County: Tipperary Site name: GORTMAKELLIS (Site AR1)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: TI061–003 Licence number: E002356
Author: Eoghan Moore, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Ringfort - rath, Enclosure, Kiln - lime and Field boundary
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 608979m, N 643475m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.542545, -7.867623
Excavation took place during the period July to September in advance of the construction of the M8/N8 Cullahill to Cashel road improvement scheme. Prior assessment and centreline test-trenching was carried out by Colm Moriarty in 2005 (Excavations 2005, No 1388, A027/001). The site was located adjacent to an earthwork ringfort.
Excavation to the north-west of the fort revealed a series of ditches that ultimately made up a figure-of-eight arrangement, with a maximum length of 29m (north–south) by 13m. The figure-of-eight arrangement of ditches was composed of three main structural phases. The earliest of these was a small ditch, which formed a half-arc. The second phase was a broad but shallow ditch that constituted the encircling ditch of a D-shaped feature. The third structural phase was a narrow but deep ditch that vertically truncated the earlier ditch of the D-shaped feature. Simultaneously, another circular ditch was also excavated immediately to the north of the enclosing ditch of the D-shaped feature. This circular ditch truncated the enclosing ditch of the D-shaped feature, thus forming the figure-of-eight (ditch) arrangement. Skeleton remains of a (male) youth were uncovered lying in the primary fill of the narrow, but deep, ditch of the third structural phase.
In addition to this, a stone feature was uncovered lying immediately to the south of the ditch which formed the half-arc. This stone feature was composed of a series of upright, crude, stones, which formed the walls of what can best be described as a passageway. The orientation of this passageway was east–west. A circular arrangement of angular stones was uncovered attached to the west of this stone-lined passageway, while the remains of a circular formation of crude stones were uncovered attached to the north of the stone-lined passageway. In the interior of the circular area enclosed by the northernmost ditch of the figure-of-eight (ditch) arrangement the remains of a series of post-holes, which formed a circle, were uncovered. Furthermore, the remains of a possible cremation burial were uncovered in the centre of this northernmost enclosure.
The only diagnostic archaeological artefacts uncovered during the excavation were the remains of a bone comb and a metal knife. Both of these were uncovered on the top of a deposit of burnt soil which lay on top of the stone feature that was uncovered immediately to the south of ditch which formed a half-arc.
The remains of a circular limekiln were also uncovered during the excavations. Its diameter measured c. 1.8m, while its depth was c. 1.25m. The remains of two post-medieval linear ditches were also uncovered.
Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny
