County: Mayo Site name: POLLDRIAN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0738
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 528699m, N 774432m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.714696, -9.080142
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 comprised a burnt-mound spread located on a south-facing slope overlooking an area of bog. The spread consisted of fire-cracked sandstone and measured 11.5m east–west by 7m. It was 0.1m in depth and sealed a centrally located trough and a large pit. The trough was rectangular in shape, measuring 2.9m by 1.3m, and had a maximum depth of 0.45m. Twelve stake-holes survived within the base of the trough and along its northern edge, suggesting that it was timber-lined at one time. However, no trace of timber survived. The large pit was located 1m to the west of the trough. It had dimensions of 1.7m by 1.4m by 0.6m and was filled with burnt-mound material. It too may have functioned as a trough. No finds were recovered from the site and dating of the features awaits the results of radiocarbon analysis.
