2005:1603 - ASK (Sire 37), Wexford

The initial identification of archaeological features on the site was confirmed by testing under licence A003/005 as part of the N11 Gorey–Arklow scheme. Excavation commenced in August 2005 for a period of six weeks. The site was located to the east of the N11 between Gorey and Inch, in a tillage field c. 3.3km to the north-east of Gorey town.

There were 60 potential pit features excavated on Site 37, mainly concentrated in the middle of the site where most of the archaeological activity was located. They varied in size, shape and depth. For example, pit C.111 was rectangular in shape with rounded corners. It measured 2.45m long, 1.1m wide and 0.45m in depth. It had concave sides, a flat base and was orientated north to south. It contained five fills. At its base a vertical-sided U-shaped cut was evident. The fills contained charcoal and cremated bone. A spherical blue glass bead and three twisted glass fragments were found in the pit. Pit C.111 truncated an earlier shallow pit, C.195, on its northern side. It was circular in shape, 1.5m long, 1.3m wide and 0.15m deep. It had concave sides and a flat base. It contained a single fill with charcoal and small stones.

Pit C.129 was located 3.2m west of pit C.111. It was oval in shape and measured 1.5m long, 0.96m wide and 0.46m deep. Its sides were concave and included a stepped profile on its northern side. It had a slightly rounded to flat base. It contained two fills with frequent inclusions of charcoal and cremated bone. The natural surface on the upper edges of the southern side of the pit was heat-scorched in an area measuring 0.9m by 0.75m. This indicates burning in situ and may be a result of heated material being dumped into it or its function as a pyre.

Pit C.447 measured 0.4m by 0.23m and was 0.3m deep. It had concave sides, which undercut and had a concave base. It contained a single fill with charcoal and cremated bone at its base. Eight pieces of prehistoric pottery were found lining the eastern side of the cut c. 0.1m below the surface. The pieces comprised three rim and five body sherds. All are from the same vessel, which had been broken up prior to deposition. The pieces recovered do not constitute the entire broken vessel. The stake-holes surrounding the pit may have acted as marker posts for the burial.

Pit C.237 was the largest on the site and was located 10m south of the main concentration of features. It was rectangular in plan, orientated north-east to south-west and measured 3m long, 1.5m wide and 0.3m deep. It had concave sides and an uneven U-shaped base. It contained three fills with many stones and some charcoal. A large concentration of cremated bone was recovered from the pit.

The majority of the remaining pits were located within the main density of features in Area 12. There were a number of pits recorded in the north-eastern and south-eastern areas of the site, although no cremated remains were recorded in their fills and the material in them was noticeably sterile. They ranged in diameter from 0.25 to 1m and 0.1 to 0.5m in depth, with most having between one and two fills. The pits are believed to represent evidence of a prehistoric burial practice where various amounts of cremated human bone were deposited in cut features and in some examples with inclusions of charcoal and burnt stones. It is likely that most of the deposited remains found were taken from the remains of a series of funerary pyres where the bodies had been burned. Some of the pits excavated also showed evidence of in situ burning. It must also be acknowledged that some of the cremated bone deposits may have been selectively sorted from the charcoal, ash and burnt stones prior to deposition.

A total of 53 post-holes and 150 stake-holes were excavated. They were all located within the main density of archaeological features outlined above. Similar to the pit fills, only a small percentage of post- or stake-holes contained cremated bone. No particular organised layout was perceivable from their distribution. It is likely that some functioned as post markers for adjacent cremation pits, while the remainder may have supported a series of small structures or frame set-ups connected to the funerary use of the site (i.e. funeral pyres). In some instances it was found that some contained packing stones at the sides of the cuts. However, there was no evidence to suggest that they functioned as supports for habitation structures. The site seems to have been used solely for cremation depositions. The majority of the stake-holes had straight vertical cuts, ranging in diameter from 0.03 to 0.15m and in depth from 0.05 to 0.25m.

A large number of linear and irregular non-archaeological features were investigated in both the central and outer areas of the site.

Finds consisted of worked flint, prehistoric pottery, glass fragments and post-medieval pottery. Dating of these features awaits the return of results from the radiocarbon analysis of charcoal samples and cremated bone from their fills. The site is likely to be prehistoric and to date to the Bronze Age.

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