2006:83 - KNOCKCAIRN (1), Antrim

This site was excavated as part of the recently completed BGE (Northern Ireland) gas pipeline. Trial-trenching had revealed possible archaeological remains in the vicinity of a partially removed rath. The trench was re-excavated to reveal grey/brown clayey topsoil, 0.4m thick, overlying the compact brown/orange clay subsoil. A linear, U-shaped ditch, 1.6m wide by 0.53m deep and filled with compact grey/brown clay, was uncovered 3.75m from the northern end of the trench. A small pit with a diameter of 0.33m by 0.08m deep and filled by grey/brown clay loam was uncovered 0.65m from the north end of the trench. A second pit was noted in the course of monitoring c. 2m south-east of the south-eastern edge of the ditch. The subcircular pit, which was c. 0.6m in diameter by 0.17m deep, had two fills. The primary fill was mottled orange/brown silty clay with charcoal flecks and small gravel inclusions overlain by greyish black clayey silt with frequent charcoal inclusions.