County: Antrim Site name: BROUGHSHANE: Rectory Fields, Raceview Road
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/03/48
Author: Cia McConway, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.
Site type: House - Neolithic and Enclosure
Period/Dating: Neolithic (4000BC-2501 BC)
ITM: E 714407m, N 906229m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.890731, -6.216648
To date on this site, monitored topsoil-stripping and excavation have revealed an extensive prehistoric landscape with structural evidence of Neolithic occupation – post-holes, hearths, rubbish pits and evidence of industrial activity associated with fresh lithics and food processing, as evidenced by the recovery of charred hazelnut shells. Polished stone axes, lithics and pottery recovered from these features would suggest a Neolithic date.
In addition, the foundation slots of a rectangular house, 7.2m north-west/south-east by 2.6m with a possible 3m-long annex along the south-east, have been excavated. The house contained internal post-holes and had associated hearths and many pits, some 3m+ in diameter, mostly concentrated to its west. Two shallow north–south-running linear gullies were uncovered 10m and 13m to the west of the house. A truncated causeway was recorded along the inner gully directly in line with the western side of the house and, along with the recovery of Neolithic pottery and a broken polished stone axe, appears to be contemporary and probably associated with the house. The inner gully can be traced for a further c. 70m to the south before turning east and disappearing beyond the limits of the site. It is postulated that these gullies had originally held palisades and had formally enclosed the house. Their extent may be indicative of further as yet unrecorded structures in areas currently under topsoil. Excavations are still ongoing.
Unit 48, Westlink Enterprise Centre, 30–50 Distillery Street, Belfast, BT12 5BJ
