- CLOONEEN, CO. MAYO, Mayo

Introduction
In July 1995 a short cist containing an inhumation and a vase was discovered in a gravel pit between Claremorris and Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. The site, a small gravel pit on farmland, was only used occasionally whenever dry filling for foundations was needed for building works on the farm.

Nobody was present when the cist was first exposed, as this occurred when part of the pit face collapsed. The landowners believe that the cist may have been exposed for a number of months before it was noticed. The end stone and one side stone of the cist had collapsed and some of the bones had fallen from the grave. Noel Joyce, son of the landowner and a student of archaeology in University College Galway, had removed fragments of the vessel and the bones from the cist, as he feared that the pit would collapse further and destroy them. The site was excavated by Eamonn P. Kelly.

Location (Fig. 3.119)
The site was in the townland of Clooneen, south-east Co. Mayo, a few kilometres north-east of the village of Hollymount.²¹³ It was at the north end of a low gravel ridge running northeast/south-west. Lazy-beds were visible on the surface of the ridge. The site lay at an altitude of 40–50m above sea level and was overlooked by higher ground to the east and to the north. The ridge overlooks an extensive flat area containing bog to the west. A stream a short distance to the west runs roughly south-east/north-west to join the Robe River approximately 800m to the west.

Description of site
The capstone of the cist was approximately 0.3m below ground level. Although one end stone and one side stone had collapsed, it was possible to see that the cist had originally been rectangular or trapezoidal in plan, with its long axis aligned north-east/south-west. It would have measured approximately 0.8m long by 0.4m wide by 0.45m high (Fig. 3.120). Only the southern side stone and the western end stone remained, but according to reports the cist was formed of four main edge-set slabs, one at each side. The remaining slabs were large in proportion, the side stone measuring 0.15m thick. One small stone had been wedged in the corner between the southern side slab and the western end stone but no other packing stones were visible. The floor of the cist was not paved but formed of earth. Owing to the nature of the site and the recent collapse, the pit dug to receive the cist had largely collapsed.
The cist contained the unburnt remains of a juvenile (1995:88) aged three to five years accompanied by a vase. As the human remains had been removed from the cist prior to excavation, it was not possible to ascertain the exact position of the skeleton other than to say that the skull was in the southern corner. The vessel was found in the eastern corner of the cist and had fallen over and shattered in antiquity. The position of the vessel base, set at an angle of about 45º, could be seen clearly in the cist.

Bipartite vase, 1995:89 (Fig. 3.121)
This a small vase of bipartite form as classified by Ó Ríordáin and Waddell (1993). Approximately two-thirds of the vessel survives, the external surface of which is completely decorated. The ware is thick and some accretions of grit have formed on almost half of the surviving rim circumference. Some of the decoration on the body of the vessel has worn off. The rim of the vessel is bevelled internally and bears decoration in the form of three parallel

bands of continuous comb impressions. The neck of the vessel curves gently outwards towards the shoulder and is decorated with vertically disposed lines (approximately 3.25cm long) of comb impressions.²¹⁴ The shoulder bears two shallow horizontal ribs, the area in between these forming a shoulder groove. This is decorated with a series of short incised strokes and a single horizontal band of comb impressions. One imperforate lug survives in the shoulder groove area, and there is evidence that there were three others on the surviving portion of the vessel. Judging from the size of the missing portion, it is probable that there were originally six lugs on the vessel. Below the shoulder the vessel tapers to the base. The area immediately below the shoulder is decorated with a band of herringbone pattern produced by two rows of diagonal short incised strokes. Below this is a series of incised vertical lines placed closely together. The final band of decoration consists of another row of incised herringbone pattern, below which is a row of impressed chevrons. The base of the vessel is not decorated.
Dimensions: H 10.8cm; ext. D rim 13.9cm; D of base 6.7cm; T of rim 1.9cm; avg. T of vessel 1.2cm.

Comment
A sample of the human remains submitted for AMS dating yielded a date of 3565±40 BP, which calibrates to 2026–1773 BC.²¹⁵ Brindley (2007, 256) places this vessel in stage 1 of the development of the vase tradition, which is dated to the period 2020/1990–1920 BC.

HUMAN REMAINS
LAUREEN BUCKLEY

Sample 1995:88 consisted of the remains of a juvenile skeleton. The skull was almost complete and in good condition, but the rest of the skeleton was very incomplete and poorly preserved. The calvarium of the skull was almost complete although the right orbit was missing. There was a thin layer of mineral deposits over the occipital and left parietal bones of the skull. This had broken off in places and probably arose as a result of the skull lying in waterlogged conditions. The first four cervical vertebrae were present and there were four thoracic bodies and nine thoracic arches. Some of the arches were unfused to the vertebral bodies. Fragments of both scapulae, part of the shaft of a humerus and seven poorly preserved ribs were all that remained from the upper body. The right ilium was decayed but almost complete. The left femur was almost complete but the distal third was smashed. Part of the right femur was present.

Anomalies
There was a large ossicle at lambda and several lambdoid ossicles on both sides.

Pathology
Cribra orbitalia was present in the left orbit. This is a bone condition characterised by pitting of the anterior portion of the orbital surface of the frontal bone and is usually attributed to iron-deficiency anaemia. When the blood is anaemic, the bone marrow will proliferate in an attempt to make up by quantity for what the blood lacks in quality. The bone marrow expands at the expense of the compact bone, which becomes thinner and more porous. The effect is most marked in the thinner bones of the skull, usually the parietal bones and upper eye sockets, as well as in juvenile skulls. The iron deficiency may occur as a result of a lack of iron in the diet or a lack of vitamin C, which helps the uptake of iron from the gut, or may be due to an excessive loss of iron caused by a parasitic infestation of the gut.

Dentition

The crowns of the first molars were fully formed but were unerupted. There was little wear and few calculus deposits on the teeth. There was a small caries cavity on the occlusal surface of the lower right second deciduous molar.

Summary and conclusions
This was the burial of a young juvenile aged 3–5 years. It was very incomplete and in an advanced state of decay. Cribra orbitalia, which may indicate iron-deficiency anaemia, was present in the left orbit, and there was a small cavity on the occlusal surface of the lower right second deciduous molar.

213. Parish of Kilcommon, barony of Kilmaine. SMR MA111-107——. IGR 128107 269415.
214. The individual impressions appear almost chevron-shaped.
215. GrA-24149.