County: Meath Site name: KNOWTH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: George Eogan, Dept .of Archaeology, University College, Dublin
Site type: Megalithic tombs - passage tombs and Habitation sites
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 699429m, N 773517m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.701880, -6.494157
During this season the objective was to finalise specific problems associated with the later phases of settlement at Knowth, the Early Christian, Medieval and Post-Medieval periods. Excavation concentrated on four areas outside the limits of Site 1.
1. Large Ditch (located to the north and east of Site 1)
Part of this double ditch complex (A and B) had been investigated during previous seasons. Ditch A, the longest of the two, extended for 44m running roughly parallel to the modern road and then curving away from it in a south-easterly direction. The scale of this V-shaped ditch is impressive being 1 .6m in maximum depth and 2.6m in width at the mouth. Ditch B, located on the northern side and parallel to it, measured 1m in maximum depth and 1.6m in width at the mouth. There was no evidence for a bank. All artefacts, including pottery and iron objects, suggest a medieval date.
2. Cobbled surface (on eastern area of site)
An area in front of the Eastern Tomb was excavated to expose a large cobbled yard. Stratigraphic and artefactual evidence suggest an Early Christian date for this cobbled spread. One of the artefacts found among the cobbles was a blue glass bead, and is typical of other Early Christian glass beads found elsewhere in the site. Stratigraphy also shows that this cobbled spread was not an isolated Early Christian feature but was part of a more elaborate structural complex including two rectangular houses, a souterrain and the reutilised chamber of the East Tomb.
3. Post-Medieval House (Located south-east of Site 1.)
This house, which had already been partly excavated, was completed this year. Although badly damaged, a sufficient portion survived allowing a comprehensive study of the structure. The greater part of the western wall was uncovered, measuring 6m in length. The walls were mainly made up of rectangular dressed stones, averaging 3.0m in diameter. The southern wall survived complete with south-western and south-eastern corners, measuring 5m in length. Only 1.7m of the eastern wall survived. The floor consisted of a number of well-worn flat stones. A black habitation layer averaging 0.1m in depth covered the floor, no evidence for a hearth survived.
4. Drain and Ditch complex (southern area of site)
Work resumed on a complex series of late ditches and drains in the vicinity of Passage Tomb No. 2. During the excavation of that site and from more recent excavations, it was found that the southern and western part of the site was enclosed within a ditch. Excavation this year attempted to find the full extent of this ditch and to determine both date and function. The southern part was excavated and measured 1.85m in maximum depth. No artefacts or evidence for a bank were found.
A linear drain system was excavated in the surrounding area and a total of six drains were exposed. The most extensive drain, or perhaps in this case it is more likely to be a field boundary, was found running in a north-south direction and its exposed area was over 47m in length. It reached a maximum depth of 1.18m and a maximum width of 2m. Two drains were found running in an east-west direction and on average measured 0.9m in depth and 1m in width. Three drains were excavated further south which all ran in a south-easterly direction and their exposed area was over 47m in length. They reached a maximum depth of 1.18m and a maximum width of 2m. Two drains were found running in an east-west direction and on average measured 0.9m in depth and 1m in width. Three drains were excavated further south and all ran in a south-east direction, averaging 73m in depth and 1m in width.
A large assemblage of artefacts were recovered from the above drains and included iron objects, flint and several sherds of post-medieval pottery, which were mostly of local manufacture and from preliminary study appear to date to the 17th century.
Stratigraphically the field boundary and the drains post-date the ditch enclosing Site 2 and in turn all the drains post date the field boundary.
Click on the link below for the Royal Irish Academy's online resource for Knowth Excavations:
