1995:266 - ARDNAGROSS, Westmeath

This site first came to light in November 1994 when human remains were found by quarry workers when extending a sand and gravel quarry in this townland into a previously undisturbed area. Once it became clear that quarrying was going to proceed the OPW funded a rescue excavation to establish the nature and extent of the site. The excavation was carried out over a two-week period in April/May 1995.

As the site had come to light during the stripping of topsoil prior to quarrying, the stratigraphy was severely truncated and there was a considerable amount of disturbed human bone extending over the area that had been stripped of topsoil. It was decided to excavate a cutting 6m (north-south) x 7m (east-west) in the area of the greatest concentration of exposed human remains, some of which were articulated.

Excavation revealed two rows of burials, six individuals in the eastern row and eight in the western. In general the burials were badly preserved, owing to poor soil conditions and recent disturbance. All the burials were found in a similar matrix of yellowey-brown sandy silt. They were all placed with their heads at the west. Eleven of the burials were extended supine inhumations; there were two flexed burials in the eastern row (one facing north, the other facing south); a single burial in the western row may have been interred in a prone position, but it is not possible to be definite on this point as the burial was severely damaged in the quarrying operations.

Presumably most of the burials were in unprotected dug graves; however, owing to the disturbance and soil conditions, the only grave cuts recognised were in three instances where one burial cut into another. Owing to the very stony nature of the fluvio-glacial deposits which underlay the site, a number of the burials gave the impression of being in partially stone-lined pits; however, an infant burial in the western row was the only one which could be considered to have been placed in a stone-lined grave sensu stricto. An adult in the eastern row of burials had a stone placed on either side of the skull, forming an 'ear muff' or 'pillow stone' feature. There were at least five instances of later interments disturbing previous ones. In two cases the remains of a disturbed burial were carefully placed by the feet of the later interment.

Mr Andy Halpin, who carried out the initial site inspection in November 1994, recovered a small (17mm ext. diam.) bronze annular ring of rounded cross-section. It was found beside the femur of one of the extended burials in the eastern row. It is the only find from the excavation that is associated with a burial.

Burial in this inhumation cemetery was clearly organised with care; however, its full extent has not been ascertained. Quarry workers spoke of a number of burials having been removed before archaeological investigations commenced. A test-trench was excavated by JCB for 10m to the west of the excavated area. At least two articulated inhumations, and some bone which may constitute a third, were uncovered. There was no evidence uncovered for any structures or an enclosing element around the site.

Samples of bone from two of the burials were dated by the Oxford University Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit. A flexed burial from the eastern row is dated to 1360±70 BP (OxA-5991); an extended burial from the western row is dated to 1420±40 BP (OxA-5992). These dates show that this cemetery was in use from the mid-6th to the early 9th century cal. AD.

59 Brighton Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6