County: Meath Site name: CARRANSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0790
Author: Goorik Dehaene, for Arch-Tech Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia, Pit and Sweathouse
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 706803m, N 772023m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.686997, -6.383052
Testing and full excavation was undertaken in the townland of Carranstown, Co. Meath. Testing followed the findings of a cultural heritage report (Baker 1999), which identified a 'probable fulacht fiadh', and a subsequent geophysical survey (conducted by GeoArc Ltd, 02R0119) that identified several geophysical anomalies.
Four trenches were excavated by hand to assess a probable fulacht fiadh. The location of the trenches was determined following consideration of the geophysical anomalies. Burnt-spread material, up to a maximum depth of 0.78m, was identified in the base of the Trench 1. A large ditch feature at least 3m in width was identified in Trench 2. This was filled with dark-blackish-grey mottled humic silty clays up to 1m in depth and overlay a deposit of stones; it correlates well with a geophysical anomaly. Although no archaeological material was encountered in this trench, it was noted that the topsoil contained thin (max. depth 0.01m) lenses of compact mid-grey sandy silt. These lenses have been interpreted as indicators of topsoil deposition through silting.
Excavation of a fulacht fiadh and burnt-spread activity was carried out subsequent to the test excavation. The depth of topsoil varied from the north (most elevated) to the south (lowest) of the field. The depth of topsoil was c. 0.2m in the north and over 2m in some portions of the south of the field. Random samples of the topsoil were retained; these were wet-sieved but no artefacts where retrieved.
Twenty archaeological features have been excavated extending over the entire site (130m east-west by 55m). The site has been subject to ancient topsoil erosion and deposition forming several phases of activity (as was noted during testing). The earliest phase comprises a possible Mesolithic pit (based on the recovery of a large chert blade) followed by burnt-spread and fulacht fiadh activity associated with an ancient river. Material associated with this phase includes a portion of a polypod bowl and an abundance of animal bone, including one piece of bone worked into a point. Subsequent activity is sealed stratigraphically from this earlier phase with up to c. 1m of redeposited topsoil, which also covers the ancient river. This later phase includes a trough and hearth with which a hollow scraper is associated.
The features included in these phases include large pits, sweathouses, several troughs associated with smaller pits, gullies and ditches.
This substantial fulacht fiadh and burnt-spread activity area has also produced worked wood, the axe signatures on which have been identified as Bronze Age in date. The presence of possible Mesolithic and Neolithic material together with the evidence of erosion and deposition of topsoil over a large area indicate the continual prehistoric development within this site.
This site is contained within a wider archaeological landscape including a possible barrow (Excavations 2003, No. 1368, 03E1747), a large fulacht fiadh (Excavations 2003, No. 1381, 03E0465), Bronze Age settlement and truncated fulacht fiadh (Excavations 2002, No. 1434, 02E1306 ext.), Neolithic settlement (Excavations 2003, No. 1367, 02E1716 ext. 2) and medieval settlement (Excavations 2003, No. 1378, 03E0264).
Glascarn, Ratoath, Co. Meath