County: Galway Site name: The Grove, Kinincha Road, Gort
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA122–099 Licence number: 06E0925
Author: Fran Wilkinson, Tempus Archaeology, Cregg, Craughwell, Co. Galway.
Site type: Medieval/post-medieval burial-ground
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 545109m, N 702565m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.070882, -8.819091
The excavation was carried out over a period of two weeks in September/October 2006. An area measuring some 14m by 8m and roughly orientated north-east/south-west was excavated prior to the construction of six foundation pads for an industrial-type building. This area is within the zone of archaeological potential for the site of a church. During the excavation a total of 25 burials were identified. On the basis of stratigraphy and orientation of the graves, the excavated burials may be tentatively assigned to two distinct phases. The first phase was defined by twelve burials which were roughly orientated north-east/south-west (skulls to the south-west). The second phase was defined by thirteen burials which were roughly orientated north-west/south-east (skulls to the north-west). Phase I burials were in some instances truncated by the later, Phase II, burials. The earlier burial group is presently undated; however, they may date to the medieval period. The Phase II burials appear to belong to a post-medieval cultural horizon.
