County: Meath Site name: CRUICERATH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E1551 EXT.
Author: Ellen O’Carroll, The Archaeology Company
Site type: Structure
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 705659m, N 771369m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.681357, -6.400581
A Neolithic house was excavated in Cruicerath townland at the site of a proposed extension to a quarry at Platin Concrete works, Duleek, Co. Meath. The house was orientated north-east/south-west and measured 8.5m by 5.5m. The surviving remains consisted of four foundation trenches that were cut into the natural and filled with a combination of planking, posts, packing stones and a clay packing material. There were two entrance features, one at the south corner and the other in the middle of the north-west wall. A track could be discerned running across the interior floor surface between these two entrances. No interior structural features were visible and there was no evidence of a hearth feature. Two areas of cracked stone may represent the remains of paving.
Finds included pottery sherds, burnt bone, flints, including a leaf-shaped arrowhead and possible scraper, and stone implements, including a possible axe/hammerstone. Post-excavation analysis is ongoing.
17 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin
