County: Laois Site name: MORETT
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0636
Author: Eoghan Moore, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Hearth, Pit, Burial and Furnace
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 653755m, N 703667m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.080909, -7.197674
This excavation in Morett townland, Coolbanagher, Co. Laois, was primarily concerned with the investigation of a series of features uncovered during centre-line testing carried out by Ros Ó Maoldúin along the proposed route of the Heath–Mayfield motorway in the townland of Morett, Co. Laois (No. 1052, Excavations 2003, 03E0128).
Nine areas of archaeological features were excavated. Area 1 contained two hearths or areas of burning. Area 2 contained a hearth/area of burning. Area 3 contained two hearths truncated by linear features or furrows. Area 4 was a product of recent field clearance activity. The excavation of Area 5 is outlined above (No. 1077, 03E0429). Area 6 contained an oval-shaped hearth or pit. Area 7 contained an isolated Early Christian/medieval burial within a shallow subrectangular grave. No archaeological features were identified in Area 8 following excavation. Area 9 contained a series of hearths or areas of burning utilised to fracture the underlying limestone rock for quarrying. Area 10 contained a possible bowl furnace that possessed rounded and expanded corners. Area 11 contained what appeared to be a shallow hearth, or perhaps the remains of a bowl furnace.
Although it is clear that these nine areas were located near one another, as no stratigraphical relationship was established between any of them it is difficult to ascertain any accurate relative chronological relationship between them. Additionally, in the absence of the absolute dating of the features, the temporal relationships between the features remains undetermined.
Prospect House, Dunsrim, Scotshouse, Co. Monaghan
