2006:891 - KNOCKANACUIG/LOHERCANNAN, Kerry

Test-trenches, as a component part of a pre-planning archaeological impact assessment, were excavated at a proposed development site primarily in the townland of Knockanacuig and to a much lesser extent in Lohercannan. The site, totalling some 7.21ha, is situated on the summit of a low hill at the western limits of the expanding urban limits of Tralee town, at c. 30m OD. Archaeologically, the overall site is located partly within, abutting and in proximity to the site of a levelled bivallate hillfort, currently misclassified as a ringfort, KE029–112, in the RMP for Kerry.

The proposed development comprises a private residential housing estate and the realignment of an existing road that bisects the monument, on behalf of Kerry County Council. With the exception of a much-denuded section of the original outer bank in the south-east, no standing remains of the fort have survived. This south-east section of the outer bank measures 30m in length (north-east/south-west) by 12m in width by 0.5m in height. The maximum overall dimensions of the hillfort are 140m north–south by 135m.

Thirty-three test-trenches were excavated across the proposed development site. Seven, Trenches 1–5 (T1-T5), T32 and T33, were excavated by hand across the perceived eastern section of the outer vallation of the hillfort, as depicted on the first-edition OS map. The remaining trenches were opened using a track machine with a flat grading bucket.

Of the 26 test-trenches opened by machine and cleaned by hand, virtually all were archaeologically negative. A single pit was recorded in Trench 29 c. 14m south-east of the eastern limit of the hillfort. The pit was oval in plan and measured 1.3m (north–south) by 0.85m by 0.24m in depth. It had a single fill of moderately compact dark-grey clayey silt, with inclusions of frequent heat-shattered sandstones and charcoal flecks. The pit was cut into the natural clay subsoil, which would have held water naturally, and this, coupled with the presence of heat-shattered stones, suggests the pit may have functioned as a trough.

Seven trenches were hand-excavated across the eastern limits of the outer enclosing ditch of the hillfort, to determine its nature and extent. Two of the cuttings, T4 and T5, transected the existing field boundary that encircles the hillfort, to determine whether it was part of the original monument. The results confirmed that the field boundary was not part of the hillfort.

The eastern extent of the outer ditch of the monument was uncovered in five of the trenches, T1–T4 and T33. Further archaeological features and deposits were recorded in three of the trenches: T2–T4.

The outer ditch was manifest as two phases in T1 and T2, with the second phase represented buy a recut to the east. The initial cut, C27, was roughly V-shaped in profile with steeply sloping sides and a rounded base. The ditch C27 was 5.2m in width (east–west) by 2.2m in depth and contained six fills, C26, C76–C80. The basal fill, C26, comprised a distinct deposit of charcoal-enriched black clayey silt, with occasional flecks of burnt clay and heat-shattered stones, and extended beneath the baulk of the ditch section; the remainder was present within the cutting and fully excavated. The second recut phase (C28) was roughly U-shaped in profile, with gradual sides and a flat base. The recut measured 6.1m in width (east–west) by 1.2m in depth and contained similar fills to those found in the initial cut. The overall width of the infilled outer element of the hillfort in T1 (C27/C28) was 9.6m, with a maximum depth of 2.2m.

A possible entrance was recorded in Trenches 4 and 33. However, further investigation is necessary to establish conclusively that the exposed apparent termini of the ditch do in fact represent an entrance. The ‘keyhole’ nature of the test-trenches, as well as the limited exposed dimensions of the termini and the migration of the nearby denuded section of bank that may have masked deposits, make the positive identification of an outer south-east entrance difficult.

Several subsoil-cut features and spreads were also recorded within the eastern area of the monument and one outside.

Test-trenching across the site produced a small assemblage of finds, all of which were retrieved from contexts excavated inside the outer ditch of the hillfort.

Five pieces of slag and two struck lithics were recovered from basal contexts of both construction phases from the ditch in Trenches 1 and 2. An amorphous metal object, possibly a knife handle, was retrieved from an upper fill of the first phase of the ditch in Trench 3.

A small sandstone rubbing stone was retrieved from pit C22 and a polished black pebble was recovered from pit C14.

Several radiocarbon determinations from selected contexts at the site have been applied for. The initial construction phase of the outer ditch of the hillfort, represented by the primary basal charcoal deposit C26 from the ditch in T1, returned a 14C date of 90 cal bc to cal ad 79, from the middle of the Iron Age. The fill (C24) of an internal pit (C22) has returned a date of cal ad 398–544, from the Late Iron Age/early medieval period.

Further radiocarbon dates are due from contexts across the site and post-excavation analysis is ongoing.

3 Lios na Lohart, Ballyvelly, Tralee, Co. Kerry