2006:168 - BUSHERSTOWN, Carlow

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Carlow Site name: BUSHERSTOWN

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E002583

Author: Áine Richardson, Headland Archaeology Ltd.

Site type: Burnt mound, Pit-burial and Habitation site

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

ITM: E 677514m, N 674828m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.818846, -6.850005

The site was excavated as part of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford scheme: Kilcullen to Powerstown. Testing carried out under Ministerial Direction A021/025 on this site in 2005 (Excavations 2005, No. 75) identified two separate features: a rectangular pit or trough filled with typical burnt-mound material and a second pit filled with charcoal-rich material, from which a rim sherd of highly decorated Bronze Age funerary ware was recovered. Full resolution was conducted on this site between 16 January and 17 February 2006.

In total, over 138 cut features were excavated on the site, varying from large pits to small stake-holes. The remnants of a burnt mound were excavated in the north-western corner of the site. The burnt-mound material was mid-grey soft clayey silt with occasional coarse, angular to sub-rounded burnt pebbles, occasional small angular and sub-angular burnt stones and frequent charcoal flecks. The associated trough was subrectangular in shape and measured 2.8m north–south by 1.6m by 0.65m deep.

Immediately south of the site, another excavation of a burnt mound was carried out (see No. 169, Excavations 2006, E2584). Approximately 750m north of the site are CW008–017 and CW007–032, a graveyard and bullaun stone.

Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork