post-holes with blackthorn, birch and elm charcoal in smaller amounts (McKeown 2003, 149-51; Cleary 2003, 109-47). While the ash and oak were evidently used as structural posts, it is suggested that other woods, in particular hazel, are the burnt remains of wattles. Charcoal analysis from fulachta fiadh excavated along the Gas Pipeline to the West demon-strates that a range of trees were gathered as firewood, particularly alder, hazel, oak and ash (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 trees were also common at Kiltoton Colinstown burnt mound in Co. Westmeath (Dillon, 2006) and nearby burnt mound sites at Cooltymurraghy, Urraghy and Barnacragh (Dillon 2007a, 2007b, 2007c).

Situated only 300 m from this site, Mackney E2443 consisted of pits and a hearth and was probably contemporary with Mackney E2445. The most frequent charcoal type there is hazel at 63% followed in descending frequency by pomoideae 17%, Prunus 7%, hazel/alder 3%, oak 3%, ash 3%, willow/aspen 3%, holly 1%, birch 1% and alder 1% (Dillon 2007d). The analysis surmised that the charcoal assemblage from that site reflected the remains of locally gathered wood.

Summary

Oak dominated the assemblage, followed by hazel, pomoideae, ash and prunus. Alder, yew and willow were also recorded. The dominance of oak is largely due to one sample which was the remains of an oak structural timber and probably indicates a post-hole. It is likely the rest of the assemblage reflects locally gathered wood used for small firings.

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Fragment CountSample Context Oak Hazel Pomoideae Ash Willow/aspen Alder Yew Prunus

27 2 2 716a 14 6 22 3 3

9 6 2 6 1 2 227 31 5010 6 4 119 14 12 1 3 1 118 71 3 7

16b 14 9 11 113 44 3 1 6 2 28 3 1 2 1 2 1

85 50 15 13 2 5 3 8

Weight in gramsSample Context Oak Hazel Pomoideae Ash Willow/aspen Alder Yew Prunus

27 2 0.13 0.5816a 14 0.12 1.8 0.3 0.25

9 6 0.18 0.18 0.07 0.06 0.0327 31 14.2110 6 0.18 0.1819 14 1.91 0.01 0.07 0.02 0.0418 71 0.05 0.19

16b 14 0.15 0.25 0.0213 44 0.07 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.088 3 0.01 0.08 0.05 0.03 0.04

Table 1 Fragment count and weight of charcoal

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References

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, 109-47.

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

Dillon, M. 2007a. Analysis of charcoal from Cooltymurraghy E2448, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Dillon, M. 2007b. Analysis of charcoal from Urraghry E2449, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Dillon, M. 2007c. Analysis of charcoal from Barnacragh E2446, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Dillon, M. 2007d. Analysis of charcoal from Macknety E2443, Co. Galway. Unpublished technical report produced for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Hencken, H. O’N. 1942. Ballinderry crannóg no. 2. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 47C, 1-76.

Grosser, D., 1977. Die Holzer Mitteleuropas. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

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.

Newman, C. 1995. Raffin Fort, Co. Meath: Neolithic and Bronze Age activity. In: E. Grogan & C. Mount (eds.) Annus archaeologiae: proceedings of the OIA winter conference 1993. Organisation of Irish Archaeologists, Dublin, 55-65.

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.

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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.

Wilson, K. & White, D.J.B. 1986 The anatomy of wood: its diversity and variability. Stobart, London.

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


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