2005:585 - CURRAGH MORE, Galway

This site was interpreted as a cremation pit with an associated subcircular feature, which contained the possible remains of the cremation vessel. The cremation pit consisted of a subcircular-shaped cut, which had a sharp break of slope at the top and a gradual break of slope at the base in the west changing to sharp in the east. The sides were sloping in the west and vertical in the east. The base of the feature was uneven but generally rounded in shape. The subsoil into which the feature was cut changed in character from compact orange silty clay at the top to loosely compacted grey silty gravel at the base. The diameter of the cut at the top measured 0.5m (east–west) by 0.48m and at the base measured 0.22m. The maximum depth of the feature was 0.22m. The cremation fill consisted of dark-brown loosely compacted silty clay soil, which contained frequent inclusions of charcoal and burnt human bone. The bone fragments were concentrated in a circular area, c. 0.1m in diameter, within the main body of the fill. This concentration was delineated by a ring of charcoal. The feature was excavated in spits, labelled Layers A–D, and the bone was concentrated in the upper Layer A, with only occasional fragments of bone in Layers B–D. A large, flat, irregular-shaped stone had been placed towards the base of the feature and the fill below this was excavated as Layer C. Very occasional fragments of bone and charcoal were recovered from this layer. As a discrete feature, the cremation fill was fully excavated during this phase of work and 100% of the fill was sampled for future analysis.

The work was commissioned by Galway County Council National Roads Design Office and sponsored by the National Roads Authority.

Unit 1, IDA Industrial Estate, Wallingstown, Little Island, Co. Cork