2004:0924 - RATHPATRICK (Sites 38, 39 and 46), Kilkenny

Investigations were carried out on behalf of Waterford City Council as part of Contract 3 archaeological investigations prior to construction of the N25 Waterford bypass. Contract 2 pre-construction testing on these sites by Emmet Stafford in 2003 (Excavations 2003, No. 1042, 03E0523) identified an area of topsoil-like material with stone and charcoal, stony material with charcoal and a pit. A deposit of charcoal and a linear feature filled with clay and gravel were also revealed.

Full resolution took place between March and April 2004. The topsoil-like material was established to be a deposit of fine soot and charcoal with stones covering a series of burial pits with cremations. Twelve previously unidentified pits and some stake-holes associated with cremation and burial were excavated in this area. Three of the pits contained cremated bone and one contained an Early Bronze Age food vessel (J. Eogan, pers. comm.). This pottery vessel remains to be excavated by an osteoarchaeologist and probably contains cremated bone. Three other pits may have held marker posts locating the burials. The remaining pits contained frequent amounts of charcoal. The fills of these pits were possible token deposits from the funeral pyre. Two other previously unknown pits with charcoal-rich fills were discovered north of the main burial area. One of these had evidence for in situ burning, which may have been associated with the funeral rite.

The stony material with charcoal was established to be part of the top fill of a curvilinear feature, possibly a ground clearance pit, and the other pit noted from the testing was found to be a large stone hole. The charcoal deposit was established to be a lens of burnt material at the base of the topsoil.

The Mile Post, Waterford