County: Antrim Site name: BALLYMACONNELLY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/04/50
Author: Norman Crothers, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Pit and Enclosure
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 695326m, N 914798m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.971694, -6.511108
These two fields were advance stripped ahead of the North-West Gas Pipeline to investigate features uncovered in two test-trenches opened up in Field 42F13 to the west of a ploughed-down mound (SMR 26:3). Two linear features uncovered in Trench 1 and one in Trench 2 were modern drains. The remaining five features in Trench 2 were probably archaeological in origin. Four sherds of Neolithic pottery were recovered from the surface of one of these features.
The modern drains were clearly visible, but no visible trace of any archaeological remains was revealed during the advance stripping. An isolated pit and part of the ditch of the nearby ploughed-down mound were uncovered. The pit measured 1.75m by 1.3m in diameter and 0.25m deep and was filled with a grey-black clay with frequent stones and charcoal. It was only possible to cut a partial section through the ditch of the ploughed-down mound, because it was partly overlain by the topsoil stack.
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