County: Roscommon Site name: Rathpeak
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A034, E2833
Author: Bruce Sutton, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd, Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
Site type: Low natural mound – no archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 592235m, N 731370m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.332524, -8.116569
Archaeological assessment on the proposed route of the N6 Ballinasloe to Athlone road scheme involved targeted test excavation of selected areas lying within the proposed road-take. Work was commissioned by Galway County Council and the National Roads Design Office and sponsored by the National Roads Authority. Testing here was of a probable prehistoric burnt mound, which is to be destroyed during the course of the construction.
Four trenches were excavated on the site. The topsoil in the area, 0.1–0.62m deep, was a black organic peat with occasional branch remains, unworked, and organic (grass) remains. No mound material was present at the site and it was interpreted as a naturally occurring lowland mound in a wetland setting.
Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered during the excavation.
