2005:1212 - LESHEMSTOWN, Meath

Archaeological work on Section F of the Dunshaughlin to Castletown Tara sewerage scheme revealed two sites, designated as Sites 102 and 103. Both sites were identified as burnt mounds, potentially of Bronze Age date. On removal of the burnt-mound material, it was possible to examine what appeared to be either paleo-channels of the River Skane or erosional features in what was perceived as natural deposition along the flood-plain of the river.

The sites were identified during the excavation of a test-trench following the proposed route of the trunk sewer. They were initially identified as deposits of characteristic firing material associated with burnt mounds. Two such deposits were identified. These deposits lie at a depth of between 0.15–1m below the present ground surface and are obviously heavily silted in places by the floodwaters of the Skane.

Leshemstown 1
This site is the most westerly of this Leshemstown group. It consists of a subcircular burnt mound c. 5m from east to west by c. 4m. An active spring exists in the eastern corner of the site and the area is severely waterlogged. The centre of the site consisted of a concentration of fire-shattered stone, charcoal and discoloured soil, with an adjacent trough to the south. The presence of the firing material and the shallow trough were interpreted as the remains of a burnt mound. As the burnt mound and lower deposits were excavated, pits, metalled surfaces and stake-holes were exposed. Finds of flint and chert such as thumbnail scrapers, scrapers and flakes were found in the lower features, suggesting that the site had been in use at two separate times, leaving two separate phases of activities. The lower features had been sealed by various deposits, on which the burnt mound then was located.

Phase I deals with the presence of pits, stake-holes, metalled surfaces and various deposits interpreted to be part of the earliest activities on site. Finds such as flint scrapers, thumbnail scrapers and other implements and debitage, mostly made from flint, were retrieved from this phase and an initial dating placed them in the Early Neolithic period.

Phase II covers later activities dealing with the presence of the burnt mound and its associated features. The majority of the features and the artefacts mentioned in Phase I were covered by the features from Phase II and it was made evident during excavation that there was a distinct difference between the two.

Preserved wood from the stake-holes is being analysed for species identification and age prior to being dried and sent for 14C dating. It is likely that these stake-holes represent the foundations of fish traps of early prehistoric date, possibly Mesolithic. Artefacts from this site include 68 bags of flint and chert artefacts and waste flakes (debitage). Site 102 has also produced 46 bags of animal bone from various contexts throughout the site and 8–10 bags of well-preserved wood.

Leshemstown 2
This site was located c. 40m east of Leshemstown 1. It consisted of a subcircular burnt mound c. 14m from east to west by c. 8.5m. To the south of the mound are two localised areas of burnt-mound material, measuring c. 1m by c. 1.5m, which may represent troughs or pot-boiler pits associated with the mound. A notably large quantity of animal bone was recovered from the immediate area. The mound is well preserved.

Excavation was confined to an area 19.5m in length from east to west by 13.5m. On average, the early prehistoric level was 0.5m below present ground level. Including the burnt-mound material, Leshemstown 2 was made up of 41 individual contexts. These represent the stratigraphic matrix of the site. It was during the examination of what were thought to be paleo-channels under the burnt mound that prehistoric lithics were unearthed. The lithics consisted of a broken flint arrowhead and a large flint scraper. These were found in association with deer antler, animal bones, wood and hazelnut shells, all preserved in the waterlogged deposits. The red deer antler was 14C dated to 2700 BC. This suggests a later Neolithic date for the deposition of the lithics. This may also serve to date the Phase 1 activity at Leshemstown 1.

Excavation of a second feature in the north-eastern part of the site resulted in the recovery of three fine Bann flakes, struck from a chert/limestone core. These were identified as being of later Mesolithic date. Careful excavation has resulted in a better understanding of how the site has evolved and has demonstrated that the Mesolithic material is largely concentrated immediately in the area of the original find site.

Excavation on this site has recovered flint artefacts that are likely to be of later Neolithic date. All chert/limestone artefacts recovered are butt-trimmed flakes and fragments thereof. Four possible chert/limestone cores have been recovered, along with 45 bags of debitage. Fifty bags of animal bone have been collected and three good samples of well-preserved wood from waterlogged contexts. Some hazelnut shells have been recovered from the Neolithic and Mesolithic deposits. There has been no evidence to date of any structural material, although this site has great potential of extending beyond the scope of this project to reveal a late Mesolithic encampment.

35 Brook Meadow, Avoca, Co. Wicklow