County: Cork Site name: SCARTBARRY (2)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: CO053-111---- Licence number: 03E0980
Author: Aidan O’Connell, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 578149m, N 587099m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.035453, -8.318463
Testing was carried out in advance of construction along the route of the proposed N8 Rathcormac–Fermoy Bypass on behalf of Cork County Council. In 2002, during this phase of centre-line testing, thirteen features of archaeological potential were exposed at Scartbarry. The site was subsequently designated Scartbarry 2 and was excavated between 23 June and 8 July 2003.
At the south, a curving drainage trench was found, associated with two circular pits. The curving trench had dimensions of 1.7m north–south by 0.5m wide by 0.23m deep. It abutted a circular pit that was 1.24m in diameter by 0.57m deep. The circular pit was connected to a similar feature to the north by means of a linear gully. This northern pit was 1.4m in diameter by 0.55m deep. The curving trench acted to divert groundwater to the southern pit. The gully acted as an ‘overflow’ from the southern pit into the northern pit, where the water was collected and stored. Seven sherds of Bronze Age pottery were found in the basal fills of the northern pit.
There was a concentration of pits, post- and stake-holes recorded at the southern end of the site. Thirty-three stake-holes were recorded. They were mainly located directly west of the Bronze Age feature and had average dimensions of 0.1m (diameter) by 0.11m deep and were filled mainly with lightly charcoal-flecked silty clays. There was no discernible structure recorded from the stake-holes, although two of them were aligned with the incomplete arc of a shallow trench that was cut by a later field boundary.
Eight additional pits were also recorded near the Bronze Age feature. They were mainly subrectangular in shape and had average dimensions of 1.2m by 0.7m by 0.3m deep. Their clay fills were generally stony and contained charcoal, but no artefacts were recovered. Two post-holes were recorded to the east of this area.
An isolated kiln was located at the north of the site at a distance of c. 120m from the Bronze Age activity. It consisted of a clay-cut bowl and flue that were heavily oxidised at the base, with an overlying charcoal-enriched layer. The bowl was roughly circular, with a diameter of 1.4m, and was 0.4m deep. The co-joined flue was subrectangular, with dimensions of 1m by 0.8m, and was 0.2m deep.
Four post-medieval field boundaries and a range of cultivation furrows were also recorded at the site.
The excavation was funded in full by the National Development Plan 2000–2006 and was awarded by the National Roads Authority.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
