2006:1328 - BALGATHERAN, Louth

The site was discovered during monitoring of topsoil-stripping along the route of the proposed south–north gas pipeline to be constructed by Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE). The site (19F09) was located in field 9 at Road Crossing (RDX) 19, in the townland of Balgatheran, Co. Louth. Archaeological investigations occurred over one week during May 2006.

The site was located in undulating countryside downslope of the summit of a prominent north-west/south-east-orientated ridge. The land sloped away to the north before rising sharply again to create a valley into which the site faced. The site commanded extensive views to the east and west, and to the south was the slope leading to the summit of the ridge.

The site measured 25m north–south by 12m and consisted of a large curved linear feature, three linear pit features and seven shallow subcircular pits. The linear feature was cut into the slope to create a relatively level area or terrace; this levelling constituted the initial phase of activity on the site. Three shallow pits that were irregular in plan and were themselves linear were cut into the terraced area, with their long axes lying perpendicular to the hill slope. A natural build-up of hill-wash sealed these features. The linear pits were deepest where they cut into the hill and all became shallower as they followed the slope downhill. All three features had similar grey clay fills with frequent charcoal and heat-shattered stone inclusions. Seven shallow subcircular pits were also recorded on the west and south-west side of the curvilinear feature. The largest of these pits was located on the west side of the site and had been truncated by the pipeline corridor. It had a diameter of 1.1m and a charcoal-rich fill with heat-shattered stone inclusions. No datable finds were recovered from a secure context on the site.

The nature of the features and the absence of diagnostic or datable finds make it difficult to interpret the function of this site, as much of it may survive beyond the limits of the gas pipeline corridor. A natural spring was uncovered during the excavation of the trench for the pipeline on the eastern side of the site. This natural resource, combined with the presence of the charcoal-rich fill within the three linear pits and the circular pit, suggest that the site was possibly associated with a fulacht fiadh or similar such activity. It is therefore possible that an area of burning survives outside the take of the pipeline. Post-excavation work is ongoing and specialist macrobotanical, microbotanical and radiocarbon analyses will provide additional information regarding the function and date of this site.

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