County: Waterford Site name: COXTOWN EAST
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Stanton Green and Chris Judge, University of South Carolina and Jane Peterson, University of Sheffield.
Site type: Prehistoric site - lithic scatter
Period/Dating: Neolithic (4000BC-2501 BC)
ITM: E 667922m, N 599951m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.147231, -7.007551
One of several sites that together make up the Bally Lough Archaeological Project.
Excavations at Coxtown East (BL 219) began on 12 July 1989. The test excavation strategy for the site was based on a 20m grid system, with a 1m x 1m excavation square dug at each 20 metre interval. The eastern portion of the site appears to be generally erosional in character, the rest depositional. Changes in the character of the bedrock, the differential presence of silt and possible periglacial activity are the primary facts contributing to this complex.
The lithic assemblage consists of approximately 900 artefacts.
The original survey results suggested a Neolithic occupation. During initial processing of the excavated finds this conclusion has been reinforced. Hollow notched scrapers and pressure retouch are the primary data in this respect. No mesolithic or Bronze Age diagnostics have been found. Based on chipped stone it does appear that the site contains strictly Neolithic components. A total of 20 formed tools from the site were recovered.
The excavations have answered some of the research questions arising from earlier fieldwork. At the same time many new questions have been raised. The data obtained from the excavation confirms the Neolithic age observed from systematically derived surface collections.
The excavations suggest the following questions and recommendations for future research:
Is all of the site destroyed by post-depositional processes such as erosion and colluvial movement of sediments?
The high ploughzone concentrations observed in the test excavations in the eastern portion of the site should be investigated further.
The deeply recovered artefact and charcoal deposits in two areas of the site are intriguing and if the soil profiles indicate no post-depositional disturbance, should also be investigated since they are buried deeply and therefore are not disturbed by modern agricultural activity.
