2002:1206 - KNOCKUREGARE (BGE 3/77/5), Limerick

This site was examined as part of Bord Gáis Éireann’s Pipeline to the West. A series of overlapping penannular and curvilinear gullies and ditches was investigated, producing an assemblage of prehistoric material including Early and Late Bronze Age ceramics, a number of flint scrapers and a broken polished stone axe.

A total of 67 features were examined: six ditches, two ring-gullies, four gullies, twelve pits, fifteen post-holes, 25 stake-holes, a small spread, a drain and a single cremation burial.

The earliest feature recognised, a large curvilinear ditch (232), appeared to have had a double terminus at the north-east. Three small sherds and a few crumbs of probable Early Bronze Age pottery, as well as bone fragments, were recovered from its fill.

A ring-gully (231) partially cut the filled ditch. It was not fully revealed within the excavated area, and it is not possible to identify definitely either terminus, although comparison of the dimensions and profiles of the features suggests which lengths of gully may be related. If we assume that the elements of this gully have been correctly identified, the ring had an internal diameter of c. 14m, although it may have been somewhat oblate. The entrance doorway was probably 3–3.5m wide and faced north-east. The gully itself was 0.4–0.6m wide and 0.43–0.58m deep, with steeply sloping sides and a flat base. Eight small sherds and a few crumbs of probable Early Bronze Age pottery, a piece of possible slag, a possible rubbing stone and animal-bone fragments were recovered from the slots. The depth and uniformity of the gully may indicate that this was a foundation trench for the walls of a circular building rather than a drip gully surrounding an entirely post-built structure. The large number of internal post- and stake-holes doubtless include some of this phase that relate to the structure, but at this stage the arrangement is not clear.

A further ring-gully (230) appeared to have replaced the earlier one at some time during the Early Bronze Age. Again, the full extent of the ring was not revealed, and it is not entirely clear which lengths of gully are related. If the elements of this gully have been correctly identified, the ring was roughly penannular, with an internal diameter of 10.5–11m, considerably smaller than its predecessor. A 3m-wide entrance faced due east. The gully itself was 0.48–0.52m wide and 0.19–0.3m deep, with a bowl-shaped profile. Although no pottery was recovered, a flint scraper, a chert flake and fragments of bone were retrieved. The uniformity of the gully may indicate that this was a foundation trench for a circular building of uncertain construction. Stones found in the southern terminus may represent packing for a doorpost. As with the earlier ring-gully, it was not possible to associate any of the internal features directly with this phase, but there is no doubt that some were part of this structure.

A large pit (154) lay at the northern limit of the excavated area and truncated the edge of Ring-gully 230. It produced five sherds of probable Early Bronze Age pottery, two flint scrapers and fragments of animal bone. It is not possible to associate this pit with any of the structural features, as it clearly post-dates Ring-gully 230 and therefore also post-dates the earlier House 231, within which it lies.

Pit 153 partially truncated Pit 154. It was smaller and less deep than its predecessor and produced several fragments of bone.

The curvilinear Ditch 233, which recut the earlier Ditch 232, is the only feature currently dated to the Late Bronze Age. In addition to animal bone, the ditch produced a single sherd of pottery, the only ceramic to be identified as Late Bronze Age.

A series of three parallel ditches (235–7) was identified. One of these, Ditch 235, cut across the earlier features described above. These ditches were aligned roughly north–south and were irregularly spaced. It is not known whether these features are related, but, in the absence of other evidence, their parallel nature suggests that they are.

A single cremation burial (107) was cut into the upper fill of Ditch 237. The pit for the burial was oval, measuring 0.3m by 0.22m, and was 0.1m deep, with a steeply concave profile. The fill was a dark grey/black, organic silt with crushed cremated bone and charcoal inclusions.

A single stone-lined post-medieval drain ran across the site from east to west. Also possibly of this period were a number of lengths of gully that were identified truncating other features in excavated slots in the southern half of the site.

The large majority of individual features remain undated. It is likely that most are Bronze Age and relate to the early intensive activity, particularly the features internal to the ring-gullies. Curvilinear Ditch 234, seen in the south-western corner of the site, is also currently undated, as it produced no finds other than fragments of animal bone.

This site is clearly of importance, as it represents continuous use of a closely defined location throughout the Bronze Age. In the absence of absolute dating, the chronology of the site remains tentative; however, some discussion is possible.

The sequence of events, as suggested by the (admittedly dubious) stratigraphy and pottery evidence, is that a large curvilinear ditch, the full extent of which is unknown, was replaced by a ring-gully, which was in turn replaced by a smaller ring-gully, at least two phases of pit digging and then a second large curvilinear ditch. If this was the case, neither ring-gully lay within either enclosing ditch, which would have partially or entirely blocked the entrances if they were contemporaneous. Without a greater picture of the extent of the curvilinear enclosure ditches, which may be provided by a proposed programme of geophysical survey, it is difficult to interpret these features further. The alignment of the ditch recut with its predecessor suggests a continuous marking of the boundary that it formed, despite the construction and demolition of two houses during this period and the passing of sufficient time to allow for the transition from Early to Late Bronze Age pottery use.

The single cremation burial is the only evidence of funerary activity from the site and stands out in what appears to be a settlement context. Absolute dates should demonstrate whether it was contemporary with the rest of the prehistoric activity, but, if it proves to be, this might indicate that the site was not entirely domestic. A probable Early Bronze Age cremation cemetery was excavated by Brian Halpin 400m to the west as part of the same project (No. 1087, Excavations 2002, 02E0396, BGE 3/77/8). These various peculiarities suggest that a less pragmatic interpretation of the site might be appropriate, with consideration of the possibility that the location had some special significance beyond that of a settlement and was revisited and redefined over a considerable number of years.

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