2003:0077 - BALLYCASEY MORE, Clare

Excavation of this site in the townland of Ballycasey More in Co. Clare was carried out in November 2003. This excavation relates to a fourth phase of the development following resolution of Phases 1–3 by Tara O’Neill in 2002 (Excavations 2002, No. 79, 02E1045). Previous excavation at this site exposed an early medieval ditched enclosure, two adjoined rectangular stone and earthen bank enclosures and the remains of three or four human burials from a disturbed context. The present excavation was located south of the main concentration of material encountered in 2002.

Five distinct areas of activity were identified. Area 1 was located at the north-west of the site and consisted of an east–west-orientated earthen bank with associated pits, post-holes and stake-holes. A small amount of flint debitage was recovered from the bank and radiocarbon analysis of a charcoal sample from the feature should confirm its date. Approximately 10m north of the bank 22 features, consisting mainly of pits and post-holes, were exposed. Some were classified as refuse pits, as they contained animal bone, while others contained quantities of cremated bone. It is likely that the latter are Late Bronze Age cremation pits similar to those identified near this location during excavations in 2002.

Area 2 was south of Area 1; it contained two cremation pits with associated spreads, two pits of unknown date, an extended inhumation burial and four large post-holes (almost 0.5m in diameter) that formed a rough square shape. The post-holes were filled with burnt bone and three contained red ochre. The post-holes may represent the remains of a platform structure that possibly had a funerary function. The skeletal remains were located close to this feature and thus may have had some association with it.

Area 3 was located further to the south-east and contained two bowl furnaces with large quantities of slag, pits, spreads and a stone-lined keyhole-shaped structure containing thousands of snail shells. The pits and spreads also contained slag and hence are associated with the ironworking process. The bowl furnaces measured 0.35m and 0.55m in diameter respectively and neither survived to any substantial depth, both measuring 0.15m or less. It is unlikely that the keyhole-shaped structure had any association with the ironworking activity in this area. This feature was probably used for boiling snails, and parallels can be found during the Victorian era.

Area 4 was located further to the east and comprised a fulacht fiadh, two redeposited fulacht spreads, an isolated pit and a bowl furnace. The fulacht fiadh was almost crescent-shaped and was located on a stony ridge on the edge of a stream. It measured 12m north–south by 5m and had a maximum depth of 0.45m. There was no evidence for a trough or associated pits. The bowl furnace was located 8m west of the fulacht and it was similar to those identified in Area 3, with a diameter of 0.45m and a depth of 0.16m.

Area 5 was located towards the north of the site and it also contained a fulacht fiadh. This feature was located in the middle of a marsh and during excavation the surrounding area became waterlogged. The spread had dimensions of 7.6m by 6m and it had a maximum depth of 0.35m. No other features or finds were associated with this fulacht.

Excavation work has just been completed at this site (December 2003) and post-excavation analysis will commence in 2004. At present it is presumed that the archaeological remains at this site date from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, but this can only be confirmed following analysis and the results of radiocarbon dating.

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