County: Kildare Site name: KILGLASS, CO. KILDARE,
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR KD003-007 Licence number: E1085
Author: A. T. LUCAS
Site type: Graves of indeterminate date
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 668262m, N 738848m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.395373, -6.973634
Introduction
In March 1954 a number of inhumation burials were discovered in a sandpit near Carbury, Co. Kildare. Workers at the site removed virtually all of the bone from its context, believing it to be animal bone. The site was then visited by Mr Callagy, Assistant County Engineer, who ordered that all work be ceased in this area pending an official examination. He then informed the NMI. The site was visited the following day by Dr A.T. Lucas. Approximately one week after Lucas’s first investigation, a second find of skeletal material was reported in the same area. The condition of these remains enabled a more thorough investigation. Four more extended inhumations in unprotected graves were discovered. In all, the remains of seven individuals were recovered (P1954:3–6). This report is based on Lucas’s two excavation reports and on the anatomical report by Mr D.M. Davies
.
Location (Fig. 6.17)
The site was in the townland of Kilglass in north County Kildare, close to the border with County Meath.24 There was no local tradition of a burial ground in the area.
Description of site
Grave 1
This grave was inspected on Lucas’s first visit to the site. The pit was roughly rectangular in outline, with its long axis running south-west/north-east. It measured 1.7m long by 1m wide. According to the finders, the grave was paved with cobbles, which lay at a depth of c. 1m below the ground surface. These had been removed by the time Lucas visited the site. According to the workmen, the paving was made up of ordinary rounded stones, with the average stone
being the size of ‘two fists’. No capstones or side stones were visible. It was not possible to discern the outline of the grave since it happened to have been made in a large pocket of earth within the gravel.
The grave contained an extended inhumation burial without any accompanying artefacts. The body was aligned south-west/north-east, with the head to the south-west (P1954:3–6). Further details of the position and posture of the skeleton were not recorded.25 The pit was excavated down to the clay floor, in which a few fragments of bone were visible. It was not possible to say whether these had formed part of the main burial. As the fill of the grave had been shovelled down the face of the quarry, all recent material was scraped down to the bottom of the slope and examined. A few pieces of bone were all that was recovered from this Area.
Grave 2
This lay about 2.5m from grave 1 at a depth of 0.35m below ground level. The grave had been dug down to the level of the sand, which formed the floor of the pit. The remains lay in what Lucas describes as a sticky yellow clay. No further information was noted as to the grave structure, but it was presumably an unprotected dug grave. The grave contained an extended inhumation and no accompanying artefacts were found. The body lay parallel to that in grave 1, with the head to the south-west. It lay in a supine position, with the hands resting on the pelvic region and the legs side by side and close together. The skull had been broken and the foot bones scattered. The length from the head to the lower extremity of the tibia was about 1.4m.
Grave 3
This burial lay between and parallel to grave 2 and grave 1 at a distance of about 1m from the latter. The grave had been dug into the underlying sand. No other details were noted as to the structure of the grave, but it is presumed to have been an unprotected dug grave. It contained an inhumation burial and no accompanying artefacts were found. This grave had been much disturbed in the region of the skull but it was possible to tell that it lay in an extended position, parallel to the others investigated.
Grave 4
This was located 1m west of grave 2 at a depth of 0.5m below ground level. No details are noted as to the structure of the grave, but it was presumably an unprotected dug grave. Like grave 3, it had been dug into the underlying sand. The grave contained an extended inhumation that lay parallel to the other graves, i.e. south-west/north-east. No accompanying artefacts were discovered.
Comment
The bone assemblage from this site has not been re-examined. In the absence of any associated finds it is not possible to suggest a date for these burials.
HUMAN REMAINS
D. M. DAVIES26
P1954:3–6—cranium—there are 131 fragments. From a temporary reconstruction of two of the skulls they are brachicephalic; this is a Bronze Age feature, generally understood. Nothing very unusual about any of the skulls except that the sutures are not closed in some cases, and there are fragments of a skull of a young male; though there are a few child’s bones there are no child’s skull bones; though the skull bones are thick, being, in some cases, 8–10mm in depth.
Lower mandible no. l—represented by two fragments, these being left side of ramus, and the mental eminence; height of mental eminence or symphysis = 25mm. There are large foramina mentii. This jaw is of a young person of circa fifteen years of age. Lower mandible no. 2—consisting of complete right side and part of left, all the teeth in situ and belong to the front and right-hand portion of the jaw. The teeth present consist of all the incisors, all the premolars and three molars, including one third molar, there being eleven in all. The third molar is well developed. All the teeth present have been ground down and there seems to be no sign of decay. Height of symphysis = 27.5mm; a very pointed and prominent chin, probably of a female circa 50–60; again large foramina mentii. Lower mandible no. 3—the lower part of this jaw is complete but the rami have been shattered. Teeth in situ, seven, being three incisors, two canines, two premolars; there are also four loose teeth belonging to this jaw (two canine and two molars). The teeth which are present show no sign of decay, but have been worn down. Jaw probably of a male, between 50 and 60; again large foramina mentii.
The third molars have long since come and gone.
Height of symphysis—33mm.
Bigonial width—83mm.
Lower mandible no. 4—probably of female, consists only of three fragments, one being of the mental eminence, probably of the same type of prominent jaw, and another being the left side of the lower jaw, with the wisdom tooth socket, and premolar tooth socket of the lower jaw.
Lower mandible no. 5—consists of three fragments; one is of the right side with ramus and broken front portion, and left side almost complete plus the right side of the ramus; the jaw when temporarily reconstructed yields the following measurements:
Bigonial—width 99mm.
Height of symphysis—21mm.
Width of ramus—39.5mm.
Height of ramus—69mm.
The majority of the teeth are present, the only exception being where the break in the front occurs; teeth in situ, fourteen; all ground down increasing to the back including the third molars (both of these are present, and fairly well developed).
Large foramina mentii; this is the jaw of a man circa 40.
Lower mandible no. 6—consists of part of mental eminence only. Besides these lower mandibles represented there are about 20 loose teeth, some with three roots, an early feature.
Upper mandible no. 1—consists of right side of jaw, also right maxillary and molar, thus giving the shape of the orbit.
Six teeth in situ, ground down with splayed roots; teeth present, two molars, two premolars, one canine, one incisor; probably this is the upper mandible belonging to no. 5. No sign of decay; width of orbit = 39mm.
Upper mandible no. 2—consists of rest of right side of upper jaw and four teeth in situ, two
pre-molars, two molars. No sign of decay; all ground down; probably associated with jaw no. 1.
Upper mandible no. 3—small part of right side, and two pre-molars in situ.
Upper mandible no. 4—only consists of a small fragment of the right side, one tooth socket.
Upper mandible no. 5—consists of two fragments of left side, in [sic] larger teeth, four teeth in situ. Two premolars and two molars; these upper mandible fragments may pair up with lower mandible no. 3. Splayed roots, cusps ground down on one side only; the other fragment is also of the left side, with two teeth sockets.
Clavicles—few and fragmentary; two left; two right; and the almost complete clavicle of a child of about 3 years.
Ribs—69 ribs and fragments, including two complete of child, one being the first rib; this in conjunction with the clavicle, ulnae etc. goes to prove that there are the remains of a child present of circa three years old buried with the adults.
Vertebrae—65 vertebral bones, including atlas and axis in situ.
Bones—three sacral bones; one in fine state of preservation, and of a female.
Pelvic bones—fifteen pelvic bones; one at least of male.
Scapulae bones and fragments—22.
Sternum— one small piece (with ribs).
Humeri—23 fragments, including seven heads, from at least four individuals.
Ulnae bones—eighteen represented by the heads of ulnae, four left and two right. There is one left of a child too, further proof [of child burial]; one of these ulnae is very malformed, I would consider that it came from a very old individual.
Radii bones—six fragments and one complete; left measures 255mm.
Hands and feet—108 bones and fragments; also with these several fragments of bone, none of great importance,
Femora—one pair nearly complete. There are many fragments; the numbered pieces 2, 3, and 4 connected up possibly; others too if further research is carried out upon them. There
are no measurements worth taking.
Patellae—two probably from the same skeleton.
Tibiae—made up of 39 fragments, there are two complete, and two nearly complete; at least four individuals represented, as there are four pairs, four right and four left tibiae. Pair no. 2, right = 363mm to spine; pair no. 4, both measurable, left 375mm to end of spine; right 372mm to end of spine.
Some of these it can be seen are on the large side.
Fibulae—33 fibulae bones; two nearly complete; by what can be deduced the fibulae were short, hence short forearms.
Animal bones in association:
1 modern rib of sheep,
1 pre-molar of ox, contemporaneous with the human bones.
24. Parish of Kilrainy, barony of Carbury. SMR KD003-007——. IGR 268327 238823.
25. The original bone report does not correlate the grave number with the human remains, so it is not possible to tell which individual(s) came from which grave.
26. This report is presented as written by Mr Davies, with some minor editing for clarity
