2005:AD4 - BRACETOWN (1), Meath

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Meath Site name: BRACETOWN (1)

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A017/006

Author: Linda Clarke, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.

Site type: Burnt mound

Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)

ITM: E 702421m, N 742556m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.423167, -6.459003

This site was located within Contract 1 (Dunboyne to Dunshaughlin) of the proposed M3 Clonee to North of Kells motorway and was excavated during August 2005. It was identified by Robert O’Hara during the assessment phase of works in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1191, 04E0489).

During the resolution phase, an area 30m by 30m was stripped of topsoil to expose the truncated remains of a burnt-stone spread, located within the flood-plain of the River Tolka and representing the remains of a fulacht fiadh. It covered an area of 15.25m by 8m and was extremely shallow, varying in depth between 0.05 and 0.25m. Four small shallow depressions were located beneath the burnt-stone spread. No trough was identified and, apart from the occasional fragment of animal bone, no finds were recovered. This spread was partially sealed by alluvial deposits.

21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda