2006:86 - KNOCKCAIRN (5), Antrim

When first exposed, this site consisted of three spreads of burnt-mound material. The largest spread, which measured 12m north-west/south-east by 7.7m, had a smaller patch of similar material measuring 7m north–south by 3.8m on its east side and a second patch measuring 3.4m north–south by 1.6m to the west. Hand excavation of the burnt-mound material showed that the two smaller spreads had been dragged from the central spread and there were no underlying subsoil-cut features. Removal of the largest spread, however, revealed a subrectangular trough with a possible water channel, a shallow irregular depression, two shallow pits and a stake-hole complex.

The trough, which measured 2.5m east–west by 0.9m with a maximum depth of 0.87m, had vertical sides and a stepped base. At the south-west the trough was 0.22m deep with a flat base for 0.4m then stepped down by 0.23m to a flat base for 1.9m before gently curving down a further 0.42m then rising very gradually to the north-east edge. A curvilinear water channel, 5.3m north–south by 1.4m by 0.15m deep, cut into the south-east edge of the trough. The centre of the large irregular depression, which measured 5.6m north-west/south-east by 3.5m by 0.19m deep, lay 3.5m to the south-east of the trough. The larger of the two shallow pits, which was 1.9m north–south by 1.2m by 50mm deep, lay at the south-east end of the depression and the smaller pit, 0.9m in diameter and 85mm deep, was situated 3m to the north-west. A stake-hole complex was uncovered in the space enclosed by the trough and its water channel on the east, the irregular pit on the south and the large irregular depression on the west. They were all roughly circular, with diameters of 0.1–0.22m and a depth of 0.08m–0.12m.

Unit 48, Westlink Enterprise Centre, 30–50 Distillery Street, Belfast, BT12 5BJ