County: Meath Site name: KILSHARVAN 10, Kilsharvan
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0185
Author: Ian Russell, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Pit and Hearth
Period/Dating: Mesolithic (8000 BC-4001 BC)
ITM: E 669990m, N 810386m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.673397, -6.350355
The site was exposed at chainage 19654, in the western portion of the proposed 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 area containing burnt stone and charcoal.
A single shallow pit/hearth was exposed. It measured 0.26m in diameter to a depth of 0.045m (37.295m OD), and contained gradually sloping sides to a partially concave/flat base. It had been filled with a mid-brown clay containing moderate inclusions of charcoal and heat-shattered pebble-sized stones. A radiocarbon determination of 6050 ± 50 BP (5060–4800 cal. BC) was obtained from the pit, dating it to the later Mesolithic.
The feature was very shallow, only 40mm in depth, and contained moderate amounts of charcoal and shattered pebble-sized stones, suggesting that it may have been a small fire or hearth. However, the feature was exposed in isolation, as no further deposits or features were exposed or identified within the site to suggest that it may have been part of a larger site. The radiocarbon date obtained from the fill clearly places the pit/hearth in the later Mesolithic. No further archaeological features or deposits were exposed and no finds, bone, shell or flint fragments were recovered.
15 Trinity Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth
