County: Meath Site name: NORTHERN MOTORWAY, Contract 7, Site 10, Rathmullan
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0813
Author: Teresa Bolger, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 629596m, N 927837m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.708975, -6.388235
The site is one of a series of potential prehistoric sites identified during pre-development testing along the route of the Northern Motorway, Contract 7. This site (Site 10) is located approximately 500m to the south of the Donore Road, south-west of the town of Drogheda. The site is on a low ridge, with a good view of the surrounding countryside, including the Bronze Age complex (Sites 15 and 16) currently under excavation to the south (see Excavations 2000, No. 763).
The site comprises a series of small pits and post-holes, with no obvious delimiting feature or structure. Identification of any structures is hampered by the site being transected by a modern field boundary ditch that cuts through what appears to be its central focus.
Activity at the site appears to span a broad period of the earlier Bronze Age. To date, over 700 sherds of Bronze Age pottery have been recovered. Provisional identification suggests the presence of Beaker, Food Vessel, and Collared or Cordoned Urn pottery. Of particular interest are what appear to be the remains of several polypod bowls or similar, footed vessels. Five feet have been identified to date, in two distinct sizes, suggesting the presence of at least two vessels of this type.
The function of the site is still unclear. It is least likely to be a funerary site. While cremated bone is present in many contexts, only small amounts are found, and there is no deliberation to their deposition. The absence of any hearths or clear structures at the site would appear to mitigate against a domestic function. However, the richest area of the site comprises a series of occupation-type layers delimited on the east side by a row of deep post-holes. Unfortunately, both these layers and the row of post-holes have been truncated by the field boundary ditch. Given the wealth of artefacts, and the span of time that they indicate, a ritual function for the site cannot be ruled out.
Excavation at the site is ongoing.
8 Dungar Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
