2003:1513 - BALLYKILLEEN, Offaly

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Offaly Site name: BALLYKILLEEN

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0984

Author: Eoin Corcoran, for ADS Ltd.

Site type: Road - class 1 togher, Road - class 3 togher and Structure - peatland

Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)

ITM: E 660396m, N 727967m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.298560, -7.093962

Following a survey by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (IAWU) in 2002 of Cloncreen Bog, a Bord na Móna production bog, a number sites were selected for excavation in the summer of 2003. These sites were identified as a primary togher, dated to 3630–3143 cal. BC, a possible tertiary togher orientated north-east/south-west incorporating a notched timber artefact, a tertiary togher orientated north-east/south-west, unworked wood in situ, a tertiary togher orientated north-south and another tertiary togher orientated north-south. Seven cuttings were excavated in this group of sites.

The primary togher was of brushwood, of hurdle-type construction, extending for a distance of c. 150m in a north-north-west/south-south-east direction across the bog.

The tertiary togher was found to be an arrangement of brushwood (possibly a platform) representing several phases of activity surrounding a notched timber artefact lying north-south. This artefact measured 1.28m in length and was c. 0.18m wide.

The second tertiary togher was found to be a brushwood platform overlying another notched timber artefact. This artefact measured 2.4m long and was c. 0.16m wide.

The unworked wood in situ was found to be a single roundwood underlying another notched timber artefact, which measured approximately 2m long and 0.3m wide.

The proximity of these three artefacts and their associations requires further analysis.

The third tertiary small togher was found to be of longitudinally laid brushwood running in a north-north-east/south-south-west direction; this site could not be traced further in either direction.

The fourth tertiary togher was found to be a substantial structure of longitudinally laid split timbers, transverse roundwoods, brushwood and twigs running in a north-south direction. This site appeared not to continue to the north but may be related to No. 1512, Excavations 2003 (03E0983) to the south.

Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Dublin 3