County: Cork Site name: GUILEEN, Ballintra West
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Gina Johnson, Archaeology Dept., University College Cork
Site type: Prehistoric site - lithic scatter
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 586542m, N 560263m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.794490, -8.195090
The presence of a prehistoric site at Guileen, Co. Cork, was first recognised during the examination of a ploughed field, when a large number of flint artefacts were collected from the surface. The field was subsequently walked on a number of occasions and a similar quantity of flint artefacts collected.
It is particularly significant that the artefacts from Guileen are exclusively of flint, since there is no known abundant flint source in the immediate area. The most likely source is the nearby beach, which would have provided small pebbles of varying quality. It is possible, however, that the flint was brought in from elsewhere.
The flint artefacts were scattered throughout much of the field with two main concentrations of surface material. One of these concentrations produced a number of uni-plane cores (cores from which flakes were struck from one face only and which are found, most frequently, in later Mesolithic contexts). These were associated with a collection of relatively large flakes and blades, which included two small 'Bann flakes' and a related 'Ban-form'. The second concentration produced uniformly smaller flakes, blades and cores.
While the uni-plane cores and the larger flakes and blades resemble later Mesolithic material, the smaller flakes and blades are not diagnostic of any particular lithic industry. So, although there was no doubt that the latter pieces were struck (indicating human activity), there were no definite indications as to which period they may have belonged to.
Since the concentration of larger flakes and blades was relatively well defined, it was decided to excavate in the area of the second concentration, that is, the area which produced the smaller flakes, blades and cores.
The primary intention of this small-scale excavation was to try to ascertain whether or not the original site, or part of that site, remained intact. It was hoped that it would be possible to define the limits of the lithic scatter and to determine the general dating of the material, either through diagnostic artefacts or through other forms of evidence.
Eight test-trenches were opened: four 2m x 2m trenches and four 1m x 1m trenches. These were situated so as to determine the extent of the lithic scatter and to assess the overall stratigraphy of the area.
The outer limits of the lithic scatter were identified by the relative scarcity of flint artefacts in certain trenches. In general, where the surface concentrations had occurred, there was a larger quantity of flint recovered during the excavation. These artefacts were also similar in type to the surface-collected artefacts, although they appear to be slightly less weathered. As with the material from the field surface, the artefacts from the excavation had no diagnostic characteristics and therefore there are no further indications of the dating of the material.
The majority of the flint artefacts came from disturbed 'plough-zones' and were accompanied by modern pottery and clay-pipe fragments, all clearly in disturbed contexts. Apart from modern plough-lines, there were no features or any evidence for an undisturbed 'occupation' level.
One example of a retouched artefact was recovered, which had steep retouch on one edge and is simply classed as a 'retouched flake'. Apart from a small number of blades, the rest of the assemblage consists of flakes and debitage (tiny pieces of flint, under c. 2cm long, which are not retouched).
Although the major concentration of the surface collection in this area was explored, there are a number of other areas which merit investigation, particularly the concentration of larger flakes and blades. It is hoped that it will be possible to return to the site at a later date.
The surface collection at Guileen was identified by Professor P.C. Woodman during the course of an extensive field study of the Cork region, funded by the Royal Irish Academy Archaeological Research Fund. Funding for the excavation was provided by the Wenner Gren Association and the excavation ran from 28 September to 5 October 1986.
A summary report has been submitted to the Office of Public Works, but because of the inconclusive results of the excavation there are no plans to publish the report elsewhere.
