2023:768 - Ballycummin Avenue, Ballycummin, Limerick
County: Limerick
Site name: Ballycummin Avenue, Ballycummin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: 22E0464
Author: Donald Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit Ltd
Author/Organisation Address: Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth. A92 DH99.
Site type: Burnt mound/fulacht fiadh
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 554800m, N 6252500m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 102.827297, -6.176329
Archaeological excavations were carried out at Ballycummin, Co. Limerick, between December 2022 and January 2023. Excavations were conducted following archaeological testing of the site in November 2022 under the same licence. The remnants of two burnt mound spreads, which were indicative of fulachtaí fiadh, were identified with associated pits/troughs, and an isolated pit was excavated. Three areas were investigated (Areas 1-3).
Area 1
Two pits/possible troughs, C10 & C15, were found surrounded by pockets of burnt mound material (C4-C9, C14) and were less than two metres apart. This likely represented the remains of a fulacht fiadh that was heavily disturbed by later agricultural activity. C10 measured 2.74m by 2.5m and had a depth of 0.38m. It contained three fills (C11, C12 & C13). C15 measured 2.6m by 1.7m and had a depth of 0.36m. It also contained three fills (C16, C17 & C18).
Area 2
C21 was a more substantial and better preserved fulacht fiadh. However, there was some evidence of disturbance by agricultural activity in the form of furrows and land drains. The mound measured 13.8m by 14m and had a depth of 0.36m. Three pits were sealed by the burnt mound spread and were located in the south-west corner (C22, C33 & C35). C22 was the largest pit and likely represented the trough. It measured 5m by 3.4m and was at least 1.35m in depth. It contained four fills (C29, C31, C31 & C32). Two smaller, single-fill pits (C33 & C35) were located immediately north of the pit/possible trough C22. A sample of corylus (hazel) charcoal from Sample 13 (recovered from fill C31 of trough C22, under burnt mound C21) was selected. It returned a date of 2780 +/- 30 BP, cal. 1010 BC to 830 BC (Appendix 1). This date places the trough firmly in the Late Bronze Age, consistent with the date range typically found with fulachtaí fiadh.
Area 3
A single, isolated pit, C23, was found in the north-east corner of the site. It showed evidence of burning activity with an oxidised clay base and a charcoal-rich fill above it.