County: Mayo Site name: CARROWMORE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0739
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 483571m, N 829190m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.198407, -9.784394
The site was excavated in July 2005 as part of the programme of resolution of archaeological sites on the route of the proposed Galway–Mayo gas pipeline. It was located in an area of bogland where two additional burnt-mound spreads were identified during monitoring of topsoil-stripping along this scheme.
The site comprised a burnt-mound spread with dimensions of 7.5m by 16m by 0.34m. The spread consisted of fire-cracked limestone and sealed a trough and a pit. The trough was subrectangular in shape, measured 1.84m by 3.2m by 0.46m and was permanently water-filled. The pit was located 12m north of the trough; it was oval in shape and measured 1.5m by 3m by 0.28m. The burnt-mound spread was cut by a series of north–south and east–west stone-filled drains. The base course of a limestone wall 1m in width was located along the eastern edge of the spread. Finds recovered within this feature indicated that it was modern in date. A metalled surface, probably a trackway, was identified parallel to the wall and most likely dates to the same time.
This site is most likely Bronze Age but has been extensively disturbed by agricultural activity. Dating of the archaeological features awaits the results of radiocarbon analysis.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
