- KILGRANEY, CO. CARLOW, Carlow

Introduction
In September 1986 while ploughing on a farm at Kilgraney, Co. Carlow, Mr Seamus Power struck a large stone, which turned out to be the capstone of a short cist. The cist contained a cremation accompanied by two bowls. The find was reported to the NMI and a three-day rescue excavation was undertaken by Mary Cahill (Pl. 19).²¹ The human remains from the site were examined by Barra Ó Donnabháin.

Location (Fig. 3.5)
The site was in the townland of Kilgraney, west Co. Carlow, close to the border with County Kilkenny.²² It lay between 60m and 90m above sea level, looking towards Mount Leinster to the south-east and the Castlecomer plateau to the north-west. No sites of similar date are known from this townland.

Fig. 3.5—Location map, Kilgraney, Co. Carlow.

Description of site
The cist was rectangular in plan, with its long axis aligned north-west/south-east. Internally it measured 0.61m long by 0.41m wide by 0.3m high. It was constructed of four main slabs set on edge. These stones were large in size, with maximum dimensions of 0.74m long by 0.2m thick by c. 0.35m high. The south-eastern end stone sealed the cist completely, measuring 0.6m in length, while that at the north-west end measured 0.35m in length. The corner between the latter and the south-western side slab was supported externally by five packing stones of varying sizes. Four packing stones were also found outside the north-eastern side of the cist (Fig. 3.6). The capstone of the cist, which had been removed prior to excavation, measured 1.48m long by 0.98m wide by 0.36m thick and would have covered the entire grave. The floor of the cist was not paved. Evidence for the pit dug to receive the cist was probably removed prior to the excavation, as a large hole had been dug around the cist by the finders.
The cist contained the cremated remains of three individuals (an adult male, an adult female and a juvenile, 1986:139), one complete ribbed bowl and sherds of a second bowl. The main cremation deposit was placed in a central position on the floor of the cist and some of the cremation was also found outside the north-east corner of the cist. The ribbed bowl was found in the south-western corner of the cist and sherds of a second undecorated ribbed bowl were found in the south-eastern corner of the cist, opposite the decorated bowl.

Pottery
Ribbed bowl, 1986:137 (Fig. 3.7)
This is a complete, reconstructed bowl with four ribs. The upper part of the bowl is decorated by three wide bands of running triangles formed by oblique strokes of varying length. Each band is bordered by a row of short oblique strokes beginning at the rim of the vessel (four rows in all). The area between each pair of ribs is decorated by two rows of short strokes. Below the fourth rib is a wide band of four rows of short strokes, followed by a broad chevron pattern of four rows of short strokes. A band of oblique strokes of varying length forms a band that fills the voids of the chevron. Below this is a final band formed by three rows of short strokes. The rim is internally bevelled and decorated by a band of short, straight strokes. The base is plain. Dimensions: max. H 13cm; max. D rim 15.6cm; D base 6.5cm.

Fig. 3.6—Plan and sections of grave and capstone, Kilgraney, Co. Carlow.

Fig. 3.7—Ceramic vessels, Kilgraney, Co. Carlow.

Undecorated bowl, 1986:138 (Fig. 3.7)
Five undecorated sherds of a ribbed bowl. The surface of the surviving sherds is badly worn. Estimated dimensions if complete: max. H 13cm; max. D rim 15cm; D base 6.5cm.

Comment
As there was no unburnt bone or charcoal in the cist it was not possible to get a radiocarbon date at the time of discovery. Cremated bone can now be dated but this site was not selected for dating during this project. The complete vessel is a ribbed bowl as defined by Ó Ríordáin and Waddell (1993, 16), with the simple banded ornament of Brindley’s stage 1 development of the bowl tradition, which has been dated to the period 2160–2080 BC. The remaining sherds of the second vessel are also from a ribbed bowl but in this case the vessel is undecorated. A small number of undecorated ribbed bowls are known, such as the one from Merginstown Demesne, Co. Wicklow (Ó Ríordáin and Waddell 1993, 226, fig. 342). The sherds recovered from Kilgraney were in very poor condition when excavated in contrast to the other vessel, which, although broken, was in good condition. This may be due to the micro-environment within the cist, or perhaps, more likely, this vessel was incomplete when deposited. The presence in the cremation deposit of a male, female and child makes it difficult to avoid the implication that the deposit represents a family group, although the circumstances that resulted in their cremation and burial together remain unknown. There was no evidence to suggest that the cremation represented anything other than one phase of deposition.

HUMAN REMAINS
BARRA Ó DONNABHÁIN

Introduction
Samples of bone (1986:139) from four contexts were examined. These were initially washed over a 1mm sieve and any remaining debris was then removed by hand. The contents of the cist were disturbed during or after its discovery. One sample contains 1,197.1g of bone (sample 4) that was removed from the cist at this time. The largest of the four samples consists of 1,217.3g of undisturbed bone that formed the matrix of the fill of the cist (sample 1; see Table 3.5). Within this fill of bone and soil, and adjacent to one of the vessels found at the site, there was a concentration of cremated bone more densely packed than elsewhere in the cist. This pocket of bone forms the third sample and weighed 572.1g (sample 2). The fourth sample consists of just 65.6g of cremated bone that was found between the stones in the north-west corner of the cist (sample 3). The undisturbed cist fill contained the remains of two adults and a child. Two adults were also found in the bones that were disturbed prior to excavation. These appear to be the same individuals. The samples from each context are described separately below.

Undisturbed cist fill (sample 1)
This contained about 2,285 fragments of very efficiently cremated bone. The remains have the cracking and checking that occurs when bone is subjected to high temperatures for a long time. The bone fragments are grossly warped. The fragments are generally quite small, about 70% being less than 20mm long. The largest fragment has a maximum length of 98.1mm. The remains are those of at least two adults. This is indicated by the duplication of one bone fragment—the petrous portion of the right temporal. Apart from these fragments, it is not possible to determine which pieces of bone derive from which individual.

Table 3.5—Weights and percentages of identified bone fragments from undisturbed cist fill, sample 1.

Table 3.5 lists the anatomical points of origin of the identified fragments, along with their weights and their percentages of the identified total. This table shows that, despite the recent disturbance, the deposit contains a relatively comprehensive collection of all the body parts. This impression of a meticulous recovery of bone fragments is borne out by the fact that the collection includes many of the smaller bones of the body—phalanges, carpals, tarsals and even sesamoid bones.

Age and sex
Some of the bone fragments are very gracile, suggesting, perhaps, that at least one of these individuals was female. It is not possible to determine the sex of the second person in this deposit. One fragment of a right pubis was identified. The pubic symphysis has the billowed appearance that occurs in younger adults. This bone probably belonged to an individual who was aged between 20 and 30 years at the time of death.

Dentition
Portions of a left mandible were found in this sample. The following teeth were present in this lower jaw at the time of death:

The remaining tooth sockets were not observable.
No skeletal anomalies or pathological changes were noted in the remains from this context.

Concentration of bone found adjacent to vessel (sample 2)
This 572.1g of bone contained 1,310 fragments, similar in size to those found elsewhere in the undisturbed deposit. The largest fragment recovered from this concentration of bone has a maximum length of 76mm.
These bones also show the cracking, checking and gross warping that are indicative of a highly efficient cremation process. The sample contains the remains of at least three individuals. One was a child while the other two were adults.

Adults Table 3.6a lists the points of origin of the identified fragments as well as their weight and the percentage they form of the identified total. This shows that a comprehensive collection of all major body parts took place. The smaller skeletal elements also occur in this collection: eighteen phalanges, two tarsals and a hyoid bone were found. The presence of two adults was indicated by the duplication of one bone—the anterior portion of the left temporal.

Age and sex.
It was not possible to determine the sex of either individual. The few observable cranial sutures were open and convoluted, suggesting that at least one of three individuals was a younger adult.

Dentition. One fragment of a right maxilla was recovered. The following teeth were present at the time of death:

Table 3.6a—Weights and percentages of identified fragments recovered from sample 2: concentration of bone found adjacent to vessel (adult remains only).

The remaining tooth positions were not observable.

Child
Only eight fragments of the child’s skeleton were identified. These included the petrous portions of both temporals, two vertebral pedicles and four metatarsal/metacarpal fragments. An age estimate can only be based on the general size of the bones and is therefore made with diffidence: the size of the remains suggests that this was a neonate or an infant in the first year of its life. No pathological changes/anomalies were noted in either the adult or the child remains.

Pocket of bone from between stones of cist (sample 3)
This sample consists of 65.6g of efficiently burnt human bone. It was possible to identify 29 of the 125 fragments and these all belong to the skeleton of an adult. The largest fragment is 55.5mm long but the average fragment size is about 15mm. These bone fragments appear to be part of the main deposit in the cist and probably represent some incidental spillage.

Disturbed bone (sample 4)
Some of the cremation deposit was scattered outside the cist when the site was discovered. This bone was carefully collected during the excavation and the sample recovered consists of 1,197.1g of bone. These fragments are extremely well burnt and have been grossly distorted by the heat. The pieces of bone in this sample are generally larger than those in the undisturbed deposit. The largest piece has a maximum length of 135.15mm, while the average fragment size is about 30mm. This deposit also contains the remains of two adults—a male and a female. The weights of identified bone fragments are listed in Table 3.6b. Percentages of the identified total are also given for the bones—these ratios are quite similar to those already seen in Tables 3.5 and 3.6a. All body parts are represented, including, again, many of the smaller bones of the body.
The presence of two individuals is indicated by the duplication of the occipital squama, the right temporal, the maxilla, the mandible and the right clavicle.

Table 3.6b—Weights and percentages of identified fragments recovered from disturbed cremated bone, sample 4.

Age and sex
The state of fusion of some of the endocranial sutures suggests that at least one individual was a younger adult. Fragments of two ilia were identified. One definitely belonged to a female. The sex of the other individual cannot be determined with such confidence. The shape of the nuchal crest and mandible suggests that this was probably a male.

Dentition
The remains of two mandibles and two maxillae were recovered from this deposit of disturbed bone. Unfortunately, it was not possible to determine which mandible belonged with which maxilla. The mandibles contained the following teeth at the times of death:

The maxillae contained the following teeth:

The remaining tooth positions were not available for observation. There was no evidence of dental pathology. No other evidence for skeletal anomalies or pathological changes was noted in the remains.

Conclusions
The remains from each of the four samples are essentially the same cremation deposit. Combining the four samples, a minimum number of individuals count shows that the remains are those of at least two adults and an infant. Despite their general similarity, the samples differ in minor aspects. That part of the deposit that was disturbed after the discovery of the site differed from the rest of the deposit only in terms of the average fragment size. The fragments that were disturbed are generally larger and indicate that the bigger pieces of bone were at the top of the deposit.

The concentration of bone recovered from the area adjacent to the vessel contained the remains of the infant—these were not found elsewhere in the deposit. Apart from this difference, this pocket of densely packed bone is like a subsample of the rest of the undisturbed cremated bone.

The deposit seems to consist of an adult male and female and an infant. At least one of the adults was probably less than 30 years at the time of death; indeed, both may have been younger adults. The remains were very efficiently cremated. The gross warping of the fragments was probably caused by the weight of the pyre material and suggests that the bodies were placed under the pyre. Similar evidence for the positioning of the body in the pyre was found in a cremation from an urn found at Nevinstown, Co. Meath (Ó Donnabháin, this volume, pp 371–7). With the exception of the infant skeleton, the retrieval of bone fragments after the cremation episode appears to have been meticulous. All body parts were recovered, including many of the smaller bones of the body.

REPORT ON THE PETROLOGY OF THE CAPSTONE AND ON CERAMICS MATRICES
J.S. JACKSON

Part of capstone of cist
Extremely decomposed coarse granite in which the felspars are kaolinised and iron-stained by the decomposition of the biotite (black mica). Observations on provenance as for above. [Sample] located within the granite area of the Blackstairs and provenance can be immediately local.

Pottery vessel 1986:137
Identifiable material in the ceramic matrix includes quartz fragments and grog (i.e. brokenup fragments of pre-existing pottery used as additives to fresh pottery clay to prevent mass shrinkage and cracking). The quartz grains are usually of milky quartz and are very small, rarely exceeding 0.5mm in diameter. They are well rounded or subrounded in shape and would come from quartzose and sand rather than from crushed granite.

Pottery vessel 1986:138
Fragments in the pottery sherds include muscovite flakes (white mica), ferruginous quartz fragments and long, milky quartz angular fragments. A feldspar (-orthodas) crystal, 3mm long by 1mm across, shows a cleavage face. There is a small fragment of iron-stained granite with a lath-shaped felspar crystal and quartz in one discrete fragment. In other fragments there are milky quartz, clear quartz (‘rock crystal’) both as grain and as very angular fragments with re-entrant angles, and angular fragments of ferromagnesian minerals, probably amphibole and muscovite. All fragments identified in the ceramic matrix are consistent with a granite source, partly from river sand but mostly from crushed and broken granite. Kilgraney townland is in the Leinster Granite, close to the margin, which would explain the occurrence of a broken crystal of andalusite in one sherd, a mineral associated with the metamorphic aureole surrounding the granite. Provenance can be immediately local.

21. Assisted by Niall Brady.
22. Parish of Lorum, barony of Idrone East. SMR CW019-076——. IGR 270690 155410.