County: Cork Site name: SKAHANAGH NORTH (3)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: CO053-010---- Licence number: 03E1132
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Ringfort - rath
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 577464m, N 586016m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.025685, -8.328387
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, part of an enclosure ditch, five charcoal spreads, a possible pit and a cremation pit were exposed in Skahanagh North. The site was subsequently designated Skahanagh North 3 and was excavated in July–August 2003.
A large area (5052m2) around the features was stripped of topsoil and the sod and topsoil combined measured 0.2–0.3m in depth. The site consisted of two main areas, an enclosure ditch located to the east of the site and a ring-barrow located further to the south-west. The enclosure (53:10) was identified during the EIA stage of the project on an aerial photograph. Approximately one quarter of the structure was within the proposed road corridor. The ditch was quite substantial, with a maximum width of 3.4m and depth of 1.2m; it contained four fills. Entrance to the enclosure was to the north-west and the break in the ditch measured 4m in length. A dump of stone was deposited within the upper fill of the ditch north of the entrance and this probably represented modern disturbance. The ditch was U-shaped in profile with a flat base. Despite stripping a large area, no features were identified within or outside the enclosure.
A ring-barrow was located further to the south-west; it enclosed an area approximately 7m by 4m. The outer ditch enclosed a number of features, including two gullies, pits and two hearths. In the western part of the structure a subrectangular stone-lined hearth was evident; it contained cremated bone, suggesting that this was the location of a cremation burial. A bronze object similar to a ring pin was recovered from the fill of a pit within the structure. Some of the internal features, such as the gullies, were cut by the ditch of the barrow, suggesting that they pre-dated it. Two large pits were located outside the ditch along the eastern side. One was subrectangular, was quite shallow and may have been a refuse pit. The second pit was roughly circular, 0.5m deep, and was charcoal-filled, with heavily oxidised sides and base. This was some kind of furnace and radiocarbon analysis will provide a date for its usage.
At present it is believed that earlier domestic activity took place at this site and the gullies and pits may relate to this. Subsequent to the abandonment of this phase, the site was used for burial and the barrow constructed. The exact sequence of events at this site should be established following post-excavation analysis. This is due to take place in 2004.
This work was funded in full by the National Development Plan 2000–2006 and was awarded by the National Roads Authority.
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