County: Mayo Site name: BALLINCHALLA, CO. MAYO
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR MA117-028 Licence number: E1117
Author: JOSEPH RAFTERY AND C.G. SEAVERS
Site type: Early Bronze Age graves
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 515872m, N 761598m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.597482, -9.270945
Introduction
Between 1933 and 1944 nine graves were discovered in a sandpit at Ballinchalla, near Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. Some of the graves were uncovered by the landowner, Mr Michael O’Connor, and others by workers for Mayo County Council while digging for sand. Apart from three of the graves, which were excavated by Museum personnel, most of the graves were emptied upon discovery and were highly disturbed. Eight of the graves were cists and one was a pit with partial stone protection. Of the cists, five were single-chamber cists,182 two had two chambers183 and one had been divided into three compartments.184 The only pit grave found (grave 8) had been divided by an upright stone. Human bone was found in eight of the nine graves, and in all but one case (grave 1) the bone had been cremated. Graves 3, 8 and 9 were excavated by Joseph Raftery, and grave 2 was excavated by Sergeant C.G. Seavers of Westport, Co. Mayo, who carried out a substantial amount of work in the region on behalf of the NMI. As Dr Raftery’s excavation notes are not on file, the reports of his investigation are based on his site plans and sections.185 The reports on the other graves are based on a plan of the entire site by Raftery and on letters between the Museum and sources in County Mayo, in particular a local man, Mr Patrick Flannery, who assisted the NMI in the acquisition of the finds from the site.
Location (Fig. 3.109)
The site was in the townland of Ballinchalla, south Co. Mayo, near the town of Ballinrobe.186 The cemetery lay on a gravel esker between 30m and 60m above sea level, approximately 1km east of Lough Mask.
Description of site
Grave 1 (Fig. 3.110)
This was discovered in 1933 by the landowner, Mr Michael O’Connor, while digging sand. It was reported to the NMI by Gardaí at Ballinrobe, who had the bone removed from the cist for the purpose of holding an inquest. This did not take place and the remains were subsequently forwarded to the NMI but were not retained as part of the collection. Unfortunately the details of this grave were not recorded. The cist was discovered at a depth of 0.6m below ground level. It was not investigated by the NMI, and this report is based on the correspondence on file between the Museum and the Garda Síochána at Ballinrobe. It appears to have been a single-chamber long cist, approximately 1.5m long, with its long axis aligned east/west.187 It contained an extended inhumation lying west/east. The remains were not acquired by the NMI.188 No grave-goods were found accompanying the burial.
Grave 2
This was discovered in 1936 in close proximity to grave 1, approximately 0.9m below ground level at the east end and 1.35m at the west end.189 It was investigated by Sergeant Seavers of Westport, Co. Mayo, and the following account is based on his report (Pls 38–40). The cist was rectangular in plan, with its long axis aligned east/west.187 It measured 1.42m long by 0.76m wide by 0.41m deep externally.190 Seavers’s plan does not show the various slabs that formed the cist, but from the photographs it is clear that it was formed of a number of edge-set slabs. The cist was divided into three separate chambers by two upright partition slabs. The easternmost chamber measured 0.56m long internally, the central chamber measured the same and the westernmost chamber was 0.31m long.191 According to Seavers, the stones of the cist did not appear to be local and some were ‘coated with black mud similar to what you would see in a river bed’. The cist did not appear to have been paved and there was no evidence for a capstone, although this may have been removed at the time of discovery.
As the ground around the cist was unstable, it is probable that the evidence for the pit containing the cist was not traceable.
The grave contained three deposits of cremated bones (1936:3761), a number of small stones and some material described by Seavers as ‘seaweed’, but no vessel was found.192 One cremation deposit was placed in the centre of the easternmost chamber, with the ‘seaweed’ placed to the north of it. The second and third cremation deposits were both in the central chamber, one placed in the centre and a smaller one at the northern side.193 The western compartment of the cist contained three small, round stones, described as green, bead-like stone (two noted), and another white bead-like stone ‘mounted on a stone disc’. A preliminary examination of the cremation deposit (recently located in the NMI) has identified three individuals, an adult and an adolescent. A full report will be published in due course (see note 192).
Grave 3 (Pl. 42)
This cist was discovered in June 1939, was excavated in early July 1939 and was published by Dr Joseph Raftery (1942–3). It consisted of a polygonal short cist formed of five limestone slabs and capped with a single limestone slab. It contained the cremated remains of an infant (1939:1140) and an inverted vase urn. The vessel is described below, as the site was radiocarbon-dated subsequent to Raftery’s publication.
Vase urn, 1939:1139 (Fig. 3.113; after Brindley 2007). Only the rim of the vase and the upper portion of the neck survive, to a maximum length of 12cm. The rim has a large internal bevel, decorated with an incised herringbone pattern formed of two rows of short incised lines. The neck is similarly decorated with rows of incised herringbone decoration. Below the neck the vessel was decorated with incised vertical herringbone pattern alternating with incised vertical lines. The fabric is very fine, with very infrequent grits. As the vessel is fragmentary it is not possible to give dimensions.
Date. A sample of carbonate from grave 3 gave a date of 3610±50 BP, which calibrates to 2136–1782 BC at 95.4% probability.195
Grave 4
This grave was discovered in 1943 and came to the attention of the Museum after it had been emptied. The only information about the grave structure is on a site plan by Dr Raftery. The cist was apparently rectangular in plan, with its long axis aligned north-east/south-west. The dimensions of the cist were not noted. It was formed of five edge-set slabs, one forming each wall and one single upright in the centre, which divided the cist into two similarly sized chambers. It was sealed by a single capstone. The cist contained two cremation deposits, one in each chamber, with a vase accompanying each one. Both of the vases had been placed mouth upwards in the cist. The vase in the eastern chamber had a lid, which was in place on the vessel when found. The vessels contained a small amount of the cremation, but the majority of the bone was placed around the bases of the vessels.196
Bipartite vase with lid, 1944:92.1 and 92.2 (Fig. 3.112; Pl. 45). The vase is profusely and finely decorated with incised lines, impressed dots and (on the interior of the neck) impressions. The decorative design consists of alternate vertical zones of rows of small D-shaped impressions and rows of oblique lines sometimes forming herringbone.
One vertical zone consists not of D-shaped impressions but of comb impressions. The conical lid, which neatly fits the vase, originally had a strap-handle (now missing). Its upper surface bears a finely incised star-shaped design, and a similarly executed herringbone pattern occurs beneath its rebated rim. The exterior of the vessel was painted with green paint by the finder.
Dimensions: H c. 17cm; ext. D rim 15.4cm; D base 6.25cm; D of lid 15.2cm.
Dimensions of lid: D 14.4cm; ext. H 4.65cm.
Bipartite vase, 1944:97 (Fig. 3.113). Small vase with a low horizontal rib decorated with incised ornament. The rim bevel is wide, decorated with two rows of short incised lines, forming a herringbone pattern. This incised herringbone decoration is repeated over the remainder of the vessel, apart from a band close to the base, which has been left plain. The base is also plain.
Dimensions: H 10.6cm; ext. D rim 12.88cm; D base 6.4cm; T wall c. 1cm.
Grave 5
This was also discovered in 1943, but the exact circumstances surrounding the discovery are not known. It was located a short distance south of grave 7. The cist was rectangular in plan, with its long axis aligned north-east/south-west. It measured approximately 0.6m by 0.5m internally.197 The cist walls were formed of four slabs set on edge. Whether the cist had a capstone or was paved is not recorded. The grave contained cremated human remains, accompanied by a vase and a ‘fragment of bronze wire’, which was not preserved.198 The exact position of the vessel is not recorded, but it was reported as being in an inverted position in the cist.199 The cremation had been placed around the vessel rather than within it. No further details were available as to the contents of the cist.
Bipartite vase, 1944:98 (Fig. 3.113). This bipartite vase has an everted rim decorated with incised herringbone motif. Externally, on the upper neck there is a zone of long incised lines with a double row of rounded impressions below it. Next, there is a double row of heavily incised zigzag lines; the space between is blank. The shoulder has a narrow raised moulding emphasised by a horizontal row of rounded impressions above and below it. The body of the vessel is decorated with alternating bands of long impressed lines and rows of rounded impressions. Closer to the base there are five rows of slanted lines forming a herringbone pattern.
Dimensions: H 14.7cm; ext. D rim 14.1cm; D base 5.8cm.
Grave 6
This cist was discovered in early 1944. It was located south-east of cist 5 and south-west of cist 4. It was rectangular in plan, with its long axis aligned north-east/south-west. Internally it measured approximately 0.65m by 0.5m. The single chamber was formed of four main edgeset slabs, with that at the south being slightly longer than the northern side slab, and therefore projecting beyond the others at the western end. It is not clear whether the cist was paved or was sealed by a capstone. The grave contained a cremation deposit with a plano-convex knife, apparently contained in a ‘bowl-shaped grass container’.200 Nothing further is recorded with regard to the contents of this grave.
Plano-convex knife, 1944:99 (Fig. 3.113). This knife, of honey-coloured flint, is leaf-shaped with a slightly slanted butt end and pointed top. It is plano-convex in cross-section. The dorsal surface is extensively worked. L 5.4cm; max. W 2.15cm; max. T 0.58cm.
Grave 7
This grave, to the north of grave 5, was discovered in 1944 and was apparently investigated, along with graves 8 and 9, by Dr Raftery.201 It lay approximately 0.6m below ground level (Fig. 3.110). This cist was subrectangular in plan, with its long axis aligned north-east/south-west. Internally it measured 1.32m long by 0.5m wide by 0.46m deep. It was constructed of five main edge-set slabs, one forming each wall and one in the centre, bisecting the cist into two chambers. The slabs were relatively regular in form, with the eastern end slab being considerably longer than that at the west (the lengths being 0.9m and 0.48m respectively). The dividing slab in the centre of the cist was also significantly lower than the end stones, measuring 0.32m high. The westernmost chamber was regular in plan, measuring 0.6m long by 0.5m deep. That at the east was less regular owing to the fact that the eastern end stone lay at an angle to the ends of the side stone. The cist was not paved but there had been a capstone, which was not on the grave when investigated.202 The pit dug to receive the cist was demarcated by its fill of red sand and earth. It was cut out of compact red-brown sand and the base of the cist stones rested on very fine ‘yellowish rabbit [sic] sand’, which underlay the red sand. The pit measured 1.6m long by 0.95m deep. No human remains or artefacts were found in the cist. The extent to which the cist had been disturbed before excavation is not known.
Grave 8
This pit grave was located to the north of grave 7 (Pl. 41). It was discovered in 1944 and was apparently investigated by Raftery. In his letter to Raftery describing the find, Patrick Flannery described the burial as a ‘horseman’s grave’ owing to what he thought were horse teeth at the base of the grave. This was the only pit grave found at the site. Raftery’s sketch shows a rectilinear pit 4.6m long, with an upright stone in the centre approximately 0.3m below ground level and resting on the base of the pit (Fig. 3.111). The upright stone was equal in height to the depth of the grave but did not effectively divide it, as it was very narrow and occupied only a small space in the centre of the grave. According to Raftery’s notes, some horse teeth were noted at the base of the stone and cremated bones were scattered throughout the pit along with charcoal and burned earth, with some heavy concentrations of up to 0.15m deep. A few medium-sized stones were irregularly placed on top of the pit.203
Grave 9
This was also discovered in 1944 and investigated by Joseph Raftery (Pls 43–4). It was located south of grave 8 and directly north of grave 7, at a depth of 0.36m below ground level. The cist was subrectangular in outline, with its long axis aligned north-north-east/south-southwest. Internally it measured 0.43m long by 0.3m wide by 0.3m high (Fig. 3.111). The single chamber was formed of four main slabs set on edge, with one slab constituting each wall. The northern slab was substantially thicker than the others, measuring approximately 0.15m thick (the other slabs measured approximately 0.08m thick). The cist was paved with a layer of large pebbles like cobbles. This layer dipped in the centre of the cist and was higher where it rested against the sidestones. The chamber was covered by a single capstone, which was subrectangular in outline and extended approximately 0.15m beyond the eastern end of the cist. The pit dug to receive the cist measured 1.65m long by 0.8m deep. It was cut into hard, reddish brown sand and was distinguished by its fill of loose brown-yellow sand. The cist contained a deposit of cremated bone representing an adult male (1944:202–4), but no accompanying artefacts were found. The cremation deposit was 0.1m deep, extended over the whole area of the cist and was covered by a layer of loose red sand.
Comment
It is most unfortunate that this site, which produced one of the finest vases in the entire Irish corpus, is so badly recorded. The NMI has records relating to this site from 1933 to 1987. In 1950 the well-known Cork-born artist Robert Gibbings204 provided P.J. Hartnett with a cist (Pl. 42) that he had observed at the site. The drawing had been made some years previously at the time of Dr Raftery’s involvement with the site. In 1987 Mr Patrick Hosty, who was involved in reporting some of the discoveries at the site, donated some charcoal and bones (apparently from cist 5) which he had retained since their discovery. The lack of proper recording and excavation can, in part, be explained by the difficulties encountered in visiting places remote from Dublin during the 1930s and 1940s. Dr Raftery experienced difficulty in obtaining sanction to visit Ballinchalla owing to lack of funds, even though the matter was considered urgent.
Human remains from only grave 2, grave 3 and grave 9 have been curated, and the intriguing references to horse teeth in grave 8 cannot be verified as the remains from this cist do not appear to have been retained.
The lidded vase from grave 4 has been placed in stage 1 by Brindley (2007, 185, fig. 60f), which is dated to between 2020/1990 BC and 1920 BC. Its companion vase is of similar type, although much more simply decorated. The vase urn from grave 3 may be a little later than the vase in date. A sample of carbonate produced a date of 3610±50 BP,205 which calibrates to BC. Brindley (2007, 277) places this vase urn in stage 1 of the development of the vase urn tradition, which is dated to a period of about 60–80 years between 2000/1980 and
There were two double-compartmented cists (graves 4 and 7), while grave 2 was divided into three compartments. Grave 5 contained a bipartite vase which again would fit on the basis of its form and decoration in Brindley’s stage 1 of vase development, making it contemporary with the vases from grave 4. A piece of bronze wire was also reported from cist 5, but this was lost and no description or illustration of it survives. Grave 6 contained a flint blade.
Grave 1, which was exposed in 1933, seems to have been a classic long cist containing an inhumation with its skull at the western end, as might be expected of an early historic period burial. There is not enough information, however, to make any definitive statement. Grave 2, according to a detailed plan and notes provided by Seavers in 1936, contained cremated remains in two compartments, and green and white bead-like stones ‘mounted on a stone disc’194 in the third compartment. Stone discs are known from some early medieval burials, e.g. Island, Co. Sligo, where several were placed around the head of the deceased (V. Buckley et al. 2002). In the absence of datable remains or finds from these cists, it is difficult burial sequence of this site. Clearly there was a phase of intensive early which was badly disturbed on several
occasions by quarrying.
HUMAN REMAINS
LAUREEN BUCKLEY
Introduction
Human remains from only three of nine graves had been retained—graves 2, 3 and 9. Grave 2 had been misidentified and was not available for study. Grave 3 was published previously (see above). Consequently only grave 9 was examined for this study.
Grave 9 (1944:202–4)
The sample consisted of 3,282 fragments of cremated bone, weighing a total of 1,574g. Most of the bone was a creamy white colour, but there were a number of fragments that were blue/black, notably the ribs, vertebrae, metacarpals, phalanges, distal fibula, proximal femur and pelvis, as well as some skull fragments. They were only a small amount of the total sample, however. Table 3.53 shows the fragmentation of the sample, with the largest fragment being 85mm in length.
It can be seen that over half the sample was made up of very large fragments, and that most of the sample consisted of large fragments more than 15mm in length. There is, however, a significant number of smaller fragments.
Table 3.53—Fragmentation of bone, 1944:202–4.
Identifiable bone
A significant proportion of the bone could be identified. This probably reflects the quantity of larger fragments in the sample. A total of 821g (52% of the total bone) was identified. Table 3.54 shows the amount and proportion of the identified bone.
Table 3.55 summarises the main parts of the skeleton identified from this sample. The skull seems to have been collected at the expense of the axial skeleton, as the amount of skull is much higher than it should be and the amount of axial skeleton is about half what it should be. The amount of upper limb is about the same as expected, but the amount of lower limb is slightly higher. The lower limb bones are mainly larger and heavier and easier to pick up than the upper limb bones.
Table 3.54—Proportion of identified bone, 1944:202–4.
Table 3.55—Summary of identified bone, 1944:202–4.
Skull
There were very large fragments of the squamous frontal bone and parietal bone. A left orbit with supraorbital ridges was present, and there was also a right orbit and supraorbital area. The supraorbital ridges were of the male type. A large fragment of occipital and another fragment that almost completed the bone were present. The external occipital protuberance was of the male type. The mastoid area and the mandibular fossa and anterior suture of the left temporal bone were present. There was also the mastoid area of a right temporal bone and part of the squamous area with the posterior zygomatic arch, which was of the male type. The right anterior suture was also present and there was one petrous temporal. There was a partial left zygomatic bone that was blue in colour and a fragment of sphenoid.
Mandible and maxilla
A right mandibular condyle and a few fragments of the mandibular body with some tooth sockets were present. Most of the right side of the maxilla was present but it was very blue.
Dentition
The roots of one mandibular and two maxillary molars were a blue colour. There were other root fragments, including the maxillary right canine and first premolar. The first premolar was double-rooted.
The following sockets were present:
Vertebrae
The dens articulation area from a first cervical vertebra, the dens and body of the second cervical vertebra, two lower cervical vertebral bodies and a few fragments of articular surfaces remained from the cervical vertebrae. The thoracic vertebrae consisted of seven bodies and a few articular surfaces. Two partial lumbar vertebral bodies were present and there were a few articular surfaces. Some of the vertebral fragments were very blue in colour.
Ribs
There were several fragments of shaft, and at least four ribs from the left side and one from the right had their tubercles visible. Some of the rib fragments were very black in colour.
Pelvis
There were some fragments of ilium, including two fragments of iliac crest and one fragment of acetabulum.
Clavicle
One fragment of shaft was present.
Scapula
Two coracoid processes, two acromial spines and one right glenoid area were present. Some of the fragments were encrusted with mineral deposit.
Humerus
The proximal end of the shaft of a left bone with part of a proximal articular surface and the proximal third of the shaft of a right bone with the lesser tuberosity were present, and there were also several fragments from the mid-shaft area.
Radius
The proximal end of a left radius with the tuberosity was present and there was a proximal joint end. There were fragments of shaft, including fragments from the distal end of a left bone, and one left and one right distal articular surface.
Ulna
The proximal parts of two ulnar shafts were present and there were also fragments of the middle and distal parts of the shaft, with one fragment from the distal third of a bone with most of the distal joint surface present. A fragment from another distal end with the joint surface was also present.
Carpals, metacarpals, phalanges
The left lunate, a partial right scaphoid and nine metacarpal shafts including a first and a second were present. There were also nine proximal, two middle and four distal phalanges.
Femur
A large fragment from near the neck of one femur was present and there were some large fragments of shaft. Some were from the middle of the bone and the linea aspera was present. The medial condyles of two distal ends were present but they were encrusted with mineral deposits.
Tibia
Several fragments of shaft were present, including the posterior shaft near the proximal end with the nutrient foramen visible. There were fragments from the anterior surface of the bone, including the tubercle from the left bone and a large fragment of the right bone with the tubercle visible. The distal joint surface of the right bone was present.
Fibula
Fragments of shaft and a left and a right distal end were identified.
Patella
A left and a right patella were present and almost complete. They were very blue.
Tarsal, metatarsals, phalanges
There were fragments of two calcanea, two tali and fragments of left and right navicular, as well as six metatarsal shafts, the heads of two first metatarsals and one proximal first phalanx.
Minimum number of individuals
There were no repetitions of skeletal elements so there appears to be only one adult male present in this sample.
Summary and conclusions
This represents the full cremation of one adult male. Most skeletal elements were present but there seems to have been poor collection of the vertebrae and ribs from the pyre. The cremation does not appear to have been deliberately fragmented but parts of it were not fully cremated. These included small bones of the hands and feet, which tend to fall away from the pyre, and some of the back of the individual, including the vertebrae and ribs. This might indicate that the burial was too close to the ground during the process and there was not enough oxygen flow for efficient cremation. It might also explain the poor collection of vertebrae, as they would have been a similar colour to the remaining charcoal, in addition to being in very small fragments, and would have been difficult to spot during the collection process.
182. Graves 1, 3, 5, 6, and 9. Four of these were short cists and one (grave 1) was a long cist.
183. Graves 4 and 7.
184. Grave 2.
185. As Dr Raftery published his excavation of grave 3 (1942–3), this is not reported on in this volume.
186. Parish of Ballinchalla, barony of Kilmaine. SMR MA117-028——. IGR 115903 261577.
187. It is probable that it was built of edge-set slabs, similar to the others found on the site, but this cannot be verified. The width of the cist was not noted.
188. According to Mahr’s correspondence, the remains were to be given to an institution as part of an anatomical collection.
189. Exact distance from grave 1 not recorded.
190. As Seavers’s plan is not to scale, it is not possible to obtain the internal dimensions of the cist.
191. The dimensions of the side slabs and partition slabs are not known.
192. The human remains from grave 2 had been acquired but were registered under an incorrect townland name and remained unlocated until late 2010, when this volume was in press.
193. According to Raftery (1940–1, 304), the deposits were located in the two end chambers, but Seavers’s plan is at variance with this opinion. This information was supplied to Raftery by the landowner, Mr O’Connor, in
1939, some three years after its initial discovery and investigation by Garda Seavers. It would seem that the Seavers report is more reliable, as it was written at the time of investigation.
194. There is no record to suggest that these stones were retained.
195. GrA-14637.
196. Although there is a letter on file which alludes to the transportation of the bones to the NMI, these remains have not been registered and have not been located.
197. These measurements are taken from Raftery’s plan of the site.
198. The human remains (1987:150) were donated to the Museum by Mr Patrick Hosty, from whom the vase had been acquired in 1944.
199. According to a letter from Mr Patrick Flannery (p. 22 of NMI topographical file).
200. The bones have not been registered and the ‘grass container’ was not preserved.
201. Unfortunately Dr Raftery’s excavation notes are not on file.
202. A capstone is included in Raftery’s plan.
203. No finds from this cist have been registered or located to date. They are assumed not to have been acquired.
204. Robert Gibbings (1889–1958) was a grandson of Robert Day, the Cork collector and antiquarian.
205. GrA-14637.
