County: Antrim Site name: DOOEY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Brian B. Williams, Historic Monuments and Buildings Branch, DOE(NI).
Site type: Habitation site
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 693931m, N 942481m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 55.220592, -6.523750
Excavations were undertaken at three sites in the sandhills close to the River Bush on the estate of Sir Patrick McNaghten. The sandhills were overgrazed by cattle some years ago, opening up the dunes and leading to erosion of sites. The work was undertaken over four weeks in August and September and was funded by Historic Monuments and Buildings Branch DOE(NI).
Site 1
This was situated close to an old tramway bridge over the River Bush. It consisted of a south-facing terrace in the dunes. Neolithic pottery, flint cores, blades and a hammerstone were found on the surface. Excavation uncovered a sandy layer in which flint flakes and cores were found. This covered a cobbled occupation surface which was almost horizontal and ran in underneath the sand dune 8 metres below the summit. A pit, the material from which had been dumped to one side forming a small bank, was associated with the layer. Crude flint debitage littered the occupation surface, while several flint flakes together with a few fragments of carbonised hazelnut shell were found in the fill of the pit. The layer was set on natural.
Site 2
This was a mound of flint nodules amongst which were frost shattered pieces. Despite meticulous excavation of the site no worked cores, flakes or implements were found. It appears that the flint was left as a dump of raw material but was never worked on the site.
Site 3
Close to Site 2 at the base of a sand dune was an area of settlement debris. Pottery and flints have been found there over the years, but erosion has now removed the site. A trench across part of the area did not recover any archaeological material.
