County: Kildare Site name: CORBALLY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0078
Author: Redmond Tobin, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 684199m, N 713030m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.161098, -6.740912
Preliminary work under this licence concentrated on the features exposed in the northern corner of Field 4. All of these features lay on a very gradual north-easterly facing slope that opened onto a mature field boundary and ultimately gave way to the present pit. Most of the features tested were of some archaeological significance.
Area 9 tested as a thin lens of dark soil within a light gravel matrix. The deposit contained no evidence for charcoal and is probably the result of soil staining through the decay of the prevalent mudstone.
Area 10 was initially revealed as a single subcircular feature, defined by dark, charcoal-rich soil contained within a sandy natural. Area 10 is the subject of a separate report; see Excavations 2001, No. 629.
Area 8 was defined as an extensive linear feature, possibly a ditch, running in a south-easterly direction. Initial testing delimited the feature as being 0.15–0.2m in depth, with a fill consistent with natural silting as against deliberate infilling. Sections cut through Area 8 show the feature to be in excess of 4.5m in width and over 0.6m in depth. In total three fills were recorded, all of which appeared to be naturally deposited through the process of silting.
Area 7 was an amorphous group of possible post-holes. Excavation demonstrated that these features lost definition and did not display either a clear plan or a definite profile, which may be representative of root activity. The features follow no distinctive pattern and may be surface manifestations of a large subsurface disturbance like a tree bowl.
Area 6 first appeared as a localised area of soil discoloration with some charcoal content. Subsequent surface clearance expanded this discoloration into an extensive spread of charcoal flecking and oxidised clay. The features were tested and found to be of no real substance and therefore of little archaeological significance.
Area 5, as with Area 6, originally appeared during soil-stripping as an area of soil discoloration with some charcoal content. It appears to be the remains of surface burning, probably associated with tree clearance. It was not of archaeological significance.
F.31 (Area 25) was revealed during later topsoil-stripping to allow access to the extension for extraction of boulder clay. It takes the form of a linear soil discoloration running south-south-west/north-north-east. When tested the feature showed as a ditch with moderately sloping sides and a slightly concave base. The ditch contained four distinct fills, all of which appear natural.
This licence was extended to cover testing on features to the west of the site, which were unearthed during soil reduction under extensions to licence 00E0864 (monitoring — see Excavations 2001, No. 631). This phase of testing was quite inconclusive but did allow for an archaeological assessment of some of the features on this part of the site. All excavation and further testing fell under licence 01E0299 (see Excavations 2001, No. 630).
2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin
