County: Tipperary Site name: CAHERABBEY LOWER
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A035/00, E2266
Author: Melanie McQuade, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Habitation site and Kiln
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 604859m, N 626656m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.391426, -7.928610
Two sites, 121.1 and 189.1, were investigated under ministerial directive A035/00 in advance of the N8 road improvement between Cashel, Co. Tipperary and Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.
Investigations at Site 121.1 determined that the remains were those of burnt-out vegetation and had no archaeological significance.
Site 189.1 was located on a south-west-facing slope at 70.21–68.73m OD. The location commanded a good view of the surrounding area, including Site 185.5 (see No. 1808, Excavations 2006, E2267), which was located 400m to the south. The area of excavation measured 30m by 25m and there were two pairs of oval-shaped pits and a kiln on the site. One pair of pits was located on the north-east end of the site and the other pair was 11.88m to the south. The pits were similar in size, measuring up to 1m long and 0.7m wide.
Sherds of prehistoric pottery and several worked flints were recovered from their fills. The kiln was located on the south end of the site. It was keyhole-shaped in plan and the fire bowl was located at the eastern end. It was 0.68m in diameter and 0.42m deep and was filled with fire-heated stone, burnt clay and large chunks of charcoal. Specialist analysis and radiocarbon dating of the material from this site are underway.
27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2
