2006:1307 - SALLYMOUNT, Limerick

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Limerick Site name: SALLYMOUNT

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A026/171, E2324

Author: Aidan Harte, Aegis Archaeology Ltd.

Site type: Pit

Period/Dating: Undetermined

ITM: E 566833m, N 660909m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.698305, -8.490685

The remains of a burnt-mound feature were identified as part of test-trenching the proposed N7 route in early 2006. This site was north of, and on the opposite side of a marshy area to, site E2323 (see No. 1267, Excavations 2006).

In situ burning was identified in the centre of the trench. This comprised a shallow fill of burnt material over heat-affected natural clay. This lay within a shallow subcircular cut, 0.51m by 0.53m and 0.06m deep. A subrectangular pit with rounded corners at the north of the trench was filled with charcoal-rich silt. Burning had taken place in situ, evident from the scorched natural clays at the base. The cut, 1.73m by 1.05m and 0.13m deep, was orientated north–south. To the south-east of the latter, a shallow ovate pit, 2.8m by 0.9m and 0.05m deep, again indicated in situ burning, with a black charcoal fill above a red ashy fill. The final pit did not have any evidence of burning. This was a shallow subcircular pit, 0.4m north–south and 0.03m deep, with a single greyish-brown silt fill. A modern field drain traversed the western part of the trench. No artefacts were recovered, but all contexts were sampled for further analysis.

32 Nicholas Street, King’s Island, Limerick