County: Meath Site name: BETTYSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1709, 04E0533
Author: John Lehane, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Windsor House, 11, Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3.
Site type: Prehistoric; early medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 715819m, N 773497m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.698324, -6.246068
A new town centre consisting of various commercial and residential units is being constructed. Testing by Eoin Halpin in 2002 (Excavations 2002, No. 1430, 02E1709) had found a skeleton and other possible archaeological features. This licence was reactivated to strip the topsoil and fully assess the archaeological material in situ. Excavations by James Eoghan in 1998 (Excavations 1998, No. 503, 98E0072) and Eamonn P. Kelly in the 1970s had revealed multi-period features in the adjoining properties.
As the extent of the site became apparent, an excavation licence was obtained.
The features excavated comprised a fulacht fiadh trough with associated midden and roasting pits, linear ditches, an unstratified skeleton, possible cremation pits and a series of curvilinear ditches defining an enclosure that contains a souterrain. An unusual stone feature was also discovered that has as yet defied identification.
The fulacht trough was relatively large, measuring c. 8.5m by c. 3m deep, and was disturbed by modern field drains and wastewater pipes. Unusually, the lowest fill contained an amber bead; post-excavation analysis may locate additional artefacts. The nearby roasting pits displayed signs of being heat-affected.
The linear ditches were found to run roughly parallel to each other and may have been boundary delineators. No structural features were observed during excavation, though several probable hearths were cut by the ditches. These ditches terminate at the north-western limit of a roughly circular enclosure.
The northern portion of the enclosure was first excavated. Within that portion a rectalinear undifferentiated souterrain was uncovered, which measured c. 18.9m east-west by 2.7m by 1.7m deep. The walls were constructed of water-rolled stones, average dimension 0.25m by 0.2m by 0.2m, with the upper portion of the wall corbelling in. Several habitation layers were recorded. A stone floor at the western terminus, where the apparent entrance was located, when lifted revealed a decorated riveted bone comb.
A skeleton found during testing was removed from the site, though its condition was too poor to allow intrepretation of burial rite. The skull was not in situ.
Ten pits were found located to the east to the enclosure. Two appear to have well-burnt bone in their fills and several pieces of worked flint were removed for post-excavation analysis.
A stone feature was located at the northern side of the enclosure. Orientated west-east, with a possible entrance to the west, it measured c. 4.5m east-west by 1.8m maximum by 1.65m deep. It was lined on its north and south sides with water-rolled stones. The eastern terminal was disturbed by a later pit. The deposits within the stone feature were composed of several dozen layers and lenses of small burning events. Possible burnt bone was observed during excavation and a possible iron blade was located high up in the stratigraphy.
Overall, very few diagnostic artefacts were found during the excavation. The possible three forms of burial rite: inhumation, cremation pit and stone feature, imply multi-period usage of the site. It is expected that post-excavation analysis will aid the interpretation of this site. The future excavation of the southern portion of the enclosure will also increase the information available.
