County: Leitrim Site name: AGHNAHUNSHIN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A031–023, E3311
Author: Matthew Seaver, CRDS Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 606024m, N 785991m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.823399, -7.908504
A programme of archaeological excavations was undertaken as part of the N4 Dromod Roosky bypass at the request of Leitrim County Council. In total, 25 potential archaeological sites were identified during centreline testing as part of the advance archaeological investigation (see No. 1214, Excavations 2006, 05E0983).
Area A contained a burnt mound or spread (Mound 3) of fire-cracked stone and charcoal-rich soil measuring 10.2m by 9m, beneath which was a trough. Several modern drains and field boundaries had truncated the site. The trough was subcircular and measured 2m by 1.92m and was 0.7m deep.
Area B was located to the north of Area A. The site consisted of two burnt mounds, their troughs and associated features.
Mound 1 was a spread of fire-cracked stone and charcoal-rich soil, 8m by 5m and up to 0.26m in depth. It overlay a subcircular trough measuring 1.6m by 1.3m and 0.36m in depth. Three pits were also sealed by this deposit. F50 was subcircular in plan and measured 2m in diameter and 0.22m in depth. F42 was 0.19m in diameter and was up to 0.12m deep. F49 was 1m in diameter and 0.1m deep. Each of these pits had a shallow bowl-shaped profile. The burnt-stone deposit also sealed a curvilinear channel, 4m by 1.1m, which varied from 0.2m to 0.8m deep.
In the north-eastern quadrant was a deposit, a mix of burnt-mound material, hill wash and encroaching peat. It measured c. 6m by 6m and was up to 0.2m deep. It sealed three irregular-shaped pits. A barbed and tanged flint arrowhead, a piece of worked flint, a chert scraper and a possible axe rough-out were uncovered from this deposit.
Mound 2 was truncated by the townland boundary between Aghnahunshin and Aghamore. It consisted of a spread of fire-cracked stone and charcoal-rich soil, 2.5m by 0.97m and 0.02–0.1m in depth. In the south-eastern corner of the spread there was a subcircular trough measuring 2.75m by 1.6m with a depth of 0.27m. It was filled by charcoal-rich clay with fire-cracked stone.
An area of redeposited natural was concentrated 1m to the north-west of the trough. It measured 4.5m by 1.5m and was up to 0.14m deep. It filled and sealed three pits beneath it. These measured 2.5m by 1.1m and 0.3m deep, 2.2m by 0.3m and 0.56m deep and 2.1m by 0.7m and 0.35m deep respectively. They were probably water collectors, trapping the flow down the slope into the bog or for the collection of groundwater.
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