County: Meath Site name: Carranstown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: 05E1324
Author: Linda Hackett, Headland Archaeology Ltd, Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 706803m, N 772023m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.686997, -6.383052
The excavation of four separate features in Carranstown, Co. Meath, previously revealed during monitoring of topsoil-stripping, was commissioned by Irish Cement Ltd. Complete resolution of all the features was not immediately possible due to the fact that what was initially thought to have been two separate fulachta fiadh spreads in fact connected and formed a large, single burnt spread.
The single burnt mound, measuring c. 8m (east–west) by 7.5m, was excavated fully in 2006. On removal of quadrants of the burnt mound, four subsoil-cut pits or troughs were revealed. This included one which had an oak plank placed at its base. A total of 22 flint pieces were found, three in secure features and three from underneath the burnt spread itself. No surface finds were recovered due to the earlier work carried out in February 2005.
Radiocarbon dating revealed that the timber found dated to 3622638 bc.
The area of archaeological potential was fully excavated and no further mitigation for this specific area is proposed.
