2005:1229 - PACE (Pace 1), Meath

The site at Pace 1 was located 2km north-east of Dunboyne within Contract 1 (Dunboyne to Dunshaughlin) of the proposed M3 Clonee to North of Kells motorway. It was identified as a small burnt spread during testing conducted by Rob O’Hara in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1232, 04E0490) and was fully excavated between 8 September and 18 November 2005. The site lies within a former flood-plain of the River Tolka and the blackened soil deposit covering the north-western part of the site was soon determined to be naturally derived. A small stream, forming the northern border of the area, runs north to meet the Tolka on the other side of the existing N3, and the resultant site stratigraphy is one of alluvial gravels interspersed with episodes of siltation. A wide trench that would have channelled water towards the stream pre-dates the major concentration of archaeological features and may provide evidence of prehistoric land reclamation.

A series of pits lay in an arc formation within the former flood-plain and surrounded a small oval setting of stake-holes. Some of the pits contained evidence of circular, flat-based, organic containers that had been packed in place or, in some cases, pinned down with stakes. It is possible that they had been used as cold storage for foodstuffs. Excavation also revealed an oval enclosure, less than 2m in internal diameter, which comprised two roughly double circles of stake- and post-holes. There was a possible entrance at the western side, which was underlain by a pit containing two fragments of coarse pottery, a fragment of clay mould (possibly late Bronze Age) and a fragment of bovine metatarsal. The enclosure contained no hearth and is likely to be too small to represent a dwelling. Its location within a flood-plain suggests that it may have only been used on a seasonal basis.

To the south of this area, on a raised level above the flood-plain, a furnace or kiln feature was excavated. This comprised two deep, conjoined pits one of which contained evidence of a clay lining and of the superstructure, which may have collapsed. Evidence for in situ burning was located at the base. With the exception of the burnt bone retrieved from the charcoal-enriched primary fill, there was no evidence of the type of product that had been processed.

A number of pits and other features were excavated in the surrounding area, including an arc-shaped setting of post-holes, which may have been used to stretch hides. Evidence of cross-ploughing, in the form of ard marks, was uncovered in the southern and eastern parts of the site above the flood-plain. These ran north-west/south-east and north-east/south-west across the site, in line with the natural contours but completely disrespecting the existing field boundaries and the line of the road. The ard marks held no stratigraphic relationship to any of the chronologically datable layers and, as such, could be placed at any point from the Neolithic to the early medieval period.

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