2001:989 - KILSHARVAN 4, Kilsharvan, Meath

The site was exposed at chainage 20045, in the eastern portion of the motorway in the townland of Kilsharvan, during monitoring of topsoil-stripping carried out by Marcus Casey during groundworks associated with the construction of Contract 7 of the Northern Motorway Project. The site was identified as an oval, charcoal-rich deposit.

A single shallow pit was exposed to the north-east of the possible settlement/ritual site at Kilsharvan 5 (No. 990, Excavations 2001). The pit was oval in plan and measured 0.98m in length, 0.67m in width and 0.06m in depth. It contained shallow sloped sides, becoming more sharply sloped towards the west and extending to a flat base, and had been filled with a dark brown sandy clay containing moderate inclusions of charcoal. A radiocarbon determination of 2690 ± 40 BP (910–800 cal. BP) was obtained from the fill, which dates the pit to the early part of the late Bronze Age. This is contemporary with the early–middle Bronze Age phase at Kilsharvan 5, which was dated to 2640 ± 80 BP (930–760/680–550 cal. BC). Consequently, given its date and close proximity to the possible settlement/ritual site, it is likely that the shallow pit represents an outlying feature belonging to the early phase of activity at Kilsharvan 5.

No further archaeological features or deposits were exposed or identified and no finds were recovered.