2001:1120 - GORTLUSTIA, Roscommon

The site was exposed during topsoil-stripping as part of the realignment of the N5 between Scramoge and Cloonmore and was identified as a small spread of heat-shattered stone and charcoal, considered to represent a possible burnt mound. A more detailed investigation of the vicinity of the site and the burnt spread revealed no further features, although the presence of individual burnt stones and charcoal on the surface of the natural boulder clay suggested that a much more substantial deposit once covered the site. Examination of the spread of burnt stone revealed a cut for a pit measuring 1.55m by 1.2m. The main features identified on the site were the pit, the fill of the pit, and a sparse scatter of burnt stone.

The pit, as originally opened, was irregular in shape, with two rounded corners on the 0.7m-wide north-eastern side continuing as straight sides for around 1m, where a rounded side was present (on the south-west). The sides were up to 0.45m deep and sloped at an angle of 55° to the vertical, and gently breaking at a depth of 0.4m to form a concave base. The pit had an overall capacity of around 0.744m3 (or 744 litres).

The pit was filled with a fine silty clay with substantial charcoal inclusions. Some 60% of the fill (0.4464m3) was burnt stone, mainly fine sandstones, although other stone types, such as limestone, shale and quartz, were present in very small numbers. The largest of the stones were some 0.25m in length, although the vast majority were around 75mm in length, or less.

The dispersed burnt stones and charcoal flecking represented the former location of a more substantial mound that may have surrounded the pit. This could be traced over an area of some 7m (north–south) by 4m.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin