County: Wicklow Site name: RATHGALL (td. Rath East)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Mr. B. Raftery, Dept of Archaeology, University College Dublin
Site type: Hillfort
Period/Dating: Iron Age (800 BC-AD 339)
ITM: E 690131m, N 673140m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.801715, -6.663352
Spring 1972:
A five weeks’ season of investigation took place on the southern slopes of the hill 100m beyond the outermost rampart. Evidence of occupation came to light in most cuttings in the form of pits, postholes and scattered potsherds. Most interesting structural remains consisted of two carefully dug ring ditches, one annular, the other penannular and enclosing areas 4.5m and 3.5m in diameter respectively. Many postholes were found, both inside and outside the penannular ditch. These ditches did not form trenches for house foundations and no obvious practical function which, they might have served can be suggested.
At all events it can be assumed that this occupation on the eastern slopes is contemporary with that found inside the fort on the hilltop.
Summer 1972:
The area in the vicinity of the “workshop” structure first unearthed in 1970 was extensively investigated. Although the size or plan of the workshop was not established major occupation levels were brought to light, which proved exceptionally prolific in terms of Late Bronze Age artifacts. These included further enormous quantities of coarse pottery, mould fragments, objects of glass, bronze, lignite, stone and four objects of gold.
Structurally the remains of a small rectangular house were recognised and a ring ditch enclosing an area some 16m in diameter was partly uncovered.
Several widely dispersed cuttings were made within the second hillfort enclosure, and in every case occupation debris was found. Thus it can be seen that the extent of the original Late Bronze Age settlement at Rathgall was considerable.
