County: Sligo Site name: KNOCKNAREA MOUNTAIN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 99E0227 ext.
Author: Stefan Bergh, Department of Archaeology, NUI Galway
Site type: Earthwork
Period/Dating: Neolithic (4000BC-2501 BC)
ITM: E 564539m, N 834312m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.256412, -8.544210
The Knocknarea Archaeological Project is a two-year project (1999–2000) focusing on the characteristic mountain of Knocknarea, Co. Sligo. The main aim of the project is to expand our interpretation of the role of this mountain in the symbolic and physical world of Neolithic Cúil Irra.
The project involves extensive fieldwork, including a field-walking programme, field survey, trial excavations and geophysical survey, as well as digital survey of the prehistoric sites and the topography of the mountain. The main funding of the project comes from the Swedish Foundation for International Co-Operation in Research and Higher Education (STINT). The geophysical and digital surveys have been funded by the Heritage Council, while the trial excavations have been funded by Dúchas.
Within the Carrowmore Project in the early 1980s, at least four hut sites were identified around the 275m contour on the north-eastern slopes of the mountain. During fieldwork in 1992 it was noted that some of these hut sites seemed to lie along a hitherto unnoticed bank-like feature, running diagonally down the hillside to an altitude of c. 240m. This bank seemed to have a length of c. 250m and constituted a major feature on the eastern side of the mountain. Trial excavations were carried out during 1999 to establish the character and extent of the bank (Excavations 1999, 278–9). The results showed that not only did the bank cover a man-made wall, it was also part of a very large system of walls enclosing the eastern side of the mountain. A large number of mainly chert artefacts dated the banks to the Neolithic.
The main aim of the very limited trial excavations carried out in 2000 was to achieve additional information concerning the extent of the banks in the north-east area, as well as to establish the occurrence of lithics along certain parts of the banks.
A total area of 32m2 was excavated, between seven trenches. Only a minor part, however, was excavated down to original ground level. The excavations took place over fifteen days. In the north-east, where the system became rather complex with several parallel banks, three additional stretches of banks were confirmed in Trenches II, III and IV. These banks showed a stratigraphy similar to that recorded in other parts but with very few finds.
In the very north of the enclosure two trenches (I and VII) were excavated in what seemed to be a part of the bank, which was built of peat. This assumption was confirmed in both trenches, and this most northerly stretch of the enclosure could therefore be dismissed as prehistoric.
Trench VI was placed in an area within the south-eastern part where the bank was rather weak and only indicated by a few boulders and a very low bank. In this small trench, measuring 2m x 2m, a number of chert artefacts and a polished stone disc (similar to one found in the northern area in 1999) were found. This was an important result as it linked this rather delicate part of the bank with the more evident banks to the north and south.
The final trench, Trench V, was placed in a flat area adjacent to an opening at one of the more substantial banks in the north-east. This trench, which measured 5m2, uncovered a very large number of chert artefacts and debris scattered over the level area inside the bank. Some fragments of hazelnut shells were also found.
The limited trial excavations at Knocknarea in 2000 have supplemented the results from 1999. We now have a much clearer picture of the extent of the banks, as well as a greater awareness of the variability of the lithics along the banks. Another important result was that it could be established that the northern stretch of the bank was constructed of peat and evidently does not form an integral part of the prehistoric system of banks on Knocknarea Mountain.
The large number of high-quality chert implements in the levelled area at Trench V is a new feature, which is important when discussing the general variability of lithics as well as the use of the different spaces created by the banks. Finally, the rich finds from Trench VI along the faint bank in the south-east are very important as they indicate that we can expect Neolithic activity over a much larger area of Knocknarea than was predicted in 1999.
