1987:16 - TAYLORSGRANGE, The Brehon's Chair, Dublin

A fourth season's excavation was carried out at the 'Brehon's Chair' portal tomb in Taylorsgrange during a six-week period in February/March 1987. The main objectives of the excavation were to ascertain the limit and significance of the material already uncovered, and by so doing to clear the area for the construction of the proposed Southern Cross Route Motorway. The excavation was fully equipped and financed by Dublin County Council.

Feature 5, a ditch or trench-like feature which extends for some 46m in a west to east direction before turning abruptly to the north and continuing for a further 58m in this direction, was investigated. (This trench continues further in both directions, but it was considered sufficient to stop at this point.) It is U-shaped in profile and measured up to 1m in depth and 1.2m in width. The finds of flint and pottery were restricted to the upper level of this feature over a 3m-long area. The general fill was composed of a dark brown homogeneous clay with occasional flecks of cremated bone appearing in the western extremity. The only likely function for the trench is that it represents some type of early land boundary.

In conjunction with the secondary deposit of carbonised grain found in the trench, a further secondary phase of use was also discovered. This took the form of a stone-built structure. For some 7.2m in total length the trench was lined with substantial upright granite stones. The formation was that of a central area measuring 3.6m in length, the sides lined by uprights and a series of granite capstones covering the area. At the southern and northern end of this a circular bowl-like arrangement of stones was discovered. The southern bowl was well-formed and composed of upright stones; it does not appear to have had any covering. The northern bowl, though also defined by large uprights, was not as uniform in shape and had been altered during its period of use. Significant burning had taken place within this structure as represented by a large amount of oxidised clay. Several small fragments of cremated bone were found in the fill.

To the south of this feature a furnace was found. This appeared as a circular area measuring 0.55m in diameter. It was defined as a circular ring of highly oxidised clay, and an inner fill composed of dark brown clay mixed with vitreous material. It was U-shaped in section and was cut directly into the boulder clay.

To the east of the stone structure and in the area of the furnace a scatter of stakeholes was discovered. These had no identifiable pattern and probably represent a series of shelters in what was obviously a work area. Several large pits were also found in the vicinity of the furnace. They all consisted of a dark brown clay fill. No finds were recovered from them and there is no indication of their possible use.

A small number of flint artefacts were the only portable finds from this season.

To summarise, the vast number and range of features and artefacts recovered from the site indicate that several phases of activity took place. These range from the Neolithic/earlier Bronze Age to Iron Age and possibly even later. The results of the various analyses currently being carried out should throw more light on the extent and duration of these phases of activity.

Universitat Tubingen, Institut fur Urgeschichte (Jagerische Archaologie), Schloss, D7400 Tubingen 1