1993:221 - PORTNASHANGAN, Westmeath

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Westmeath Site name: PORTNASHANGAN

Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 12:88 and 12:90 Licence number: 93E0139

Author: Hilary Opie

Site type: Ringfort - rath

Period/Dating: Undetermined

ITM: E 641314m, N 759412m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.582958, -7.376081

Excavations were carried out at two ringfort sites at Portnashangan, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Both sites were investigated prior to road development The work took place between 20th September and 1st October 1993. The sites are referred to as "Site C" and "Site E" as both were previously excavated under these titles (Excavations 1990, 50).

Site C
Cuttings A, B and C1 were dug in the interior. They produced no finds or features of archaeological significance.

In Cutting C2, a steep-sided V-shaped ditch had been cut into the subsoil. It was 2.5m wide and 0.75m deep with the subsoil dug from the ditch being thrown up to form the bank giving a total height/depth of 2.2m. Various layers of ditch fill were observed but no finds were recovered the could help with the dating.

In cutting D the ditch was shallower and wider, being cut into the subsoil to a depth of 0.4m with a width of 4m. There were no finds from the ditch fill. A section cut through revealed the bank to be made up of redeposited subsoil measuring 0.9m at its highest point. It appears there was just one episode of construction rather than a build-up of the bank over time. The bank was sitting on a layer of white-grey subsoil, representing the original ground surface.

Site E
Cuttings E and F contained no archaeological finds or features.

Cutting G - remains of the ringfort bank extended for 5m and to a height of 1m. However, much of the bank appears to be cut away with major disturbance being noted. The bank was constructed from redeposited subsoil and was sitting on a layer of white-grey subsoil which represents the original ground surface. This was very similar to that found on Site C. No sign of a ditch was observed.

Cutting H was very similar to Cutting G. However, here the bank extended for 2.3m and to a height of 0.5m and was constructed from stony redeposited subsoil with a small amount of clay. Of most interest was a deposit of animal bone found at the base of the bank, just above undisturbed subsoil levels. From their position they must date to a time contemporary with or prior to the construction of the bank. No remains of a ditch were found.

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