County: Mayo Site name: BOLEYBOY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 62:2 Licence number: 94E0089
Author: Frank Ryan
Site type: Burial mound
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 541714m, N 771000m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.685470, -8.882357
The site was excavated in July and August 1994 over a five-week period, during which time the southern half of the mound was investigated. The work revealed that the mound was approx. 10m in diameter and 2.6m high. It contained a 1.6m diameter x 0.4m high protuberance on top, and was surrounded by a shallow fosse. The protuberance was made up of large loose stones which were placed on top of the mound and covered with topsoil. Other stones contained within the topsoil layer had slipped down the mound surface.
A mantle of light brown soil containing large and small weathered limestone was concentrated on the east side of the mound. Within this was found a hollow chert scraper.
Beneath this outer mantle, the mound appeared to be constructed of five horizontal layers of soil, the upper layer of which consisted of a thick mass of mottled brown clay. It contained two features; a central pit and a group of stones which were contained within light brown soil in the east half of the mound.
Beneath this, a layer of charcoal-laden soil contained large quantities of cremated bone, some of which were identified as those of sheep and pig.
This covered a layer of light brown silt, the entire surface of which contained a row of linear impressions made into the flat surface and running in a north-north-west to south-south-east direction. This ridged surface contained evidence of a hearth on the east side. A pit containing cremated bone had been dug beside the hearth. Below this a further silt layer contained seven stakeholes, two pits with cremated remains and two postholes located at the south-west in close proximity to most of the stakeholes.
Removal of the silt layer revealed an underlying thick sterile layer of redeposited subsoil laid on top of a stony layer which formed the bottom of the mound. Excavation of the site ceased at this level.
A thin slab of limestone, measuring at least 0.8m across, lies in the middle of the mound and rests at the top of the sterile layer. It covers a hollow which is at least 0.2m deep. A thick layer of light brown soil containing charcoal extends from the flat slab to the east edge of the mound. It appears to have been cut into the redeposited subsoil and contains a stone-lined pit within which was found a small quantity of cremated bone.
Clooncundra, Belcarra, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
