County: Meath Site name: ROSSAN 4
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1066
Author: Deirdre Murphy, ACS Ltd.
Site type: Hearth and Pit
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 659395m, N 744801m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.449935, -7.105824
Testing was carried out before construction of the M4 Kinnegad–Enfield–Kilcock Motorway. In February 2002, during centre-line testing of the proposed realignment of the Edenderry Road carried out by Ian Russell (No. 1876, Excavations 2002, 02E0108), a number of possible archaeological features were identified. The site was designated Rossan 4 and was excavated in October 2002. A large area around the features, measuring 69m east–west by 7.5m, was stripped of topsoil.
Excavation exposed one pit, one post-hole, two hearths and an area of oxidised clay. The pit was oval, measuring 0.28m east–west by 0.55m, and was 0.18m deep. It was filled with a mid-brown silty clay containing frequent amounts of charcoal and oxidised clay. The post-hole, farther east, was roughly circular, measuring 0.62m north–south by 0.48m, and 0.23m deep. It was filled with a stony, silty clay and frequent charcoal inclusions. Two hearths near the post-hole may have been associated with it. Both were filled with charcoal, with evidence of oxidation in the base. The first hearth was subrectangular, measuring 1.4m north–south by 1.12m, and was 0.12m deep. The second, also subrectangular, measured 2.08m north–south by 1.3m and was 0.2m in maximum depth. To the west of these hearths an area measuring c. 6m by 8m was clearly oxidised and scorched.
No finds were recovered from any of the features, and no further evidence, structural or otherwise, was exposed in the cutting. Clearly, a large amount of burning had taken place at the site, although, because of the absence of finds, it is not clear whether this related to industrial or domestic activity. The site is on a low ridge that rises substantially to the south, and it is highly likely that archaeological remains extend southward beyond the limits of the road corridor. The site is most likely of prehistoric date, which should be confirmed by the results of radiocarbon analysis of charcoal samples recovered from some of the features.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
