2006:1512 - Betaghstown, Meath

Archaeological excavation was carried out in Bettystown, Co. Meath, in 2005 (Excavations 2005, No. 1158) in advance of the construction of a hotel/apartment development. Two areas of archaeological activity were identified, comprising a post-medieval pit and recut grave pit and a habitation site dating from the 5th to 7th centuries ad. Further excavation was carried out at this site in 2006. The area resolved was located south of a possible souterrain and 4–5 inhumations that were excavated by John Lehane in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1187, 04E0533).
Archaeological features exposed included burnt spreads, a hearth, pits, linear ditches and a section of a curving ditch. The features occurred randomly over an area of 50m by 30m and did not form any coherent pattern. The linear ditches were of modern origin and were unrelated to the archaeological features. The curving ditch was almost semicircular and had dimensions of 1.5m by 10m by 0.8m. It had vertical sides and a flat base and the western section was cut by a slot-trench. The northern extent of the ditch was outside the scope of works and was within the area excavated by Lehane in 2004. Animal bone recovered from the fill of the ditch has been sent for analysis. Charcoal was recovered from some of the features and radiocarbon dates are pending. With the exception of a bone-comb fragment recovered from the fill of a charcoal pit, no other finds were recovered.