County: Meath Site name: OLDBRIDGE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 95E0195
Author: Geraldine Stout
Site type: Burial
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 703728m, N 776017m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.723497, -6.428238
At the beginning of August, 1995, an angler noticed skeletal remains deep in the south bank of the River Boyne, opposite the Curly Hole. The embankment had recently collapsed to expose these remains. Because of the depth at which the remains lay, the decision was made to excavate, record and take bone samples for dating.
The site was excavated from 31 August to 1 September. A trench c. 2m2 was mechanically excavated to within 0.5m of the skeleton. The area was trowelled down and the partial remains of an articulated skeleton emerged. This lay at a depth of 1.95m below sod in a layer of grey estuarine silts. A piece of unworked flint and oak (worked?) were found with it. The skeleton was identified as cow by Vincent Butler. It showed no signs of butchering and was at least 16 months old at time of death. Some of the bone has been sent to the radiocarbon lab in Queen's University for dating.
Chapel Rd, Julianstown, Co. Meath
