2004:1887 - Hawthorn Hollow, Ballyboley, Larne, Antrim

Seven archaeological areas were identified in a large open level area towards the top of a slope adjacent to the Walnut Hollow housing development. These sites were identified as Areas 1-7 for the purposes of this report.

Archaeological Areas 1-3 and 5-7 appear to be the remains of potential flint working and pottery manufacturing areas. Area 4 was the remains of a potential structure the function of which was hard to ascertain. The artefactual evidence (flint and pottery) from the site ranges from the Middle Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age in date. Radiocarbon dates for the site suggest that the majority of the activity is within a 260-year period within the Middle Neolithic and a 300-year period within the late Bronze Age.

Area 1 was located at the north east of the site, it contained 46 archaeological features (19 post-holes, 12 stake-holes, 13 pits and two gullies). 12 features produced artefacts (121 pieces of pottery and 254 lithics). The pottery from the smaller features in Area 1 mainly came from the Neolithic. Bronze Age pottery was recovered from the larger features. The lithics evidence points to a general prehistoric date from the smaller features across the area, with definitive identification of Bronze Age artefacts (including flint balls) being recovered from C256. C256 was a large sub-rectangular pit which contained a single charcoal-rich fill. It provided a date of 1209 - 1011 cal. BC (Beta – 492340). A second date of 1109-929 cal. BC (UBA-13084) was recovered from charred grain from the fill of a small post-hole to the west of Area 1. These dates corroborate the artefactual evidence from C256 and point to the area and its features being Late Bronze Age in date. The Neolithic pottery may have been distributed from other areas of the site and worked its way into the matrix of the other features.

Area 2 was located at the north-east of the site, it contained 47 archaeological features (3 post-holes, 36 stake-holes and 8 pits). This area contained 1642 sherds of pottery and 2106 fragments of flint. The majority of the pottery and flint came from feature C120 located at the centre of a cluster of other features. The pottery within C120 dated from the Neolithic period and was highly decorated; the most notable artefact recovered was part of a Goodland round-bottomed bowl. The lithics within C120 were also indicative of Neolithic activity, they included blanks for hollow scrapers as well as lots of played-out cores and flakes. The incomplete nature of the flint artefacts suggests they were discarded during production, and therefore the function of this area could have been production of artefacts. The charcoal from a neighbouring pit was sent for a radiocarbon determination and provided a date of 3375 - 3319 cal. BC (Beta - 492341).

Area 3 contained 118 archaeological features (5 post-holes, 100 stake-holes, and 13 pits). This area contained 19 sherds of pottery and 228 fragments of flint. The majority of the ceramic evidence was Bronze Age in date and came from a large spread F709 that covered the entire area; three sherds of Neolithic pottery were unearthed from two small pits at the south-west of the area. The dates for the lithics had a strong correlation with those of the ceramics with the majority of Bronze Age artefacts coming from the spread F709. Hammer stones were uncovered from a number of features in this area; the presence of hammerstones without the associated flint debitage could suggest that the knapping took place elsewhere and the tools were stored in this area. One of the hammerstones appeared to be a reworked porcellanite axe. Charcoal from this area provided a date of 897 - 802 cal. BC (Beta - 492342).

Area 4 contained 131 archaeological features (6 post-holes, 85 stake-holes, 34 pits and 5 gullies). This area contained 1313 sherds of pottery and 3983 fragments of flint. The ceramic analysis identified the pottery from this area as solely Neolithic with the majority of the sherds present showing signs of decoration. The lithics analysis points to this area being an area for flint tool production with the highest concentration of flint on the site. The flint remains were similar to those in Area 2. This area differs slightly as it had a large concentration of hollow scrapers. Charcoal from this area provided a date of 3475 - 3371 cal. BC (Beta - 492343). A second date of 3627-3370 cal. BC (UBA-13083) was returned from a wild barley grain within the fill of a small pit to the centre of this area.

Area 5 contained 11 archaeological features (2 stake-holes, and 9 pits). This area contained 183 sherds of pottery and 488 fragments of flint. The ceramic analysis of Area 5 described the assemblage to be Middle to Late Neolithic in date. The pieces of pottery varied in construction but, as with other areas on this site, a high percentage of the ceramics were highly decorated. The lithics analysis for Area 5 corroborates the ceramics report with the presence of hollow scrapers pointing this area towards a Neolithic date. There were no radiocarbon dates for this area.

Area 6 contained seven pits. This area contained 449 sherds of pottery and 255 fragments of flint. The ceramics analysis identified the pottery discovered in this area as the remains of Neolithic bowls. The lithics analysis identified flint end scrapers to be the major find in this area and suggests a Neolithic to Early Bronze Age date. A wheat grain from this area was sent for radiocarbon determination and provided a date of 3634-3377 cal. BC (UBA-13082).

Area 7 contained three pits. This area contained 43 sherds of pottery. The ceramic analysis for this area described the pottery as roughly-made Bronze Age vessels. No other artefact analysis or datable material was processed for this area.

Northern Archaeological Consultancy, 638 Springfield Road, Belfast